State of the art: RMB Latitudes Art Fair returns
Fair deal: The RMB Latitudes Art Fair is happening at Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg from 23 to 25 May, providing a showcase for both up-and-coming as well as established artists and for galleries and independent creatives.
The RMB Latitudes Art Fair is set to return to Joburg's Shepstone Gardens from 23 to 25 May for its fourth edition.
Launched in 2019 by Roberta Coci and Lucy MacGarry, the fair began as an entrepreneurial leap of faith. Both had experience with large-scale events through Artlogic and recognised the shift happening in the local and global art landscapes.
The inaugural edition took place at Nelson Mandela Square, inside a 1 000-square-metre marquee, with 40 exhibitors from as far as Oslo and New York and across Africa.
'Even then, it was all about contemporary African art,' says MacGarry. 'That has always been our defining mandate.'
The 2019 edition drew around 7 000 visitors and proved that there was space, and appetite, for a new kind of art fair that catered to both established and emerging voices.
The second edition was in the works when the Covid-19 pandemic halted global events. Plans to host the fair on a rooftop venue in Sandton were scrapped, and like many in the arts, the co-founders were forced to pivot. That pivot became an innovation — a comprehensive online platform for showcasing and selling art.
'We had talked about building something digital for a long time,' says Coci. 'Covid gave us the time and necessity to do it. We launched the platform in July 2020 with 350 artists. Today there are more than 2 000.'
This digital-first period also cemented Latitudes' unique positioning. The platform gave independent artists the opportunity to present their work side by side with established galleries, something that had traditionally been a point of contention in the art fair format.
'We were scared we'd get pushback from galleries,' MacGarry admits. 'But with everyone's income at risk, it was a moment where those rules no longer applied.
'That precedent has stuck. We're still the only fair to host both galleries and independent artists in the same space.'
By the time the fair returned in person in 2023, at Shepstone Gardens and with Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) as a sponsor, it had not only survived the pandemic but emerged with a stronger, more inclusive foundation.
The lush, multi-level outdoor setting allows the fair to feel immersive rather than overwhelming.
'We don't operate like a conventional convention centre,' says Coci. 'You experience a gallery section, then step out into a garden. It's a palate cleanser. That flow is deliberate.'
As the fair evolves, so does its ambition. This year's edition brings the first in a series of African country spotlights with Botswana as the inaugural focus.
A dedicated rooftop section at the venue will house Botswana's artists, curators and gallerists, all of whom have also been integrated into the Latitudes online platform.
'This is the first of many,' says Coci. 'We're building real relationships across the continent. This isn't just an online transaction. It's about being in Gaborone, building trust, and co-creating.'
The two co-founders say they're committed to making Latitudes Online a truly pan-African platform.
'We already have contributors from countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, but going forward we want to go deeper,' MacGarry says.
'Next year might be Nigeria. The idea is to build real infrastructure and networks that last.'
This year's theme, Co-production, reflects the collaborative ethos that has defined Latitudes from the start. 'We bootstrapped this fair,' says Coci. 'From the beginning, we've built it by working with others — offering partnerships, trade exchanges, anything we could to make it happen.
'That's still the approach. And it's why we've grown.'
The theme also threads through the fair's programming. The 2025 talks series, which is drawing packed audiences, is designed to spark inspiration and also lay the foundation for actionable partnerships.
'Our talks this year are about relationships between African contemporary art and global cultural institutions,' says MacGarry.
'We've got speakers from South Korea, China, the US and several European countries. It's a look at what those offices are doing in South Africa and how artists, curators and institutions can plug in.'
An invitation-only side event, Creative Connections, will run alongside the fair's VIP programme and bring together policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders to catalyse support and policy shifts in the creative sector.
'Art fairs are already places where connections happen,' says MacGarry. 'But, this time, we want to curate those connections more intentionally.'
Another consistent feature of Latitudes is its commitment to spotlighting independent artists.
The fair's Index section is dedicated to self-representing artists, and this year it takes on a new shape under the curation of South African artist Bonolo Kavula.
Known for her intricate thread-based works, Kavula brings a personal touch by showcasing young artists she mentors, tying them together through a curatorial concept called The Invisible Thread.
'The Index section has always been an incubator,' says MacGarry. 'Many artists who started there are now signed to galleries. This year, we're also using it as a mentorship platform, supporting emerging voices while giving them visibility.'
Located under the glass marquee, this part of the fair is both a visual and symbolic centrepiece, inviting collectors and art lovers to engage directly with the creators.
That spirit of engagement runs through the entire fair layout. The spatial curation, says Coci, is just as important as the artistic curation.
'We place exhibitors intentionally so that they're in conversation with each other. It's a complex puzzle but we think about how people will move through the space, what they'll experience next, and how it all connects.'
To help guide visitors, designer Matthew Edwards has created a new series of isometric maps and visual guides that incorporate the architecture of Shepstone Gardens.
'We want it to feel like an adventure,' MacGarry says.
'One that people can remember and navigate with ease.'
Over the last decade, South Africa's art world has undergone a quiet revolution.
'It used to be a space of gatekeeping,' says Coci. 'Big galleries talking to big collectors. It was intimidating.
'Now, there's access, driven by digital tools, social media and platforms like ours. Artists can represent themselves and young collectors feel like they belong.'
Latitudes has played a key role in this shift, creating both physical and digital spaces where the full breadth of African contemporary art is visible and accessible.
'We've got over 20 000 newsletter subscribers from all over the world,' says Coci. 'Collectors can discover everything from Goodman Gallery to emerging artists in one place.'
As the fair gears up for its most ambitious edition yet, its founders remain grounded in the values that launched them: collaboration, accessibility and a belief in the transformative power of art.
'We're not just putting on a fair,' MacGarry says. 'We're building a community; and a future.'
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