Art Galore at the Joburg Art Fair
One of the most exciting moments for Johannesburg and the art world was the day that First National Bank announced that they would be sponsoring the first African art fair in the city, which is produced by Artlogic. It will be one of the biggest art fairs and sales to ever been held in South Africa, and in the entire continent of Africa. Artlogic has produced many similar events, but feel proud to be a part of the first Joburg Art Fair.
This landmark affair will be held in the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, and its five thousand square meters of floor space will be filled with both African and South African contemporary art pieces. From the 13th to the 16th of March 2006, collectors, first time buyers and galleries will be browsing the stunning works of art to find the perfect purchase.
International art galleries, such as the October Gallery (London) and the Jack Shipman Gallery (New York) have confirmed their attendance, as did many local art galleries, including Gallery Momo, Micheal Stevenson, Townhouse Gallery, Everard Read Gallery, David Knut, Bell Roberts Contemporary Gallery and Art on Paper.
An extremely special exhibition at the Joburg Art Fair will be the Simon Njami curated show. Known as the curator for the famous Africa Remix exhibition, Njami has chosen a few artists that are unrepresented, giving them the opportunity to be seen and appreciated. Some the artists to look forward to, include Jellel Gasteli, Mouna Karray, David Damoison, Dominique Zinkpe, Berrry Bickle, Thando Mama, Patrice Felix-Tchikaya, Zen Marie, Ingrid Mwangi, Loulou Cherinet and Bill Kouelany.
All forms of contemporary art will be on display and visitors to the fair can look forward to viewing photography, sculptures, paintings and videos. The art work ranges from affordable pricing to expensive collectors pieces, with prices that vary from between one thousand rand to five million rand.
The Joburg Art Fair hopes to not only expose the public and international community to the talent and vision of African artists, but to inspire the young artists of South Africa to develop their creativity and imaginations. Talks and lectures at the fair will assist visitors who are new to the world of art, answer questions and educate them with regards to the industry and its demands. Johannesburg will most definitely come alive with creative images and artistic marvels in March, and it is an event that opens minds to new ideas and lures guests on a journey of artistic discovery and exploration.
