Under the arching canopies of Shepstone Gardens, RMB Latitudes Art Fair invites you not just to look, but to feel. Now in its fourth iteration, the Fair returns to Johannesburg with the ambition to connect in a way that really means something. Here, art becomes a bridge between countries, disciplines, and lives. The objective to creating these connections this year? Depth over breadth – Africa’s lucid narrative told one story at a time.
The International Galleries Platform
This year, that story is told through the International Galleries Platform, which was launched in 2023 as a sustainable way to bring diverse artistic voices from across the continent and its diaspora to exhibit in South Africa. Rather than traditional booths, it’s a curated special project each year, with the 2025 Botswana Focus allowing for a richer and more nuanced understanding of the country’s artistic narratives. The partnership with Ora Loapi and artists from The Space Botswana, ARC (Art Residency Centre), ReCurate and Banana Club, TBP Artist Collective, and Art Residency Centre Botswana (ARC) promises a kind of homecoming.
A metamorphosis
“We’re going deeper,” says Latitudes co-founder Lucy MacGarry. “Botswana’s art scene is evolving rapidly, and we wanted to give it the space to tell its story in its own language.” Along with co-founder Roberta Coci, Lucy calls it a “metamorphosis” – a moment of critical mass. From curated installations that grapple with identity and borders to intimate portraits soaked in memory, the Botswana Focus is expected to engage not only visually, but emotionally and intellectually, offering an exploration of a specific national art ecosystem.
The Fair prides itself on its commitment to showcasing a diverse and authentic African art scene. Curator Boitumelo Makousu says, “There is a beautiful way that nature, art, and architecture connect with each other, and our partnership with RMB enables us to nurture these connections – it’s been a huge positive for the creative economy and social change.”
A creative economy
For RMB, the partnership with Latitudes is more than branding. It’s about fostering artistic talent and a creative economy that sees art not only as a luxury, but as a necessity. “Creativity thrives with diverse thinking and bravery. It challenges the status quo and answers to the times,” says Carolynne Waterhouse from RMB’s corporate marketing. “We never just sponsor. We are partners who believe in making art accessible. We build. We get involved. We believe in the power of collective intelligence.” That belief is beautifully distilled in RMB’s Ideas Love Company campaign. The concept – that creativity thrives in companionship – feels tailor-made for a platform like RMB Latitudes Art Fair. “Art isn’t created in a vacuum. It’s born from conversations, from contradiction, from courage,” adds Carolynne.
FROM LEFT: Bonolo Kavula, Unathi Mkonto
A belief in independent voices will also be palpable across the Fair, particularly within the Exhibition of Independent Artists (INDEX), which creates meaningful opportunities for artists outside of the traditional gallery system by connecting independent creators directly with audiences, collectors, and gallerists. INDEX consistently introduces us to fresh perspectives and innovative practices, pushing boundaries and showcasing the diverse forms and potent messages within African contemporary art.
This year’s exhibition, curated by artist and curator Bonolo Kavula and titled Invisible Thread, is an investigation into process-based material explorations as a form of interconnected dialogue between the participants. The group exhibition includes works by Yonela Doda, Thato Makatu, Tshepo Phokojoe, Khanyi Mawhayi, Dineo Ponde, Unathi Mkonto, Tinyiko Makwakwa, and Bonolo Kavula.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Yonela Doda, Tshepo Phokojoe, Thebe Phetogo, Dineo Ponde, Khanyi Mawhayi, Thato Makatu, Tinyiko Makwakwa
Tinyiko Makwakwa’s work defies categorisation, blending printmaking and sculpture with a focus on mentorship. Unathi Mkonto, with a background in architecture, creates sculptures that tell stories of lived spaces. Khanyi Mawhayi’s canvases offer intimate and bold explorations of memory and myth through rich color and texture.
Get your tickets
RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025 takes place at Shepstone Gardens, Johannesburg, from 23 to 25 May. To buy tickets and for more information, visit latitudesartfair.com
Courage, too, defines the RMB Latitudes CuratorLab programme – an online residency developed in partnership with Latitudes, Art School Africa, and RMB. Through it, emerging curators from across the continent gain access to mentorship and practical tools, directly investing in the future leadership of the African art community. One of its alumni, Denzo Nyathi, now heads sales at Latitudes Online. For Lucy, this is the point: “It’s not just about this year’s fair. It’s about tomorrow’s leaders.”
A deepening engagement
The Fair’s Talks Programme is expected to deepen engagement, facilitating vital global cultural exchange through discussions with contributors from the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, the Korean Cultural Centre, and leading pan-African institutions. These aren’t passive panels; they are envisioned as living dialogues exploring creative economies, African futures, and the power of visual storytelling.
The many works won’t merely decorate the fairgrounds; they are set to transform them. When Shepstone Gardens opens its gates later this month, it will become something between a gallery and a sanctuary. While will encounter moments to marvel at, there will also be moments to pause, to question, to breathe.
Looking to the future, Roberta and Lucy see their partnership with RMB expanding. “The success of the dedicated Botswana section makes me think we’ll explore more of these in-depth looks at individual countries. Given RMB’s strong commitment to the African continent, I also envision us expanding our regional engagement. RMB’s support will be instrumental in helping us realise this vision of a truly interconnected and globally recognised African art ecosystem,” says Lucy.
