High on the Mpumalanga escarpment lies the historic mountain village of Kaapsehoop, where drifting mist softens the outlines of old corrugated-iron homes and sandy roads reminiscent of Pilgrim’s Rest. Though time and weather have altered the town, Kaapsehoop still carries the quiet dignity of its gold-rush past.
‘Geomotional’ is a remarkable and beautifully illustrated exploration of – as the sub-title says – ‘Geometric art, past and present’. The book, which has us journey through images, words, poetry and song, and gives account of a ‘performance-installation’, is compiled by Mary Elizabeth Lange, who is prolific in her writings on Indigenous art and story, and various intersections with heritage.
Richly decorated and delicately sculptured, the Art Nouveau façade flows around the corner, with a picturesque tower and gables along the roofline. The plans by brothers Arthur and Walter Reid date from 1899, but the Boer War intervened, amd the hotel was only completed in 1902. This was a popular watering-hole with local residents, and its handsome bar counter was famous.
