Exhibition Opening - David Koloane: Chronicles of a Resilient Visionary

Don't miss our latest exhibition opening

The exhibition celebrates and recognises Koloane's iconic legacy and significant contribution to art in South Africa. Organised in collaboration with Goodman Gallery and curated by Dr. Thembinkosi Goniwe, the exhibition includes works from the WAM collection and the artist's personal archive.

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First Thursdays at WAM

Jam along with us and Siseko Pame at our final First Thursdays of 2019

We’re wrapping up the year in style; don’t miss our final First Thursdays of 2019! Join us for an evening of music, art and activism with award-winning musician Siseko Pame. Paired with art by visual artist Senzo Shabangu, the concert will take place under the theme of ‘visual music’. Pame will perform tracks off his SAMA award-winning album, as well as new music written to challenge sexual violence, substance abuse and gender-based violence.

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Playing with art at Drop-In Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

Come play with us at our final Drop-In Drawing

This year we’ve played with and learnt about concepts in art like composition, space and texture. Come have fun with us again at our final Drop-In Drawing of 2019. We’ll be interacting with the A Resilient Visionary: Poetic Expressions of David Koloane exhibition which highlights Koloane’s many roles as artist, activist and mentor. Unwind and spend an hour drawing, playing and engaging with art.

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Sharing Johannesburg’s stories at Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

Share your family experiences of Johannesburg at our final Family Talkabout

Over his long 40-year career, David Koloane told many critical stories of Johannesburg urban life. At our final Family Talkabout of 2019, join us for an interactive talk through the David Koloane: Chronicles of a Resilient Visionary exhibition. We’ll be discovering some of the stories behind Koloane’s artworks, as well as learning how he created them. Afterwards, inspired by Koloane’s artworks, you’ll get to share your own stories of Johannesburg in an art activity.

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David Koloane: Chronicles of a Resilient Visionary Talkabout with curator Thembinkosi Goniwe

Don't miss our final curator's Talkabout

An artist, curator and visionary, David Koloane’s works are an iconic part of South Africa’s art history. Equally committed to his art and social activism, Koloane helped to create spaces for marginalised young black artists to flourish in Johannesburg. Join curator Dr Thembinkosi Goniwe for an informative Talkabout in David Koloane: Chronicles of a Resilient Visionary as he explores Koloane’s influential life, works and profound legacy.

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Talkabout with Jack Ginsberg

Join art collector and philanthropist Jack Ginsberg as he leads a walk and talk through the Samplings exhibition

Back by popular demand, join art collector and philantropist Jack Ginsberg on his excellent walk and talk through the Jack Ginsberg Centre for the Book Arts' Samplings exhibition. Learn how this world-renowned collection came to being, and hear the stories behind the books from the collector himself. Jack started the collection in the late 1970s and it features over 3000 artworks, including over 400 South African examples.

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First Thursdays at WAM

Come view our Jack Ginsberg Centre for the Book Arts’ Samplings exhibition this First Thursday.

First Thursdays is a free public event. Art galleries and cultural events in and around Johannesburg are open until late. Take the opportunity if you haven't yet seen the marvellous Jack Ginsberg Centre for the Book Arts’ Samplings exhibition.

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Exploring Space: Drop in Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

Join Bronwen Findlay and explore book arts at this month's Drop In Drawing

WAM’s programme of free drawing classes with expert art teacher and facilitator Bronwen Findlay continues. Taking examples from the Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts Samplings exhibition currently on show at the museum, explore how the illusion of depth is achieved. Learn how space can be both positive and negative, two-dimensional or three-dimensional, open or closed. No experience is necessary and all art supplies provided.

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Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective

Join us for the exhibition opening of Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective, a survey of 40 years of renowned artist Sam Nhlengethwa's print oeuvre.

Leeto is a seTswana/seSotho word for ‘journey’ and, as the word suggests, the exhibition explores the ongoing artistic footsteps of renowned artist Sam Nhlengethwa. This survey of his print work from 1978 to 2018, highlights Nhlengethwa’s use of printmaking as a means for self-expression, collaborations and artistic and intellectual engagements. He also sees the work as a site for conversations with the broader public.

The underpinning theme of the exhibition is jazz, which can be traced back to the early influence of the underground township jazz community on the artist; Nhlengethwa’s brother was a jazz musician and he began collecting jazz records at the age of 17. Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective draws links between the fluid nature of jazz improvisation and Nhlengethwa’s study of an ever-changing community. Asking the question “What else can Nhlengethwa’s images offer us?” the exhibition presents a collection of Nhlengethwa’s print work to be interrogated, his artistic evolution to be mapped out and his personal aesthetics to be interpreted.

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Fun with Space: Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

Bring the kids along and spend an afternoon immersed in art, before creating artworks of your own.

Share a fun and educational art experience with your children in the Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective exhibition, currently on show at Wits Art Museum. Explore how the artist uses space in his artworks and then experiment with different ways of creating space in your own artwork. No experience is necessary and all art supplies provided.

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Talkabout with Sam Nhlengethwa

Go behind-the-scenes of renowned artist Sam Nhlengethwa's artistic process with the artist himself.

This is a chance to meet and talk to renowned artist Sam Nhlengethwa, as he leads a walkabout through Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective. Sam will be discussing his early inspirations and the ongoing influence of jazz on his artistic practice in works that span over 40 years of his printmaking oeuvre.

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Exploring Line: Drop in Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

Come play with us!

When was the last time you spent an hour playing? Come have fun with us at WAM! Last month we had a great time making books inspired by the Jack Ginsberg Centre for the Book Arts’ Samplings exhibition. This month we are looking at Sam Nhlengethwa’s work with new eyes. We’ll go exploring line in the exhibition and then you’ll get the chance to develop your own signature style with line.

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Talkabout with Jack Ginsberg

Don't miss Jack Ginsberg's final walk and talk through the Samplings exhibition, this is also the final day to view the exhibition

The final edition is a series of talkabouts with art collector and philanthropist Jack Ginsberg, discover this world-renowned collection through the eyes of the collector himself. Started in the late 1970s, Jack's collection features over 3000 artworks, including 400 South African examples, and is an amazing addition to WAM's archives.

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Fun with Line: Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

It's time for family fun

Bring the kids for an hour of art, learning and play during our Family Talkabout this month.  Looking at artworks in the Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective exhibition, we’ll break down the concept of line in art in a fun way that kids can understand. Afterwards, you and your children will create your very own zany family portrait.

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In Conversation II: Sam Nhlengethwa and William Kentridge at WAM

Don't miss the latest installment in Sam Nhlengethwa and William Kentridge's ongoing conversation.

Following on from a conversation held at The Centre for the Less Good Idea last year, two South African art giants Sam Nhlengethwa and William Kentridge are meeting once again for an evening of reminiscing, music and art at WAM.

Moderated by Goodman Gallery Senior Curator Neil Dundas, the pair will be travelling down memory lane, picking up from their last conversation, which ended in the 1980s. They first met as teens at the Johannesburg Art Foundation; Sam came from the Payneville Township of Springs whilst William came from the northern suburbs of Houghton.

A common love for art and music formed a friendship that has lasted over three decades. Each artist’s distinctive taste in music often reveals itself in their art;  Sam’s love for and study of the jazz community is highlighted in Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective while William’s love for opera has led him to some of the most prestigious stages in the world.
 
Space is limited at this free event. Please note though that seating and parking will be available on first come first served basis.

Entrance to the parking, below the museum, is left off Jorissen Street, just after the Station Street intersection.

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Talkabout with Sam Nhlengethwa

Don't miss the final Leeto walkabout with Sam Nhlengethwa

Suffering from FOMO? If you missed the first walkabout with celebrated artist Sam Nhlengethwa, you definitely won’t want to miss his final walk and talk through Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective. He’ll be joined by curator Boitumelo Tlhoaele and they will discuss the context, inspiration and power of his work.

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A Peaceful Lunchtime Pause - Mindfulness Workshop at WAM

Take time out of your busy schedule and indulge in an hour of peaceful meditation

If you are looking for ways to manage stress, hit the pause button and join us for a lunchtime Mindfulness meditation workshop. Mindfulness is developed through simple techniques that bring awareness to the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or the future. It helps develop emotional balance and provides insight into habitual thought patterns.
 
Learn tools to develop clarity of mind and compassion, in order to inform wise action.
 
The workshops will be led by Dr Lucy Draper-Clarke, an educator, writer and researcher-practitioner. She has a doctorate in mindfulness and teacher education and currently teaches at Drama for Life.
 
This is a free event, however booking is essential as space is limited. Please RSVP here.

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First Thursdays at WAM

Join us for an evening of poetry, music and art. Entrance is free!

Poetry, music and art combine this First Thursdays at WAM. Inspired by Women’s Month, emerging band Art on the go will be fusing isiZulu and English poetry with the sounds of West Africa. Discover Robert Hodgins’ lesser-shown works in Gallery 1’s A beast slouches and so forth: Robert Hodgins at WAM and  check out Sam Nhlengethwa’s insightful and empathetic social commentary in Leeto: A Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective.

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Leeto Book Launch and Curator’s Talkabout

Grab your copy of Leeto and join curator Tumi Tlhoale for the final walkabout of the exhibition

Don’t miss the chance to get your copy of Leeto, the exhibition catalogue for the Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective, currently on display at WAM. Edited by Tumi Tlhoale and produced in conjunction with Goodman Gallery, the catalogue includes contributions from leading curators and academics Lindelwa Dalamba, Hlonipha Mokoena and Nontobeko Ntombela. Tumi will also be leading a walkabout with Sam Nhlengethwa.

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Exploring Shape: Drop in Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

Spend an hour playing with us at Drop-In Drawing!

This month, we’re going to be exploring colour and shape in the exhibition A beast slouches and so forth: Robert Hodgins at WAM, currently on show. Robert Hodgins  once said that “Being an artist is about putting something into your subject matter that isn’t inherently there,” So picking up on this leading South African artist’s approach, and using a mixture of collage and oil pastels, we’ll have fun creating our own versions of his subject matter.

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Exploring Shape: Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

Bring the children along for an afternoon of art and play

Family time, educational activities and art… it’s set to be an engaging session at our Family Talkabout. Perfect for the mini art connoisseur or newbie art lover, the informative talk and walk will use child-friendly language to break down the A beast slouches and so forth: Robert Hodgins at WAM exhibition, currently on show. Afterwards you and your children will have the chance to apply your new knowledge and make your own artworks.   

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Curator’s Talkabout with Julia Charlton

Get behind-the-scenes of the curatorial process this Adult Talkabout

Why does a curator choose one artwork over another in an exhibition? Is it through storeroom discoveries or based on how famous the painting is? Join Senior Curator Julia Charlton as she explores these fascinating questions as well as many little-known treasures in the exhibition A beast slouches and so forth: Robert Hodgins at WAM.

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A Peaceful Lunchtime Pause – Mindfulness Workshop at WAM

Hit the pause button and learn to cope with the stresses of daily life at WAM's Mindfulness Workshop

If you are looking for ways to cope with the pressures of daily life, hit the pause button and join us for a lunchtime Mindfulness meditation workshop. Mindfulness is developed through simple techniques that bring awareness to the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or the future. It helps develop emotional balance and provides insight into habitual thought patterns. Learn tools to develop clarity of mind and compassion, in order to inform wise action.

 The workshops will be led by Dr Lucy Draper-Clarke, an educator, writer and researcher-practitioner. She has a doctorate in mindfulness and teacher education and currently teaches at Drama for Life.

 This is a free event, however booking is essential as space is limited. Please RSVP here.

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Exhibition Opening: Joachim Schönfeldt – Panels of Place

Don't miss the opening of Joachim Schönfeldt's Panels of Place exhibition, running until Saturday 19 October

Born from the adventures of painter and sculptor Joachim Schönfeldt, Panels of Place is both an ode to and ongoing documentation of South African landscapes. Capturing iconic sites like Orlando Stadium alongside domestic settings like the backyard of a Melville house, Schönfeldt places himself in the role of an avid archivist and witness to create an inventory of contemporary South African life.

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First Thursdays Yoga at WAM

Join us for a yoga session and get refreshed for spring

Shake off the last of the winter blues and usher in the spring with an energising Iyengar yoga class this First Thursdays at WAM. Everyone, from absolute beginners to experienced practitioners are welcome. The class will be led by Rose Sonnenberg of Pure Heart Yoga and the BKS Iyengar Yoga Institute of Southern Africa. Please arrive 15 minutes early and come dressed in comfortable clothing.
Entrance is free.

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Exploring Space: Drop-In Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

We're playing with circles and views this month, come join us!

Joachim Schönfeldt’s Panels of Place are made either as individual panels, or shields of five or six circular lenses surrounded by an interlacing wooden ribbon. Inspired by his works, we’ll be using circles to explore the ways space is created in an artwork. Will we be creating from a bird’s eye view or taking a 360° panorama? Come join us at this month’s Drop-In Drawing and find out!

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Playing with Space: Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

Create your own family shield and take a visual road trip around South Africa with us at the Family Talkabout

Take a visual road trip around South Africa at the Family Talkabout, via Joachim Schönfeldt’s Panels of Place. Make a game of identifying iconic sites like the Nelson Mandela Railway Bridge, and enjoy a child-friendly interaction with the exhibition. Afterwards, inspired by Schönfeldt’s art, you’ll create a family shield of your own panels.

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Joachim Schönfeldt – Panels of Place Artist’s Dialogue with Senior Curator, Julia Charlton

Join Joachim Schönfeldt for an informative walk and talk through his Panels of Place exhibition

Interact with artist Joachim Schönfeldt as he explains the inspirations behind the works in his exhibition, Panels of Place. The exhibition is an extended visual diary of his adventures around South Africa and features He will be joined by Senior Curator Julia Charlton and, together, they will probe what the artist chose to include in his landscapes, what is left out and what makes a site iconic.

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A Peaceful Lunchtime Pause – Mindfulness Workshop at WAM

Hit the pause button and join us for a Mindfulness meditation workshop

As the exam season and end-of-year madness looms, press pause and join us for a lunchtime Mindfulness meditation workshop. Mindfulness is developed through simple techniques that bring awareness to the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or the future. It helps develop emotional balance and provides insight into habitual thought patterns. Learn tools to develop clarity of mind and compassion, in order to inform wise action.

The workshop will be led by Dr Lucy Draper-Clarke, an educator, writer and researcher-practitioner. She has a doctorate in mindfulness and teacher education and currently teaches at Drama for Life.

This is a free event, however booking is essential as space is limited. Please RSVP here.

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Exhibition Opening: Daylin Paul - Broken Land

Don't miss the opening of Daylin Paul's Broken Land, showing until Sunday 27 October

In Broken Land, photographer and journalist Daylin Paul investigates the impact of Mpumalanga’s fuel-burning coal stations on the local population, farming community and economy. The exhibition features works from his ongoing documentary that won the Ernest Cole Photographic Award in 2017. Paul goes beyond documenting the cost of extracting and burning coal to “personalising the experience of the local people who are on the front lines of this crisis.” He explains, “It’s easy to get mesmerised by the sheer size of the mines, machines and power stations that fuel South Africa’s addiction to coal. It’s easy to forget that this affects human beings whose stories are even more beautiful and tragic than the landscape that mirrors their lives.” 

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Using art to share stories: Drop-In Drawing with Bronwen Findlay

Join us as we tell our stories with art at this month's Drop-In Drawing

How can we use art to share our stories? Whilst an artist might use a pencil or paintbrush, a photographer shares what s(he) see through a camera. At this month’s Drop-In Drawing, we’ll be exploring techniques that Daylin Paul employs to share the stories in the Broken Land exhibition currently on show. Afterwards, we’ll adapt his techniques to tell our stories and create our own artworks.

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Story-telling with a Camera: Family Talkabout with Kamal Naran

Enjoy a child-friendly fun workshop and create art to tell your family stories

From family photos to selfies, how does an image tell a thousand words? Join us for a child-friendly fun and interactive workshop as we discover the stories in Daylin Paul’s Broken Land currently on show. Afterwards we’ll create “photographs” that tell our family stories.

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Broken Land – Adult Talkabout