LATITUDES Art Fair is a new platform for African art in international times.

“By African, we mean anyone who has a meaningful connection to Africa and the diaspora, and by international, we mean the endless permutations of trans-geographic relationships – not the reinforcement of values entrenched in European and American economic centres” explains LATITUDES Co-Founder, Makgati Molebatsi.

“The Fair has been developed in close conversation with several African galleries, and sets out to nurture exchange between artists, galleries, collectors, curators, and researchers throughout Africa and the diasporas. We aim to expand and strengthen audiences for contemporary art, as well as create a richer global understanding of African cultural production.” LATITUDES Co-Founder, Lucy MacGarry.

Launching in September as part of the wider Art Week Joburg programme, LATITUDES will bring together a curated selection of galleries, independent platforms, studios, and artists from the African continent.

The 2019 programme of special, curated projects includes the following sections:

ESSAY

Each year the fair will present a focus section featuring the work of one established and one emerging artist. ESSAY is geared towards rarely-seen work by artists beginning their careers and overlooked masters.

SPOTLIGHT

SPOTLIGHT is a curated selection of artists from Africa and the diaspora whose work is unknown or underrepresented outside of the regional contexts in which they or their galleries operate. Each artist is presented through a concise feature showcasing 3 works. Curatorially, the Spotlight section allows a conversation between different artistic practices.

INDEPENDENT presented by the South African Mint is curated exhibition of early career artists with no gallery representation. The objective of the annual exhibition is to introduce the works of unrepresented artists to galleries participating in LATITUDES.

EMERGING PAINTING INVITATIONAL PRIZE

The fair is thrilled to host an annual solo exhibition by the winner of EPI to support and recognise emerging painters living and working on the continent.

LATITUDES is founded by an all-female team: Lucy MacGarry, Makgati Molebatsi, Anthea Buys, Nokwazi Zimu and Roberta Coci.

Executive Director, Lucy MacGarry has more than 12 years experience in bridging the gap between the art and corporate worlds. In 2018 she founded a South African-based art advisory.

2017 saw her hold the position of Curator of The South African Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. From 2014-16 she was Curator of the FNB Joburg Art Fair. Based between Cape Town and Johannesburg from 2009-2014, MacGarry held the position of Curator at Yellowwoods Art where she managed the collections of Spier Wine Estate, Hollard Insurance and Nando’s Global. For five years prior to this she fulfilled the role of David Krut Projects Gallery Director.

Business Development Director, Makgati Molebatsi has over 30 years experience in marketing and integrated communications gained from various industries; FMCG, retail, energy, rail and advertising. She graduated BA Social Sciences from The University of the North and obtained a Certificate in Business Administration from Wits Business School. She also holds a Certificate in Art & Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London Campus. Molebatsi sits on the board of the Bag Factory Artists Studios in Johannesburg. Makgati provides mentorship within the visual arts sector and participates in Business and Art South Africa (BASA) mentorship programme.

Creative Director, Anthea Buys is a curator with over a decade’s experience in institutional management and development, project management, media and academia. From 2014 – 2017 she was the director of Hordaland Kunstsenter, a leading contemporary art institution in Bergen, Norway, and prior to that was a PhD fellow in the Art History department at Columbia University in New York. Anthea has curated projects for spaces including the Palais de Tokyo (Paris), WIELS (Brussels), Tallinn Art Hall (Tallin), Santo Domingo Ex-Convento (Oaxaca), Platform Stockholm (Stockholm) and Bergen Kunsthall (Bergen). She worked as curator of contemporary art at the Iziko South African National Gallery from 2010-2011, and in 2012, cofounded Art Week Cape Town.

VIP & Media Director, Nokwazi Zimu has worked in broadcast media, working for SABC, e-TV (now eNCA), Talk Radio 702, Summit TV, Power Fm, Kaya Fm, Voice Of Soweto and East Coast Radio. She is also a published academic author and holds an MA in Media Studies as well as a BA Honours degree. This regional and national Vodacom Journalist of the Year (2005) Award winner Zimu also worked as a News Reader, Anchor, TV and radio talk show host and producer for the SABC English Prime Time News and Morning Live amongst others. This year ZImu spent her first 5 months of the year working at Artlogic the event organising company for the FNB JoburgArtFair and the Amex Winter Sculpture Fairs where she served for both as VIP Manager.

Fair Experience Director, Roberta Coci has over a decade’s experience working in the cultural and lifestyle space in Johannesburg. She started her career in editorial, writing for premium publications such as National Geographic, House and Leisure and Sunday Times. After this, she spent several years curating and producing largescale events, such as the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair and the Winter Sculpture Fair, before starting her own company. La Mano is an event and communications studio with a focus on local design, food, art and culture, through which Roberta creates events and activations such as museum exhibitions, food fairs, film festivals, mentorship groups, and art fairs.

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