This year’s RMB Latitudes Art Fair will celebrate Africa’s creative spirit, ignite new relationships, and connect artists and galleries while exploring how diverse aesthetics and cultural influences echo each other in African contemporary art. The innovative indoor/outdoor art experience promises to transform Shepstone Gardens into a curated art experience, featuring performances, exhibitions, talks, and walkabouts.
Visitors will enjoy this curated art experience while strolling through an iconic landmark garden in Mountain View between Friday, 26 and Sunday, 28 May, while interacting with a variety of artists and exhibitors.
Latitudes Centre for the Arts, Mezzanine, Rooftop Terrace, Centre Court, Glass Marquee & Gardens, and Design – venues within Shepstone Gardens – will host an exciting array of 40 galleries and 250 artists.
The contemporary art fair is organised under the auspices of Rand Merchant Bank and Latitudes Online. The central curatorial theme for the 2023 edition is co-emergence.
“In the context of African art, co-emergence refers to the complexities embedded in the interaction of various cultural and aesthetic influences on the creation and interpretation of African art,” says Nkhensani Mkhari, Latitudes Special Projects Curator.
The art fair will also feature an International Galleries Programme supported by RMB’s Broader Africa focus, INDEX (Independent Artists Exhibition), a survey exhibition, an essay exhibition, and the RMB Young Artists’ Playground, which is a dedicated children’s area tailored for adventure and the joy of discovery for kids aged between 3 and 12.
Linda Kachingwe-Sisya, Head of Marketing at RMB and FNB on the continent, says the Corporate and Investment Bank has partnered with Latitudes because “we share a belief in Africa’s vibrant and resourceful economy”.
Kachingwe-Sisya says RMB is excited to be supporting the Latitudes Art Fair experience.
“The universal language of art enables powerfully creative communication across Africa, with the ability to express the spirit of the time and bring societies together. With Latitudes, we’ll be bringing exclusive art events to our clients throughout the year,” she says.
A partnership with Franschhoek Wine Valley will see vignerons from the Cape winelands fly to Johannesburg for this RMB Latitudes event to share their top wines and bubblies.
“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors and the arts industry to a uniquely African art experience that is inclusive, fair, highly curated, and embraces our natural environment,” says Lucy MacGarry, Latitudes Co-founder.
“Having always admired RMB’s committed support of the arts and refreshing approach to their many arts initiatives, we are incredibly proud to come together to realise our shared vision,” MacGarry adds.
Azu Nwagbogu, the founder and director of the African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), and curatorial advisor on the RMB Latitudes 2023 International Galleries Programme, says new platforms for the showcase of contemporary art such as RMB Latitudes are vitally important.
“They offer innovative models for cultural and artistic engagement that have evolved from the decay of our previous ways of living and are developing new models for today,” says Nwagbogu.
The RMB Latitudes Art Fair takes place at the Shepstone Gardens in Mountain View between Friday, 26 and Sunday, 28 May. Parking is limited, and visitors are encouraged to travel via Uber or to use the park and ride system at the Old Edwardian Society in Houghton, where the fair’s exclusive vehicle partner, Lexus, will operate a shuttle service.
Log onto latitudesartfair.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
Written by Lesego Montso
10/05/2023