The third edition of the RMB Latitudes Art Fair is bringing together artists and exhibitors from across the African continent to transform the enchanting Shepstone Gardens from Friday, 23 May to Sunday, 25 May 2025. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the RMB Latitudes Art Fair all about?
Presented by Latitudes Online in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), the RMB Latitudes Art Fair has become a standout event on Johannesburg’s cultural calendar, celebrated for its unique, immersive approach to experiencing contemporary African art.
By moving beyond the confines of a traditional fair venue, RMB Latitudes invites visitors to explore art in a dynamic and multi-sensory environment – wandering through distinctive indoor and outdoor spaces, pausing for a leisurely lunch in lush gardens, engaging in thought-provoking conversations, and contemplating sculpture beneath Johannesburg’s crisp autumn skies.
Participating exhibitors
This year, RMB Latitudes Art Fair is excited to be working with 50 galleries and with over 300 artists showcasing their talent over the course of the weekend. From major local galleries such as Southern Guild, Stevenson and Everard Read to nomadic gallery FEDE Arthouse, Strauss & Co auction house and new Nigerian space AMG Projects, every aspect of the art ecosystem is represented. To view the full list of 2025 participating exhibitors, visit latitudesartfair.com/exhibitors-2025.
A theme highlighting collaboration
“This year’s theme of CO-PRODUCTION is a nod to the Fair’s central ethos of working collaboratively with and connecting all players in the art industry,” says Lucy MacGarry, co-founder and director. “The theme sees galleries, artists and institutions come together to create an exciting programme of exhibitions and special projects, exemplifying the truly African sentiment of what is possible through collaboration.”
Special projects to look out for at RMB Latitudes Art Fair
Through Special Projects, and the works of 50 exhibiting galleries, RMB Latitudes strikes a perfect balance between the serious business of the art world and the sheer joy of engaging with creativity in an open, welcoming space.
Some exciting Special Projects this year include the Fair’s 2025 International platform, which is taking a deliberate and engaged focus on neighbouring country Botswana, with several exhibitors working collaboratively to create a presentation that respects the balance between contemporary art and more traditional, foundational art practices in that region.
Then there’s INDEX, which has served as an annual focus on independent artists. This year, INDEX is curated by artist Bonolo Kavula. Kavula’s exhibition seeks to highlight the rich depth of abstract art. She mentors her chosen artists in posing questions that force them to think deeper about abstraction and what it is they are abstracting.
In the gardens, an outdoor exhibition entitled Disturbed Currents: Art for a Warming World explores how it is that we inform the climate, and how it, in turn, informs our own lived experience, while ESSAY sees stoneware sculptures by South African ceramic sculptor, Amalie von Maltitz, shown alongside charcoal drawings by Sydney Kumalo.
These and more Special Projects can be caught at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair.
How to book tickets
Cost: From R290pp for a day pass. From R850pp for a VIP Preview ticket. R60 per child for single entry on one of the three days. Book via Quicket
When: Friday to Sunday, 23 to 25 May 2025 | Friday from midday to 7pm. Saturday from 10am to 7pm. Sunday from 10am to 5pm | Thursday (22 May) VIP preview from 6pm to 9pm
Where: Shepstone Gardens, 12 Hope Rd, Mountain View, Johannesburg
Website: latitudesartfair.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @latitudes.online
Facebook: @latitudes.online
