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Located at a venue space at Hyde Park Corner and hosted by The Forum Company, known for the flair with which they create events, TAF23 is set to chart a new course for the fair's future.
From its first fair held at historic Turbine Hall in Newtown, TAF has embodied a unique Joburg cultural energy. Wherever the fair has been held since, it has maintained a dynamic and energetic line-up with an audience to match. The fair has always been a superbly social event, a place for first-time collectors as much as seasoned collectors on the lookout for emerging artists and the next generation of Joburg art talent.
Now being held in a mall – a classic Joburg destination that provides safe public space in ways that the city doesn't always manage to do – the venue has influenced the thinking about what an art fair should or could be in this type of space.
VIP preview evening
Don't miss the opening night at TAF, where you can enjoy food installations, a tipple or two, and of course, a sneak, preview peak at the exceptional art. When the sun does down, Atiyyah Khan, Cape Town-based arts and culture journalist-slash-DJ will also be playing a vinyl set that links to the talk 'Music as an archive", which she will be moderating.
Talking art
The TAF Talks Programme features a series of talks by creatives and experts on various forms of art, and delves into topics that include freedom, fashion, nature, design, storytelling, Johannesburg, and education to name a few. These talks include walkabouts and have been curated by Palesa Segomotso Motsumi, the founder of creative consultancy Sematsatsa Library.
Fashion as art with Thebe Magugu, and a collab between Tshepo Jeans and Alka Dass.
From the time you enter the mall you'll have embarked on your TAF23 experience. Toast of the fashion world – both in Joburg and abroad – Thebe Magugu shows a line of clothing that honours culture and celebrates African heritage. His Mother and Child collection brings art and fashion together, casting a spotlight on nine South African cultures. The centre of the mall is the perfect setting for this installation, which is a partnership between TAF and Hyde Park Corner. Also on the fashion front, denim designer Tshepo Mohlala – who has his studio at Victoria Yards in Lorentzville and a flagship store in the mall for his denim label Tshepo Jeans – partners with artist Alka Dass. They will be showing a unique piece inspired by the idea that light can be used as a window to own, reclaim, and share our histories.Unpacking the music archives – the sound of TAF23
A specially curated music exhibition examines sound archives and their significance in relation to South African history. This installation emphasises the importance of sound and listening, and the significance of building a music archive as a tool to fill in the gaps left in South Africa's history.The art bookstore
The first official TAF Bookstore makes it debut, bringing with it collectable works focusing on art, photography and fashion. Your bookshelf will thank you for adding these.The kids will love this!
TAF has always been kid-friendly, and this year the fair take it up a notch with a magical offering that includes drawing, getting stuck in the Melville Mud Room and experiencing their own art walkabouts, accompanied by storytime sessions. Look out for one of our favourites too: Shade, who have transformed Brixton with their unique project space that intersects waste, youth and the arts, and who will be offering an enticing workshop for kids to make art with waste (bookings for this are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so make sure to secure your spot when you arrive at the fair).The Turbine Art Fair special projects programme for TAF23 is an exciting mix that takes forward the fair's key focus areas with specific projects. See all the details here.
Book your tickets for TAF23 here.
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