Àṣẹ́ at Oliewenhuis

Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein is opening “Àṣẹ: Grounded in Being, Rising in Thought” on Thursday, April 16, with the event set to begin at 18:00. (art.co.za) The show is scheduled to run from April 16 to June 16, 2026, and a walkabout is listed for Friday, April 17 at 11:00. Art.co.za says the exhibition was curated by the museum’s art guides and that refreshments will be served at the opening. (art.co.za) A March 2026 Oliewenhuis press release said the exhibition is in the Reservoir, the museum’s underground gallery, and described it as a presentation of historical and contemporary works. The same release said the project was curated by the current Art Museum Guides of Oliewenhuis Art Museum. (nationalmuseumpublications.co.za) That matters to the shape of the exhibition because Oliewenhuis’ guide program is not just front-of-house staffing. OFM reported in 2024 that the guides are trained in visitor engagement, education work, tours, exhibitions, workshops and other museum duties as preparation for jobs in the creative sector. (ofm.co.za) The word “àṣẹ” comes from Yoruba thought and refers to a life force or power that turns intention into action, according to the Oliewenhuis press release. That gives the exhibition a stated frame for linking being, thought and artistic expression across older and newer works. (nationalmuseumpublications.co.za) The venue adds another layer of context. South Africa.net says Oliewenhuis shows both historical and contemporary South African art, while the additional gallery below ground level is known as the Reservoir. (southafrica.net) Oliewenhuis itself sits in a former official residence on Grant’s Hill in Bloemfontein. South African History Online says the Neo-Dutch building was completed in 1941 and later became the Free State’s only art museum of its kind, with a permanent collection devoted to South African artists. (sahistory.org.za) So the April 16 opening is not just another date on the museum calendar. It puts a new exhibition by Oliewenhuis’ own guides into a space built for temporary shows, inside an institution better known for pairing South African art history with contemporary work. (art.co.za) (southafrica.net)