JOHANNESBURG.- Rand Merchant Bank and Latitudes Online join forces to bring RMB Latitudes – an innovative new indoor/outdoor art experience – to Johannesburg during the beautiful early-autumn month of May.

From 26 - 28 May 2023, the Latitudes team will bring together artists and exhibitors from across the continent to transform Shepstone Gardens, a magnificent three-acre property, into a curated celebration of art from Africa.

The central curatorial theme for the 2023 edition is co-emergence. “In the context of African art, co-emergence refers to the complexities embedded in the interaction of various cultural and aesthetic influences on the creation and interpretation of African art,” says Latitudes Special Projects Curator, Nkhensani Mkhari. In "Looking both ways" practitioners working both on the continent and beyond explore how these diverse aesthetics and cultural influences echo each other in the diaspora and African contemporary art.”

Says Linda Kachingwe-Sisya, Head of Marketing for RMB and FNB in Broader Africa: “RMB has partnered with Latitudes because we share a belief in Africa’s vibrant and resourceful economy.

The universal language of art enables powerfully creative communication across Africa, with the ability to express the spirit of the time and bring societies together. We’re excited to be supporting the physical RMB Latitudes Art Fair experience. Further, with Latitudes, we’ll be bringing exclusive art events to our clients in our RMB in-present countries on the continent, throughout the year.”

In May, visitors will be able to enjoy a curated contemporary art experience, while strolling through an iconic Johannesburg garden and attending art talks and walkabouts. What’s more, a partnership with Franschhoek Wine Valley, will see vignerons from the winelands fly to RMB Latitudes to share their top wines and bubblies with visitors.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors and the arts industry to a uniquely African art experience that is inclusive, fair, highly curated and embraces our natural environment,” says Lucy MacGarry, Latitudes Co-founder. “Having always admired RMB’s committed support of the arts and refreshing approach to their many arts initiatives, we are incredibly proud to come together to realise our shared vision.”

“New platforms such as RMB Latitudes are vitally important,” says Azu Nwagbogu, Founder and Director of African Artists' Foundation (AAF), and curatorial advisor on RMB Latitudes 2023 International Galleries Programme. “They offer innovative models for cultural and artistic engagement that have evolved from the decay of our previous ways of living, and are developing new models for today.”

RMB Latitudes is a destination event. As there is limited parking, guests are encouraged to travel via Uber or to make use of the Fair’s Park and Ride at the Old Edwardian Society, Houghton, where the Fair’s exclusive vehicle partner, Lexus, will have a shuttle service on offer.