The artist from Montagu, Sarel van Rensburg, at the age of 95 continues to find ways to stay close to the mountains that shaped much of his life. This artist and lifelong mountaineer presents a collection of paintings inspired by decades of ascents and explorations in an exhibition titled 'All the Mountains I Have Conquered.'
The solo exhibition runs at the Montagu Country Hotel art gallery from October 1st to November 30th, with the official opening scheduled for Wednesday, October 7th. Van Rensburg is known in South Africa's mountaineering and climbing circles for reaching Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp in his late eighties. Furthermore, he climbed Bloupunt in the Langeberg mountain range near Montagu.
Today, his adventures have taken on a different character. He still takes walks along the lower rocky ridges around Montagu, including his favorite route, Kransekop, and explores regional mountain passes in his SUV. Nevertheless, for Van Rensburg, the pleasure of driving up a mountain does not compare to the feeling of reaching a summit on foot.
'I enjoy driving and reaching a mountain peak on a trip, although it is somewhat different from the thrill and satisfaction of reaching the highest peaks as a mountaineer,' he shares. This connection to the landscape is now embodied in his paintings.
A former mechanical engineer, Van Rensburg primarily works with oil paints and continues to paint alongside his other interests, including wood carving and engine work in his workshop. He also loved choral singing throughout his life and was a member of the SAUK choir in the 1950s. Today, he still sings with the Kierie Choir at Huis Uitvlucht in Montagu.
He remains an active member of his community, maintains his own Facebook account, and regular walks and time spent outdoors continue to be part of his daily life. When asked about the secret to a long and healthy life, Van Rensburg pointed to a good sense of humor, curiosity, and the ability to find joy in small moments, especially those found in nature.
In the town surrounded by the dramatic folds of the Langeberg, his exhibition seems to be a fitting reflection of a life lived with a gaze directed upwards—whether from a mountaineering route, a mountain pass, or a canvas in his studio.