Gqeberha — Conservatory: Restoration & Revival marks a historic milestone as the first-ever art exhibition to be hosted at the Pearson Conservatory in its 150-year history. This landmark event aligns with a growing global trend of reimagining and reusing heritage spaces for cultural and artistic engagement — bringing new life, relevance, and purpose to historic architecture.
Presented within the glasshouse of St George’s Park, the exhibition showcases a powerful body of 33 grand-scale works in oil, mixed media, pen and ink sketches, fine fibre, and installation art, all unified under the theme of restoration and rebirth.
At its heart, Conservatory: Restoration & Revival reclaims St George’s Park as a living, breathing space for creativity and reflection — a revival of both place and purpose. The exhibition invites the public to re-engage with the park, to see it RE: regarding and again — as a site of renewal, culture, and shared experience.
The featured artist, Wessel Kotzee, is a renowned colourist and storyteller, known for his deeply symbolic work that explores the human connection to nature and spiritual restoration. His artistic language combines painting, planting, and weaving, creating layered compositions that mirror the intricate ecosystems of the Conservatory itself.
Visitors are encouraged to join the artist daily at 11:00 AM for an intimate Artist Walk-Through, offering personal insights into his creative process and the symbolic meaning behind each piece.
To further foster community connection, the exhibition will feature Sunday midday family picnics, where visitors are invited to bring a picnic basket and enjoy a relaxed, cultural afternoon at the Pearson Conservatory.
“This event is attracting so many different role-players, so it will be more than just an exhibit of art,” says community partner André Theron. “It’s the coming together of a community — artists, citizens, and collaborators united by a shared vision to restore and revive this historic space.”
Event: RE: An Art Exhibition by Wessel Kotzee
Venue: Pearson Conservatory, St George’s Park, Gqeberha
Dates: 28 November 2025 – 7 December 2025
Daily Artist Walk-Through: 11:00 AM
Sunday Midday Picnic: 12:00 PM
