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Presented by Madlozi Contemporary Art, The Africa Salon group exhibition at Keyes Art Mile's Gallery 1 brings together work by 12 artists from six countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and the DRC Congo, plus a special programme of art talks, music, and related events.
Explore the rich diversity of Africa by emerging and established artists in response to themes of identity and belonging, self-representation, tradition-versus-modernity, and a future-forward, digital Africa. Nandipha Jantjies, George Masarira, Ben Agbee, and Washington Kirika are among these. The Africa Salon also includes installation works by two of the 2024 Sasol New Signatures winners, Snelihle Maphumulo and Tandabantu Matola, previously on show at the Pretoria Art Museum.
The Africa Salon is curated by Madlozi Contemporary Art founder Beathur Mgoza Baker as an ode to AFRICA REMIX, the successful travelling exhibition by Cameroonian curator Simon Njami which changed the international perceptions about Africa twenty years ago, and opened the world up to the excellence, beauty, and importance of Africa’s talent and contemporary art.
"Collectively participating artists in the exhibition contribute to the shared vision of a borderless and prosperous post-colonial, democratic Africa – a future-focussed continent in confluence with the world, where dreams are not deferred in favour of survival, and creative possibility is expressed in our own words and image. [...] The curation, selection of works and artists facilitate unique insights into the true diversity and complexity of the African continent, and constitutes identifying as African in the contemporary moment," reads the exhibition text.
Highlights include an exclusive live art performance by Neo Theku, an art lovers and collectors spring cocktail mixer, and the Africa Live, Now Expression Sessions – a unique gathering and hangout bringing together young creatives and collectives in Joburg from visual artists to designers, musicians, DJs, photographers, and filmmakers in the spirit of a united African creative community.
Find the details below and follow Madlozi Contemporary Art on Instagram or Facebook for updates.
Dates to diarise
The Africa Salon opens as part of Keyes Art Night (sponsored by Amex) on Thu, Nov 7 at Gallery 1 at Keyes Art Mile, and runs until Tue, Dec 31.Sat, Nov 9 from 11:00 – 14:00 – Gauteng-based art lovers including the ART STOKVEL connect at The Africa Salon exhibition over fresh fruit cocktails, bubbly and selected wines, and live music from around the continent. Stay on for the special artist-led talks and an exhibition walk-through. RSVP with madloziart@outlook.com.
Sat, Nov 9 from 11:30 – 12:30 – Artists Nandipha Jantjies and Neo Theku lead a walkabout and interactive talk around tradition, notions of modernity, and contemporary cultural identity in South Africa.
Sat, Nov 9 from from 12:30 – 13:30 – See artist and photographer Neo Theku's debut live art performance for the critically acclaimed work O Kae Ntatao? Where is your father? at MESH Club. It's essential to RSVP with madloziart@outlook.com.
Sat, Nov 16 from 11:00 – 12:00 – Visual artists Lisolomzi Pikoli and George Masarira discuss their artistic praxis, traditional and contemporary influences on their work, abstraction and digital culture, graphic art, popular culture, and experimental approaches to art making in their work. Includes live drawing and product demos.
Sat, Nov 16 from 12:15 – 13:00 – Join The Africa Salon curator Beathur Mgoza Baker for an interactive, guided walkabout of the exhibition and a conversation about creative Africa now, the postcolonial gaze, and creating new narratives in the age of digital culture.
Sat, Nov 30 from 13:00 – 16:00 – For music lovers, join artist and DJ Pikoli and other DJs in the Africa Live, Now Expression Session as they celebrate Africa and explore the creative influence of traditional and contemporary culture on art, music, and identity. Bring your friends to this urban culture hangout.
Thu, Dec 5 from 18:00 – 21:00 – In festive December spirit The Africa Salon exhibition rounds off the year with THE AFRICA MASSIVE, an art mixer and music celebration of contemporary Africa with all the sounds you love and artists in attendance.
Space is limited, and all events are subject to capacity. For enquiries, contact madloziart@outlook.com.
