Joburg — Support is central to culture with Open City

Johannesburg’s grit, relentlessness, tenacity and irreverent energy captivate.

Before FNB Art Joburg, one of my biggest concerns, whenever I travelled around the world, was seeing the best that African culture had to offer everywhere else but here at home. So, when I assumed ownership of FNB Art Joburg in 2019, one of my priorities was to challenge the idea that in order for an art fair to be considered international, there must be a European or American presence.

Artists in Africa and the diaspora are leading the global direction of what’s next in research, concept, materiality and abstraction. As we continue to centralise African ideals, attending to the art economy’s needs from a local point of view sits at the centre of everything we do at FNB Art Joburg.

We need to focus on galleries on the African continent and on its diaspora to ensure that the very best in contemporary African art is seen, valued and celebrated at home.

To go even further back, when the FNB Art Joburg fair was established in 2008, there were 55 contemporary art fairs in the world. Now, there are more than 300 fairs every year. As the fair’s MD, I am honoured to be a part of the first and leading of these fairs on African soil.

This is a sentiment that I can apply to all aspects of culture in this city. Parallel to FNB Art Joburg, our food, fashion and music offerings challenge and set the standard of excellence in what we put out, and how we show up for each other.

It is at the point of this realisation that Open City came to be. Open City is a citywide measure to reassert Johannesburg as the continent’s culture capital by taking our ethos of economic stimulation out of the convention centre into essential hubs across Johannesburg by activating the city with art, music, performance, food and fashion, every day of the week for more than 16 days.

Necessary pilgrimage

This year we are partnering with Brand SA to bring this intervention to life to give independent and emerging cultural practitioners the opportunity to reach a wider network of culture consumers. It is also a means to remind the world at large that Johannesburg is a city that is alive with talent.

Despite exiting Johannesburg’s inner city, William Kentridge has maintained a studio in Maboneng. It is not by chance that Thebe Magugu, who hails from Kimberley, established the Magugu House campus in Johannesburg. There is reasoning behind world-renowned chefs such as Luke Dale Roberts bringing their offerings to Johannesburg. It was intentional and informed when long-time friends Bradley Williams and DJ Kenzhero set up Artivist and Untitled Basement in Braamfontein. It is the same reason that Cape Town-based band Kujenga is able to sell out three Johannesburg shows consecutively and call their time in Johannesburg a necessary pilgrimage.

These culture leaders could be anywhere in the world, but they choose Johannesburg.

While sentiments centre on extraction, in culture spaces Johannesburg continues to be a giving city where support is central to the culture.

While there are many offerings regarding art now, what FNB Art Joburg does, through our many initiatives, is offer all people the opportunity to get involved. We galvanise the public to see themselves and their integral role in the culture community. It is not for a select few, it is for all of us. As the fair’s director, it brings me immense joy to have the opportunity to facilitate this access, development and inclusivity.

Extending into exhibition openings, book readings, music concerts, pop-up restaurants, studio pop-ups and boutique festivals, the 2024 edition of Open City is the most exciting thus far.

The highlights are:

• The 17th edition of FNB Art Joburg
• Red Bus Tour of Johannesburg with Thabo the Tourist
• The Warm Up with Exhibition Match x Company Culture (with a special performance by Mzambiya)
• Bag Factory’s Open Studios, featuring a performance by David Koloane Award winner Refiloe Namise
• The Beijing Opera pop-up restaurant at 44 Stanley

Open City kicks off on Sepetmber 3. Find the full Open City programme here and the FNB Art Joburg City Guide here.