Exhibition Match returns: Art and football unite in Maseru

The 7th edition of Exhibition Match is set to take place in Maseru, Lesotho, on 12 and 13 December 2024.

Celebrating the intersection of art, history, and football, this second edition outside South Africa will honour the life and work of Lesotho’s esteemed photographer, Mohlouoa T. Ramakatane (1937–2021).

In collaboration with Maseru-born artist Thato Toeba and her research-driven platform, Lesotho Archives, this edition will explore the connection between Lesotho and South Africa through artistic and cultural narratives. Drawing inspiration from Ramakatane’s extensive archive, Toeba’s contribution bridges historical documentation with contemporary art practice, offering a profound reflection on shared heritage.

• Art installation: Toeba’s artwork, inspired by Ramakatane’s archive, will be displayed at the Sefika Complex along Moshoeshoe Road in Maseru. The installation will be launched on Thursday, 12 December 2024, at 17:00 and can be viewed for a month.
• Football match: On Friday, 13 December 2024, from 18:00 to 20:00, a five-a-side football match will be held at Kick4Life, a football club dedicated to social change. Participants include artists, curators, collectors, and creatives, uniting in a celebration of sportsmanship and community. Players will wear kits designed by Toeba, featuring black, red, and white as a tribute to Orlando Pirates—where Ramakatane once played—and his South African connections.

All events are free to attend for all ages of the public and do not require an RSVP.

About Exhibition Match:

Founded by Phokeng Setai and Alexander Richards, Exhibition Match merges the vibrance of football with the expressive power of contemporary art. Previous editions in Cape Town and  Johannesburg, South Africa and Dakar Senegal have explored themes such as sensory depth and performance art, redefining how communities engage with both disciplines.

This edition of Exhibition Match is made possible through the support of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Institut français in Paris and Alliance Française de Maseru. Additional support comes from Kick4Life, a Maseru-based organisation that uses the power of football to drive social change and promote sustainable development amongst young people.

“With each iteration of Exhibition Match our aim is to explore the intersections of art and football as powerful forces for storytelling, shared creativity, and community-building. With Thato Toeba’s vision shaping the play and Ramakatane’s legacy inspiring the sidelines, Maseru offers a fitting stage to deepen our shared stories and reimagine what community can mean,” said Phokeng Setai from Exhibition Match.

“Exhibition Match is a remarkable opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural ties between Lesotho and South Africa through the universal languages of art and football. We are honored to support this initiative and look forward to sharing this unique experience with the Maseru community,” said Elisabeth Douillet, Director of the Alliance Franꞔaise de Maseru.

About the artist:

Thato Toeba (b. 1990, Maseru, Lesotho), a resident artist at Rijksakademie in The Netherlands, integrates historical archives and architectural spaces into her installations and collages. Her work critically examines power dynamics and colonial legacies in the Global South. Toeba’s exhibitions include Tools for Conviviality (Kunstinstituut Melly, Rotterdam, 2024) and Propelling Otherness (Morija Museum, Maseru, 2021).

Honoring a cultural icon:

Mohlouoa T. Ramakatane (1937–2021) is celebrated as Lesotho’s foremost portrait photographer and a chronicler of its social history. His storied career includes documenting key moments in South Africa’s history, such as the Sharpeville massacre, and running the iconic City Centre Studios in Maseru. Ramakatane’s legacy as an artist, activist, and visual historian continues to inspire across generations.