The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV Brings an Extraordinary Constellation of Artists, Ideas, Music and Culture to Joburg
THE BMW ART GENERATION VOL. IV BRINGS AN EXTRAORDINARY CONSTELLATION OF ARTISTS, IDEA'S, MUSIC AND CULTURE TO JOBURG
Presented by BMWs South Africa in collaboration with FNB Art Joburg, The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV brings together some of the most significant and compelling voices in contemporary African and diasporic art. Held together by an exhibition parallel to a public programme including talks and music, this year’s volume unfolds across The BMW Art Haus in Parktown North and the MAX section at FNB Art Joburg’s 19th edition.
Together, the two sites form one exhibition that moves across the city, enabling audiences to encounter the work within the intimate setting of The BMW Art Haus alongside the energy, exchange and scale of the continent’s leading contemporary African art fair.
At the heart of this year’s edition is From Whose Waters Do We Drink?, a framework conceptualised by Kim Kandan. The framework invites audiences to consider the knowledge systems, references and inheritances that shape how we understand the world while thinking more deeply about where knowledge comes from, who carries it and how it continues to evolve.
Rather than treating indigenous knowledge systems as something belonging only to the past, the exhibition considers the ways these systems remain present, active and generative within contemporary life and artistic practice. Across the exhibition, participating artists respond to questions of memory, place, identity, transmission and ways of knowing, creating a space where different histories and perspectives exist in conversation.
The result is a multi-layered experience that is as much about gathering and exchange as it is about looking at art. During the opening weekend, visitors can move between exhibitions, conversations, books, food, wine and music, spending time with the ideas and people who shape this year’s edition.
The exhibition features Professor Berni Searle, Bronwyn Katz, Cheriese Maharaj, donna Kukama, Dr George Mahashe, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Kamil Hassim, Kamva Matuis, Kemang Wa Lehulere, Lady Skollie, Lebohang Kganye, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Paulo Nazareth, Portia Zvavahera, Robin Rhode, Simnikiwe Buhlungu and Yinka Shonibare.
An extension of BMW Collectors Co.’s commitment to building meaningful relationships between audiences, artists and ideas, The BMW Art Generation reflects BMW South Africa’s longstanding engagement with contemporary culture and its belief in creating spaces for cultural dialogue. Its presentation alongside FNB Art Joburg further connects the platform to the fair’s commitment to developing African art ecosystems and creating opportunities for audiences to encounter artists and practices from across the continent.
"The BMW Art Generation has always been about more than introducing people to contemporary African art. It is about creating conditions for meaningful engagement. Every encounter contributes to an ecosystem where knowledge is shared across generations, and collecting begins with understanding. This year’s theme invites us to reflect not only on what we know, but where that knowledge comes from and how we ensure it continues to flow into the future,"says Mandla Sibeko, Director of FNB Art Joburg.
A weekend OF ART, IDEAS, FOOD AND MUSIC
The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV opens at The BMW Art Haus on Saturday, 29 August and Sunday, 30 August 2026, with a programme designed to encourage audiences to spend the day moving between the two sites looking, listening, thinking and connecting.
Doors open at 11:00, with the opening weekend programme beginning with a guided walkabout through From Whose Waters Do We Drink? at The BMW Art Haus at 12:00. The walkabout will unpack how participating artists respond to this year’s conceptual framework and engage with indigenous knowledge systems in contemporary contexts.
At 13:00 and 15:00, thought-provoking conversations will explore the ideas, histories and questions at the heart of From Whose Waters Do We Drink?, featuring leading voices from across the continent.
Throughout the day, a reading room and bookstore by Jonathan Ball will offer a carefully selected library of literary titles that expands on the exhibition, its artists and the ideas shaping this year’s edition.
There will also be moments to pause and connect. Between exhibitions and conversations, audiences can gather over exceptional local cuisine, South Africa’s finest Methode Cap Classique and wine, as well as the company of fellow thinkers, artists and enthusiasts.
Music forms the final chapter of each day, with the programme running from 16:00 to 20:00. DJ sets and a headline performance will carry the spirit of The BMW Art Generation into the evening. Thando Zide will headline Saturday’s programme, while Nduduzo Makhathini will headline Sunday’s.
THE BMW ART HAUS OPENS FOR FREE VIEWING
Following the opening weekend, The BMW Art Haus will reopen from 3 to 6 September 2026, offering audiences the opportunity to experience The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV: From Whose Waters Do We Drink? at their own pace.
During this period, entry to The BMW Art Haus is free, allowing visitors to return to the exhibition, spend more time with individual works and revisit the questions and conversations that continue to take place beyond the opening weekend.
*Information provided by the publicist.
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