Bree Street Shines as Veuve Clicquot Brings Emotions of the Sun to Cape Town
By Editorial Team
Bree Street now beams with new energy as Youngblood Gallery opens Emotions of the Sun, Veuve Clicquot’s global photographic exhibition created with Magnum Photos. The gallery glows in the Maison’s iconic Yellow Pantone 137c, turning the creative district into a bright landmark throughout the showcase running from 4 to 21 December.
After successful runs in Milan and New York, the exhibition lands in Cape Town with forty striking works by eight Magnum photographers. Each explores the sun not as a symbol, but as a force that shapes emotion, memory and place. Their images span five continents, yet they settle naturally into Cape Town’s warm light and vibrant creative pulse.
“The sun is our ultimate muse,” said Thomas Mulliez, President of Veuve Clicquot. “Cape Town’s light and its appetite for creativity made this a fitting next chapter.”
That connection came alive during the launch event on 3 December. Hosted by Nomzamo Mbatha, the evening welcomed photographers Cristina de Middel, Newsha Tavakolian and South Africa’s Lindokuhle Sobekwa. Their presence anchored the exhibition in lived experience, ending with an intimate conversation about light, memory and home.
Sobekwa’s homecoming stood out. His series, Blooming in the Sun, reflects the landscapes and communities that shaped him. “Seeing the work here, in the light that raised me, gives it a different weight,” he said.
The exhibition opened to the public the following day as part of Cape Town’s First Thursdays, drawing crowds eager to step into an experience where art meets joie de vivre.
Inside, visitors move through a radiant mix of moods and moments. Steve McCurry captures Mount Fuji at sunrise. Cristina de Middel offers a colourful tribute to Salvador de Bahia. Trent Parke expands Australia’s vast light. Alex Webb layers the spirit of Oaxaca. Nanna Heitmann presents quiet Spanish scenes. Olivia Arthur brings a soft French summer. Tavakolian lights up an Iranian narrative. Sobekwa roots it all with a tender South African spring. Each artist brings a distinct voice, yet all speak the shared language of sunlight.
The Maison heightens the experience with the Sun on Your Plate Café, a collaboration with culinary curator Seth Shezi. His menu blends flavour, colour and texture in a bright homage to Veuve Clicquot’s Yellow Label. Visitors can also browse the exclusive gifting boutique, filled with personalised Clicquot collectables and limited-edition summer pieces.
Youngblood Gallery will continue to evolve in the coming weeks with hosted tours, La Grande Dame dinners and Bold Conversations—intimate gatherings that celebrate community and creative audacity.
Tickets to Emotions of the Sun cost R200 via howler.co.za and include a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, entry to the exhibition, access to the café and the gifting boutique. Tickets for La Grande Dame dinners and Bold Conversations are also available on the platform.
Location: Youngblood Gallery, 70 Bree Street, Cape Town
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am – 6pm
