Sue Williamson's first-ever retrospective, "There's something I must tell you," is on view at the Iziko National Gallery in Cape Town through September 24, 2025. The exhibition spans five decades of her practice, which combines photography, drawing, and installation to explore themes of memory, remembrance, and the enduring impacts of apartheid and colonialism in South Africa. Key works include the video "There's something I must tell you" (2013), featuring conversations between anti-apartheid activists and their granddaughters; "A Few South Africans" (1982–87), a series of photo etchings celebrating influential women; and the installation "Messages from the Moat" (1997), which memorializes enslaved people brought to Cape Town. A new installation, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (2024), is also featured.
This retrospective matters because it offers a deeply intimate, non-linear telling of South Africa's history through a feminist lens, highlighting both well-known events like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and lesser-known community struggles. Williamson's work underscores the ongoing journey toward true liberation in South Africa, as captured in the exhibition's thematic focus on dialogue and memory. The show positions Williamson as a crucial chronicler of the country's social and political landscape, making visible the voices and stories often marginalized in mainstream historical narratives.