JCAF’s exhibitions are meticulously researched, drawing from disciplines both within and beyond the arts to create some of the most absorbing and thought-provoking shows in Johannesburg.
The first two exhibitions in the Worldmaking series, Ecospheres and Structures, explored our relationship to the natural world and the built environment, respectively. Reverse Futures builds on these conversations, bringing together artists, architects, AI researchers, musicians, filmmakers and storytellers to consider what lies ahead. Contributors include Cave_bureau, Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler, Paula Gaetano Adi, Kamil Adam Hassim, Traci Kwaai, Ernest Mancoba, Georgia Munnik, Yinka Shonibare and Wolff Architects.
The exhibition examines how past, present and future are interconnected, drawing on historical research, lived experience, community narratives and indigenous knowledge systems. In doing so, it reflects on how colonialism, technology and migration shape our visions of the future – and how those imagined futures, in turn, reshape our understanding of the past.
JCAF’s approach is as much about building knowledge and new ways of thinking as it is about exhibiting art. Guided walkabouts offer a deeper but still open-ended viewing experience, allowing for more interchange between visitors and their work. Beyond the exhibition space, their digital repository and podcast extend these ideas further. If you missed the earlier exhibitions in the Worldmaking series – or want to revisit them – their Knowledge Talks series (on Spotify and Apple Podcasts) is well worth exploring.
Exhibition details: Reverse Futures
Dates: Sat, Jun 13 – Sat, Nov 28, 2026Times: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00
Tickets: Free admission, booking required.
Venue: Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation
