Set within the lush landscape of Shepstone Gardens, Johannesburg, where stone pathways wind through historic architecture, the return of RMB Latitudes Art Fair is set to be an artistic gathering that fosters a selection of African contemporary art. From 22–24 May 2026, this quietly cinematic garden setting once again becomes a meeting point for artists, collectors and curious onlookers – an art fair that resists the sterility of white walls in favour of something far more engaging.
There is something deliberate about placing contemporary African art in a space like this. The Shepstone Gardens, with its layered terraces and serene stonework, softens the edges of the fair landscape. Sculptures appear half-hidden among trees, where installations appear in open air, and paintings sit within rooms that feel mundane.
It is this interplay – between cultivated landscape and curated work – that has come to define Latitudes’ artistic rhythm.
In its fourth edition, the fair continues to position itself as a platform grounded in exchange. “Our priority is, and always has been, to put artists first – centring their voices, supporting their long-term visibility, and building pathways for sustainable practice,” says co-founder and director Lucy MacGarry. The intention is evident in the way that the fair unfolds: conversational and a sustained presence in the design world.
That sense of continuity extends beyond South Africa’s borders. In 2026, the fair turns its focus to Nigeria, drawing attention to one of the continent’s most energetic and expansive creative scenes. Latitudes has built its Focus programme around longer-term engagement – working with artists, curators and galleries within their own contexts before bringing those concepts into Johannesburg.
“By working within each country first, we create presentations that feel collaborative and sustained rather than extractive,” says Boitumelo Makousu. The result focuses on a layered exchange; one that reflects the complexities and the strength of contemporary African practice.
The theme for this year, Oasis, feels particularly adapted to both place and moment. Johannesburg, a city famously built without a natural water source, becomes a fitting image for creative resilience. Here, the idea of an oasis is not just visual but conceptual: a reminder that artistic ecosystems, such as gardens, are refined through care, patience and continuous attention.
Latitudes’ signature has become a balance between intimacy and diligence. Pristine presentations sit comfortably alongside the informality of outdoor encounters, where serious collecting coexists with quiet discovery. There is an ease to it, but also a clarity of purpose – an understanding that the future of African art lies not only in its visibility, but in the systems that sustain it.
Alison Badenhorst of RMB reflects that the goal is to “build a sustainable art economy across Africa… and enable creativity to thrive.” At Shepstone Gardens, that ambition takes on a tangible form. It is in the conversations that stretch beyond the works themselves, in the connections that form within the space, and in the sense that this is not simply an event, but part of a longer, developing story.
In a city defined by its constant reinvention, RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026 offers something enduring: a space where ideas are allowed to originate.
Credits
Images: Supplied
