What to See at FNB Art Joburg + Open City 2024

WORDS Gina Dionisio

The 17th edition of FNB ART Joburg will take place from 6 – 8 September at the Sandton Convention Centre. The annual event is crucial to nurturing and sustaining a commercial and cultural ecosystem, which focuses on artists and creatives from across the continent.

As a cornerstone in Africa’s contemporary art and culture calendar, FNB Art Joburg includes leading gallery representation, an incubation for tomorrow’s leaders in art, larger-than-life installations, engagement with print and publishing houses, thought-provoking talks, as well as the active presence of Johannesburg’s seminal art institutions.

Taking on a hybrid approach where curatorial and commercial interventions meet, the fair is curated into seven specialised sections: gallery HUB, gallery LAB, MAX, GIF, ETC, AUX, and ORG sections. These come together in the form of 41 exhibitors, 14 countries and over 100 artists being represented at the fair:

gallery HUB + MAX

In line with the fair’s objective to be a quality-focused fair, the gallery HUB pavilion presents internationally renowned galleries that represent institutionally recognised artists. This central section will be occupied by BKhz, blank, Eclectica Contemporary, Everard Read, First Floor Gallery Harare, Gallery MOMO, Goodman Gallery, Kalashnikovv, SMAC, Stevenson and Suburbia Contemporary. This is extended into the MAX section, where artists from gallery HUB have the room to exhibit large-scale works that would challenge the limitations of a conventional booth.

The new GIF section

Dubbed GIF, the new section spotlights artists working in photography. An opportunity to celebrate 30 years of freedom, the inaugural GIF presentation will feature works by photographic stalwarts such as Alf Khumalo, Ernest Cole and Peter Magubane. Aware of the past but looking forward, GIF will also feature contemporary reflections of African liberation through inputs from Stevenson, Everard Read, First Floor Gallery Harare X Modzi Arts, Goodman Gallery, Eclectica Contemporary, Luvuyo Equiano Nyawose and Moyo Oyelolla.

ETC

In the ETC section, fairgoers have the opportunity to engage with the fair through master prints and leading art publications supplied by Jonathan Ball x Exclusive Books, Atelier le Grand Village, Artist Proof Studios, ArtThrob, Floodhouse, Loft Editions, Clarkes Bookshop and iwalewa books.

ORG

The ORG section is a representation of Johannesburg’s seminal art institutions. Whether museums, universities, or private institutions, the section looks to redefine how people engage with organisations that were established for the good of the public. In 2024 ORG exhibitors include the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Africa Art and Of Soul & Joy.

Of Soul & Joy is a social and artistic initiative based in the southeastern Johannesburg township of Thokoza that uses photography to equip youths aged from 15 – 30 with literacy, digital and life skills. Some of its alumni include successful photographic artists like previous FNB Art Prize winner Lindokuhle Sobekwa.

gallery LAB

An incubation to develop emerging galleries and hybrid art spaces, gallery LAB will present and test new ideas and business models aimed at transforming the contemporary African art landscape. Curated by Kim Kandan (Gallery Liaison, FNB Art Joburg), the gallery LAB pavilion will feature exhibitors that connect West and East Africa with the Sub-Saharan African region. These exhibitors include Amasaka Gallery, AMG Projects, CHURCH, Guns & Rain, Koko TEN, Laboratório de Crítica e Curadoria, Malambo Art & Culture, Modzi Arts, ODA Art, Ora Loapi, Post Gallery, Suburbia Contemporary, The Project Room, Under the Aegis, Untitled and Wunika Mukan Gallery.

AUX

Spanning talks, public lectures and audio essays, the AUX section, sponsored by ITOO Artinsure, will explore a plethora of topics that consider practice development, photography in Africa, industry crossing pollination and safeguarding the contemporary art ecosystem.

Open City 2024

29 August – 13 September 2024

FNB Art Joburg has partnered with Brand South Africa (BrandSA) to activate the city with art, music, performance, food and fashion, every day of the week for 16+ days. An active means of promoting social cohesion while fostering a sustainable ecosystem, Open City gives independent and emerging cultural practitioners the opportunity to reach a wider audience.

The BMW Art Generation supported by FNB 2024

2 November 2024

The BMW Art Generation supported by FNB, will return for its second iteration. The conference will be surrounded by a curated selection of exhibitions, performance art, live music performances, food, coffee, and wine stalls, plus offerings from leaders in Africa’s design and fashion sectors. This year the BMW Art Generation is set to take place at the Nirox Sculpture Park in November 2024. | artjoburg.com

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