This September, Johannesburg becomes Culture’s Capital as three interconnected initiatives invite audiences to experience the city’s contemporary cultural landscape from new perspectives. Together, The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV, FNB Art Joburg’s 19th edition and Open City offer a layered encounter with contemporary African art, extending from critical discourse to collecting and cultural exploration.
From 28 August to 6 September, The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV, conceptualised by Kim Kandan, presents From Whose Waters Do We Drink?, a major exhibition unfolding across two spaces. Bringing together a new generation of artists, the exhibition considers the cultural, historical and intellectual lineages that shape contemporary practice, asking what it means to inherit, question and reimagine the worlds from which we create.
The journey culminates in the 19th edition of FNB Art Joburg, taking place from 4 to 6 September at the Sandton Convention Centre. As Africa’s premier contemporary art fair, this year’s edition brings together exhibitors representing 19 African countries across eight curated sections, presenting more than 100 artists and offering an unparalleled opportunity to discover the diversity, innovation and strength of the continent’s contemporary art ecosystem. From established galleries to emerging voices, FNB Art Joburg remains where Africa’s leading artists, collectors, curators and cultural thinkers converge.
Beyond the fair, Open City invites visitors to discover Johannesburg through its galleries, museums, artist studios and cultural institutions, affirming the city as a destination where contemporary African art is not only exhibited, but lived, debated and collected.
Together, these experiences invite audiences to encounter Johannesburg at its most compelling: a city where contemporary African art is created, collected and debated, and where the conversations shaping the continent’s cultural future are already underway.