It’s estimated that as much as 90% of African artefacts, including artworks, are held outside of Africa. In an effort to stem the flow of art from the continent, Standard Bank made a strategic decision 40 years ago to acquire African works and so conserve and safeguard a collection for the benefit of future generations. Today, it boasts two of South Africa’s most prestigious art collections.
In 1978, Standard Bank partnered with the University of the Witwatersrand to establish the Standard Bank African Art Collection. Housed at Wits Art Museum, this is now one of the largest classical African art collections in the southern hemisphere and consists of has been not just about aesthetics but also about building and conserving a collection for future generations. The artworks making up both collections articulate the observations, aspirations, and concerns of our country’s finest artists.”
Mdluli has been instrumental in establishing the Art Lab. “What is particularly exciting about the Art Lab is that it is an inter-disciplinary space, which allows us to explore different types of mediums, inviting unexpected intersections. It’s a space that values curiosity over convention and community over exclusivity.”
It made sense, she says, to launch the Art Lab with the “It’s Woven Into Who We Are” exhibition. “The more than 5 000 objects from across the continent.
The Standard Bank Corporate Collection holds more than 1 200 works by 250 artists, housed in the bank’s offices and meeting rooms at its Simmonds Street and Rosebank headquarters in Joburg, the Global Leadership Centre, and regional offices.
In 1990, the Standard Bank Gallery opened, becoming one of Joburg’s foremost fine-art venues. It quickly established itself as one of the few non-commercial public spaces for major exhibitions. Through its extensive educational programme the gallery is accessible to a diverse audience.
“There is no question that Standard Bank’s strategy around collecting and supporting arts was visionary,” says Dr Same Mdluli, Standard Bank’s curator and gallery manager. “Its approach to collecting artworks tapestries tell a beautiful story, not just about the collection but also about the craft itself, as well as the value of collaboration. In a digital age in which we are consumed with technology, the love of handmade items is a reminder of our shared humanity.”
During the pandemic Mdluli spent much of her time putting together an inventory of Standard Bank’s art collection and identifying gaps. “Collections all tell their own story of how they were collected and, like many around the world, our collection is short on women artists and LGBTQ artists. It is also currently heavily skewed towards South African artists. Given that Standard Bank is represented in 20 different countries on the continent, we plan to make it more representative. Art has the power to highlight and address important social issues.”
A trip to the mall will never be the same again
The traditional shopping mall is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving from a mere transactional space into a vibrant hub of curated experiences. At the forefront of this shift locally is Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), part of the Standard Bank property portfolio, whose Sandton City precinct has launched the Standard Bank Art Lab. This initiative builds on L2D’s ongoing efforts to reimagine retail environments and deliver immersive, meaningful engagements beyond shopping.
José Snyders, chief executive of L2D, explains that the modern consumer is no longer satisfied with a fine dining, and architectural expression, effectively extending art into everyday life for visitors.”
The Sandton City precinct, which includes the Nelson Mandela Square, the Sandton Convention Centre, and three hotels, attracts over 22 million visitors annually, including a significant number of business travellers from across Africa.
“The Art Lab is a bold and exciting addition to an already iconic space,” says Snyders. “It’s a cultural anchor that makes art part of the everyday journey, whether you’re grabbing a coffee, meeting friends for dinner, or browsing stores.” It not only enriches the simple shopping trip. “There has been a shift in what today’s consumers value from their visits to malls. They’re no longer coming purely to shop; retail is now just one part of a broader, curated lifestyle experience. People are looking for places that stimulate the senses, inspire curiosity, and create shared memories.”
This evolution, says Snyders, is about “placemaking” — transforming retail spaces into destinations that foster culture, community, and connection. “The value exchange isn’t just money for goods but rather money and time for goods and experiences.”
The Art Lab brings art to the people, where they are — and that’s powerful. In addition, it contributes to a more layered and engaging environment, attracting a broader audience who might not typically visit a traditional art gallery.
— José Snyders, chief executive of Liberty Two Degrees
This philosophy is encapsulated by the Standard Bank Art Lab at Nelson Mandela Square. Snyders describes it as a “cultural meeting point that blurs the lines between commerce and creativity and seamlessly integrates into the precinct’s existing high-end retail, visitor experience but also provides a valuable platform for both established and emerging South African and African artists. “Easily accessible, the Art Lab brings art to the people, where they are — and that’s powerful. In addition, it contributes to a more layered and engaging environment, attracting a broader audience who might not typically visit a traditional art gallery,” he adds.
Given the success of the Art Lab, does L2D plan to extend the concept to its other malls? “The Art Lab is a Standard Bank initiative, which we are proud to support by providing the space and context for it to thrive. While we don’t currently have firm plans for additional rollouts, we are open to extending similar collaborations across our broader portfolio where it aligns with the community, tenant mix, and local character of the space,” says Snyders.
Woven translations take works into entirely different worlds
Stephens Tapestry Studio is the master weaver behind a number of tapestries on display at the newly launched Standard Bank Art Lab. Renowned for transforming the works of acclaimed artists into woven masterpieces, the studio has garnered international acclaim for its intricate tapestries that grace the walls of prestigious museums, corporate headquarters, and private collections across the globe.
The studio’s lineage can be traced to the establishment of a hand-weaving textile studio in Eswatini in the 1950s by Coral Stephens, which focused on producing curtains and carpets. That operation is still in existence and is now run by Coral’s granddaughter-in-law, Murrae Stephens.
Coral’s granddaughter, Tina Weavind, heads up the Stephens Tapestry Studio, primarily based in Joburg but with a satellite operation in Eswatini. The Eswatini studio employs five weavers and assistants, as well as four spinners who work from their rural homesteads. The heart of the operation, however, beats in Joburg, where the gallery is also situated. A total of 13 weavers and three assistants are employed at the city studio.
Stephens Tapestry Studio collaborates with artists to translate their original works or concepts into tapestries. It also accepts bespoke commissions, where clients can see a beloved piece of art rendered in thread. “One of our current projects is based on a photograph,” says Weavind, adding that all designs are cleared with the artists or their estates, who also receive a commission for the use of their work. Among the studio’s most celebrated collaborations is a long-standing relationship with William Kentridge (a former recipient of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award). Weavind attributes the success of this partnership to Kentridge’s innate understanding of different artistic mediums.
“William is a master of working collaboratively, with a good understanding of how his ideas will translate into the various media he uses. In his tapestry designs he tends to use a bold main element — a figure or figures, a cat, a horse, a bowl of flowers — with a somewhat recessed background involving things like historical maps or old pages from ledgers. On top of this he might stick a torn cheque, an old note or even a piece of another map. Then he adds words, usually Dada-type fragments of phrases. Finally, he electrifies the design with bright crayon.” A good example of this synergy is the tapestry Office Love, which features an animated typewriter and other 1980s-style office staples dancing across an 1889 map of the Joburg CBD.
Beyond the prolific collaboration with Kentridge, the Stephens Tapestry Studio has worked with a host of other prominent African artists, including Willie Bester, Tito Zungu, Nelson Makamo, and Athi-Patra Ruga.The studio’s work has found its way into major corporate collections, museums, and private holdings worldwide. In 2022, six of its tapestries were exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, with the largest measuring 4m x 6m.
The mind, body & soul connection in cultural sponsorship
Standard Bank has been championing the arts for more than 40 years, resulting in an impressive arts portfolio that includes the Standard Bank Gallery and Corporate Art Collection, the Standard Bank African Art Collection (jointly owned with the Wits Art Museum), the National Arts Festival, the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz and, most recently, the Standard Bank Art Lab at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Joburg.
Through its sponsorship and support of the arts, Standard Bank has arguably made the most significant contribution to the appreciation and growth of the arts by any corporate entity in South Africa.
Bonga Sebesho, head of sponsorship at Standard Bank, says its sponsorship proposition is premised on three pillars: mind, body, and soul. “The mind is represented by thought leadership and attendance at events such as the World Economic Forum; the body is represented by sport; and the soul is represented by our sponsorship and support of the arts.”
While sports sponsorship in South Africa is well packaged — and expensive for brands to participate in — the arts and thought leadership both have powerful reach, albeit to a smaller base. “Sponsorship of the arts, in particular, is a platform for creative expression that presents an opportunity to connect our customers and staff to their passion points,” adds Sebesho.
In the longest-standing sponsorship in South Africa, Standard Bank has supported the National Arts Festival for the past 40 years. It is South Africa’s oldest and most diverse art festival. The Young Artist Awards, established in 1981 to recognise and encourage exceptional talent among younger artists, were renamed the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards in 1984 when Standard Bank became the title sponsor of the festival. The awards have subsequently become entrenched in the bank’s sponsorship and marketing mix, successfully integrating into the portfolios of its other arts properties.
“The awards serve a greater purpose than merely recognising talent — they play a significant role in preserving and celebrating South Africa’s artistic heritage, speaking to Standard Bank’s mandate of supporting the arts and contributing to the country’s cultural landscape,” says Sebesho.
The awards serve a greater purpose than merely recognising talent — they play a significant role in preserving and celebrating South Africa’s artistic heritage.
— Bonga Sebesho, head of sponsorship at Standard Bank
The annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, for example, is Africa’s premier jazz festival. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, the festival hosted more than 50 world-class musicians from more than 10 countries over two days. “The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz has been the harmonious heartbeat of our corporate narrative for several years, reflecting the bank’s commitment to creativity, inclusivity, growth, and diversity as Africa’s largest bank with a longstanding tradition in the arts.” The most recent addition to Standard Bank’s arts portfolio, the Art Lab, provides an opportunity to showcase the bank’s extensive art collection to the public.
“As a proudly African bank, we understand that meaningful growth is built on authentic relationships. By curating impactful experiences, we deepen engagement with our clients and stakeholders, fostering trust and long-term brand affinity,” says Yolisa Koza, head of brand experience at Standard Bank. “By making art accessible we have ensured visual art and cultural spaces form part of shaping a positive outlook of the city. We remain committed to these efforts as one of the founding partners of the Jozi My Jozi initiative, a collaborative partnership that is focused on making a difference by uniting communities to promote growth and development in the city.”
From the July edition of Wanted, 2025
