Diverse African perspectives and experiences at RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2024

RMB Latitudes Art Fair’s Special Project, INDEX, challenges conventional norms. As the Fair prepares for its second edition, INDEX has revealed its lineup of independent artists from South Africa, the African region, and the diaspora.

In its second year, INDEX at RMB Latitudes continues to defy traditional expectations by providing a platform for independent artists without the need for gallery representation. The exhibition, curated by Denzo Nyathi, delves into the concept of independence within a collective context, questioning the role of independent artists in commercial art events like fairs. Titled “The Orchid and The Wasp: Thin Lines of Becoming,” the exhibition explores the idea of belonging and the intersection of diverse perspectives.

Denzo Nyathi INDEX curator 2024

The complexity of belonging within racial identity is a contemplation that some individuals, such as Chuma Adam and Nathaniel Sheppard, grapple with.

Thero Makepe and Ayanfe Olarinde, on the other hand, find themselves navigating the history and culture of the past in relation to their contemporary experiences.

Nathaniel Sheppard Artwork

Sahlah Davids and Lorraine Kalassa delve even deeper into this exploration, considering the influence of family on their sense of identity.

Sahlah Davids Artwork

In the artworks of Chloe Shain and Ntsako Nkuna, everyday objects like a cell phone or metal fencing symbolize the paradoxical nature of belonging and division.

Ntsako Nkuna Artwork

Lastly, the Kutti Collective’s work reflects on the significance of collective existence.

The 2024 iteration of INDEX captivates audiences by posing the question of why we are all here, uniting art enthusiasts, curators, artists, and organizers. It would be far less enjoyable to discuss and critique art if we were isolated from its contemporary context, the perspectives of other artists, and the broader art industry. This is the allure of the exhibition, enticing and captivating in its devilish and delightful nature.

The RMB Latitudes Art Fair will take place from May 24th to May 26th at Shepstone Gardens Johannesburg. For more information, including the full list of exhibitors and ticket purchases, please visit latitudesartfair.com

About RMB

RMB was established in 1977 and represents the Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) activities of the FirstRand group, one of the largest financial services groups in Africa. We offer our clients innovative, value-added advisory, funding, trading, corporate banking and principal investing solutions. As a leading CIB franchise across the broader Africa region, RMB has a deal footprint in over 35 countries in Africa, as well as presence in the UK, USA, India and China.

For more information please visit: http://www.rmb.co.za

About Latitudes

Latitudes launched as a physical art fair in 2019 and has since evolved into an integral player in the African art industry.

The all-women team behind Latitudes Online also run an online marketplace for art from Africa, an art podcast, a series of mentorship programmes and an art award, all with the common goal of creating voices for independent artists and connecting artists with collectors.

For more information please visit: latitudes.online