FNB Art online fair and Open City to unveil Africa’s leading artist
JOHANNESBURG — The FNB Art Joburg has become a platform for artists to showcase their art as an expression of themselves and the societies that they live in.
The much-anticipated FNB Art Joburg online fair and Open City weekend in and around Rosebank will unveil some of Africa’s leading galleries, artists, and artwork from October 28-31.
FNB Art Joburg has become a platform for artists to showcase their art as an expression of themselves and the societies that they live in. Open City is a brand new addition to the fair and features a host of elements ranging from restaurants, pop-up galleries, books, and movies, that people can visit in person. The online fair will be open until the 7th of November.
“The evolution of FNB Art Fair to FNB Art Joburg is more than just a fair but a platform and a call to support the creative arts economy in South Africa and Africa,” said Bonga Sebesho, Head of Sponsorships at FNB.
“This year we came up with a new concept called Open City, which is really about encouraging South Africans to start engaging and exploring our beautiful city Johannesburg,” Sebesho added.
Whilst art is a big focus each year, emphasis is also placed on growing and developing artists and their skill of the art. The FNB art prize winner forms an integral part of the annual FNB Art Joburg platform, and this year the Art Prize winner is Wycliffe Mundopa from Zimbabwe.
Bearing witness to the lives of the most vulnerable in his community, his artworks consistently speak to social and political upheavals of life in urban Zimbabwe. In this context, the lives of women in particular frame his practice and social commentary through his artwork.
Sebesho explained that the FNB Art Prize has become one of the most coveted visual art prizes on the African continent ensuring home-based recognition for artists on the continent.
As the 11th FNB Art Prize recipient, Mundopa joins a prestigious list of previous winners since the launch of the prize in 2011. He receives a cash prize as well as a solo exhibition which opens to the public at the Johannesburg Art Gallery on October 31.
Sebesho added, “the pandemic has been challenging for our artists – so much so that many businesses that contribute to this creative economy have had to close down, causing artists revenue to be severely impacted. However, given the circumstances it’s refreshing to see that their creativity continues through this period and is reflected in the art that they produce.”
Andiswa Bata, co-head of SME, FNB commercial said, “the broader arts and culture sector was one of the hardest hit with the COVID-19 lockdowns, curfews, and venue capacity restrictions. Finding ways to support the industry safely, will be a crucial aspect of rebuilding the economy, giving businesses the best opportunity to get back on their feet, as we seek to rebuild the economy and stimulate valuable employment.”
