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A twilight visit to Spier Light Art unfolds into a layered reflection, as two voices capture the power, intimacy and meaning of contemporary South African art

Thando Mama steals the spotlight at Spier Light Art Festival

A twilight visit to Spier Light Art unfolds into a layered reflection, as two voices capture the power, intimacy and meaning of contemporary South African art

Shamilla Aasha’s The Healing Alchemy 2025

Generations in conversation: Tandazani Dhlakama curates across time

Tandazani Dhlakama’s Generations section at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair pairs artists across borders and eras to reveal the quiet continuity shaping contemporary African art

Immersive experience part of Nyakallo Maleka’s To Teach in Ways
That Teach Us to Take Care of the Soul exhibition at NAF 2025.

What kind of art world is South Africa moving into?

A sober look at how South African art is recalibrating for the long term — smaller, slower and more precarious, yet still thinking its way forward

Kamyar Bineshtarigh turns the walls and floors of artists’ studios into poetic records of memory, process, and collaboration

Documenting a vanishing present: Kamyar Bineshtarigh’s ‘Group Show’

Kamyar Bineshtarigh turns the walls and floors of artists’ studios into poetic records of memory, process, and collaboration

Thato Toeba: Collage of Justice

Mapping power, memory and belonging through collage

Collages crafted by 2025 FNB Art Prize winner Thato Toeba confront colonial legacies and celebrate African intimacy and connection

Street smart: The Living Artists Emporium, which forms part of the Contra.Joburg festival on at the end of the month. Pictures: Supplied

Contra.Joburg creates space for art that finds you

The city’s most radical art festival returns to disrupt, inspire and reconnect the city through the raw power of studio-born creativity

Dynamic: FNB Art Joburg managing director Mandla Sibeko.

Diary: FNB Art Joburg returns for its 18th year, Lu Dlamini to perform at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music and Kaleidoscope Festival returns this August

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The artist Senzeni Marasela

The arts of Senzeni Marasela and life of Theodorah

Why Theodorah remains an evolving figure in artist Senzeni Marasela’s practice

Nyakallo Maleke
makes joy an
art form

Nyakallo Maleke and the gentle radicalism of drawing as care

A tender meditation on care, memory and materiality, this artist’s work invites us to slow down and feel the soul

Holding pattern: A retrospective exhibition of Esther Mahlangu’s work, which references Ndebele painting, a practice passed down the generations, is on at Wits Art Museum. Photo: Supplied

The brilliance of Esther Mahlangu, beyond the biography

A retrospective delves into the depth, symbolism and global reach of the renowned artist’s work

True blue: Nico Phooko transforms old denim garments into works of art with his signature technique using paint and bleach.  (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Nico Phooko: The music painter who makes art you can wear

Artist blends music and art to transform live performances into spontaneous masterpieces using his signature bleach technique on denim

Striking: Cion: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero was choreographed by Gregory Maqoma.

Diary: Requiem of Ravel’s Bolero, BMW Art Generation, live scores to silent films

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Pro tips: Seasoned FNB Art Joburg fair-goers say buyers can purchase valuable art, especially from emerging artists, young artists and women artists, and after the VIP pre-viewing sales frenzy has passed.

Your guide to FNB Art Joburg

It’s a busy, buzzy day of viewing, so make sure you’re wearing comfy shoes, and carry water

Voices: The Ndlovu Youth Choir is coming to Joburg and Cape Town.

DIARY: Ndlovu Youth Choir tours SA, art at the Southern Guild, The King of Broken Things

Your essential dose of art and culture

Ruan Galdino in The Sleeping Beauty. Photo supplied

Diary: Divine designs, sleeping beauty, blank projects and body count

Your essential dose of art and culture

Kagiso Gundane

Exploring healing and African spirituality: Kagiso Gundane’s show at RMB Latitudes Art Fair

Young artist’s work explores African spirituality as a means to recover from colonialism

Light Cycle: Skyjack will launch their album in Joburg this month.

What’s Up

Here are three cultural things to listen to or watch

Earth, moon and stars: Contemporary artist Laura Lima, who lives in Rio de Janeiro, has a show on at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg. (Maria Baigur/Courtesy of the artist)

Laura Lima’s work taps into time and change

Brazilian artist’s first solo exhibition in Africa invites viewers to slow down and reflect