Contra Mundi curator Andrew Lamprecht (left) with Ed Young (middle) and Bruce Gordon.

Contra Mundi, a group show curated by UCT's Andrew Lamprecht, will open at the Association for Visual Arts (AVA) on May 31.

"In essence, this is a contemporary show," says Lamprecht, a lecturer at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. "Contemporary in this sense means it will showcase work that addresses the aesthetics, production methods and representational and theoretical issues that international contemporary practice is looking at," he explains.

"In this sense then I am referring to what international curators sometimes call 'cutting-edge contemporary'. However, it remains fiercely 'South African' in the sense that the work will have strong ties to South Africa as a result of the background training and interests of the participants."

The title, Latin for "Against the World", hopes to evoke the image of conflict and comparison, Lamprecht adds.

The show is curated as a specifically South African show, focusing chiefly on artists from the greater Cape Town area, he notes. Participating artists include Bridget Baker, Dan Halter, Tay Dall, Matthew Hindley, Vuyisa Nyamende, Cameron Platter, Doreen Southwood, Lebohang Tlali and Ed Young.

The exhibition will reflect on the possibilities and hindrances that contemporary South African artists face and provide a space for such artists to work.

Art patron and entrepreneur Brett Kebble will open the exhibition.

Contra Mundi will run at the AVA, located at 35 Church Street in Cape Town, until June 19.