A guide to Joburg's art galleries

Joburg’s contemporary art scene is one of the city's most enlivening aspects. Thirty years ago this city emerged from relative apartheid isolation and today Joburg is grabbing headlines for its flourishing art scene and rise to prominence of artists, curators and gallerists. Weekly art exhibition openings, artist walkabouts, an exciting street art scene, major art auctions and regular open days at the city's many artist studio collectives make Joburg's art scene an exciting and accessible place to explore. 

Here's a look at where to go gallery hopping in Joburg. 

Rosebank and Parkwood

Young South African artist and gallerist Banele Khoza opened BKhz Gallery in Braamfontein in 2018 aged just 24 and in January 2021 moved to Keyes Art Mile in Rosebank, one of the most art-centric neighbourhoods in the city. Khoza describes BKhz as a "platform for creatives to showcase their art with a support system", explaining that young black artists like himself, can better reach their potential if supported in the gallery system to make art their full-time practice. 

Everard Read Gallery and Circa
Opened in 1913 this is Africa’s oldest commercial art gallery. The gallery moved from Johannesburg’s city centre to its current location in Rosebank in the late 1970s and the building in which it is housed is a celebrated icon of South African post-modern architecture. Across the road is sister gallery, the contemporary landmark Circa Gallery. Both spaces promote an exciting collection of contemporary local artists that include some of the biggest names in South African art at the moment such as Nandipha Mntambo, Blessing Ngobeni and Lady Skollie.

David Krut Bookstore and Gallery at The Blue House
David Krut Projects is a top South African fine art print studio and art book publisher. The distinctive Blue House on Jan Smuts Avenue in Parkwood houses an impressive art gallery space, professional fine art framing service and the David Krut bookstore which stocks a unique and hand-selected range of exquisite local and imported art books. On the opposite side of the street is another exhibition space, the David Krut Projects Gallery. At Arts on Main in Maboneng is the David Krut Projects print workshop which also has a gallery space and bookshop.

FotoZA Gallery
South Africa's first dedicated photography gallery, FotoZA at Rosebank Mall focuses on showcasing historic and contemporary work by South African photographers and photojournalists and adjoins one of Joburg's leading camera shops Kameraz. In the centre of the large gallery space is a coffee bar serving cakes, coffees, teas and light snacks. 

Gallery 2
Specialising in fine art this gallery neighbours the David Krut Gallery on Jan Smuts Avenue and promotes a cross-section of established and emerging contemporary South African artists. This is an especially good destination if you are looking to pick up smaller works by local emerging artists.

Goodman Gallery
One of the country's leading galleries, Goodman Gallery has stood at the forefront of contemporary art in South Africa for decades. The gallery's focus is on African and diaspora artists who engage in a dialogue with the African context. Among some of the most famous artists represented by the gallery are William Kentridge, Yinka Shonibare and Haroon Gunn-Salie. In front of the gallery the car park functions as sculpture garden and is also occasionally the venue for open-air film screenings.

TMRW Gallery
TMRW Gallery is Joburg's first digital gallery bringing artists together with technological innovations that will make you view art in a whole new light. Unlike traditional art galleries where visitors are expected to remain passive and simply look, this gallery invites you, the audience, to immerse yourself in the 3D digital art experience. TMRW is focused on collaborating extensively with artists to explore the fascinating intersections between contemporary visual art, technology and mixed realities.

Parkhurst and Parktown North

The Art Room
This friendly art gallery on Parkhurst's 4th Avenue showcases mainly group exhibitions that feature young and up-and-coming local artists. The Art Room is also a specialist fine art framer that creates custom-made frames designed to creatively complement the artworks themselves. In addition to the works on the walls, there's also the Editions Boxes to browse, which contain unframed prints, drawings and photographs at 'entry level' prices.  

Gallery MOMO
Curator and gallery owner Monna Mokoena's contemporary gallery represents a number of local and international artists including diaspora artists. The gallery has a particularly strong reputation for showing works by artists from elsewhere on the African continent.