For more than four decades, Belgian-born Dirk Durnez has been creating spaces where imagination comes to life. His career began in the world of themed construction and entertainment, took shape through innovations in design and technology, and has now found its deepest expression in the contemporary African art scene. Today, through Art@Africa Gallery at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Durnez is building a platform that connects African voices to the world and uses art as a catalyst for change.
The Early Years of Building Dreams
Durnez’s career began in Europe in the 1980s, when he transformed public swimming pools into leisure destinations and pioneered the concept of themed aquatic spaces. Indoor & Outdoor Aqua parks followed. Dirk designed and built the first soft pools in Europe and the fitted out the largest indoor water ride in the world (Aqualibi Belgium). This early work paved the way for collaborations with global giants such as Disney, Universal Studios, Epcot, Paramount, Sea World, MGM Las Vegas and Warner Bros Movie World.
Among his many highlights were Droomvlucht at Efteling in the Netherlands, which won the Applause Award for Best Attraction in the World in 1992, and Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand, Europe’s first story-based edutainment attraction around a rollercoaster, inaugurated in 1995 by Michael Jackson.
In South Africa, his company MTE Studios led the theming of Ratanga Junction Theme Park and much of the themed construction of Canal Walk in Cape Town. By the late 1990s, with over 300 staff and a 22,000 m² studio, it had become one of the largest themed environment studios in the world.
Expanding Vision Through Technology
Beyond themed entertainment, Durnez developed new modular and themed construction systems, including Kubik, which won the SABS Design Award in 2008. Kubik was used to create the world’s largest illuminated glass floor and other innovative environments. His Volkswagen–Audi Autopavillion Discovery Centre won the International Exhibition Award for Best Showroom in South Africa the same year.
In 2010, he launched MOFEX, a modular wall system now used in hundreds of retail spaces across South Africa. By 2015, he sold his company and made a conscious decision to refocus his creative energy. This time, he would bring his experience of building fantastical worlds into the realm of art.
The Birth of Art@Africa
In 2016, Durnez founded Art@Africa at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The gallery was born from the belief that art has the power to transcend cultures and languages, while also addressing some of society’s most pressing issues.
Art@Africa promotes African artists across disciplines including painting, sculpture and digital art. The gallery has become known for exhibitions that combine art and science, using creativity to explore topics such as, gender equality, biodiversity loss and African identity.
Notable shows include The Blue Dot (2020), inspired by NASA’s “Pale Blue Dot” photograph, which invited viewers to reflect on humanity’s relationship with Earth. The gallery also embraces experimental forms of art, from recycled materials to digital and augmented reality, always with a focus on storytelling that resonates across boundaries.
Mentorship Through Kunye Colab
For Durnez, supporting African creativity goes beyond exhibitions. Together with his wife, Katlijn Pynket, he founded Kunye Colab, an art residency that develops the skills and visibility of emerging artists. “Kunye” means “together” in isiXhosa, perfectly capturing the spirit of collaboration that drives the programme.
Many artists affectionately call him Khulu, short for Tata Omkhulu, meaning grandfather. It is a recognition of his mentorship and his gift for identifying hidden talent and nurturing it into professional careers.
A Gallery with a Mission
Art@Africa is more than a gallery. It is a platform that connects artists, audiences and ideas in ways that spark dialogue and inspire change. With every exhibition and collaboration, it strives to show that art is not only an aesthetic pursuit, but also a powerful tool for education, empathy and social transformation.
Through Dirk Durnez’s journey, from imagineer to innovator to art champion, the gallery embodies the belief that imagination, when shared, has the ability to change the world.