You'd be silly to miss June's Keyes Art Night, at least we think so. There's a special Makers' Table, an expanded assortment of galleries and exhibitions and enough food and drink options to keep you warm through the night. It's a brilliant excuse to wander between world-class galleries and buzzing eateries. Whether you're looking to engage with thought-provoking exhibitions, get hands-on at the Makers' Table, or just want to soak up the atmosphere and chat to new people, Keyes Art Night is an evening designed for discovery.
For the first time, we join Keyes Art Mile and creative arts academy Open Window for a collaborative Makers' Table using images from author Marc Latilla's remarkable heritage archive. Then, the city comes to Rosebank with a retrospective of Fordsburg’s Bag Factory Artists' Studios at Circa Gallery. Catch Stephen Langa’s new solo exhibition at BKhz, preview rare works heading to Aspire Art’s Winter Auctions and don’t miss Groundwork at Gallery 1. A short stroll along Keyes Avenue brings you to Lizamore on Keyes, where two exhibitions await.
Of course, no Keyes Art Night is complete without a visit to any of Keyes selection of restaurants, from The Prawnery, Momo Kuro and Kanpai to Marble and BGR, while Pantry by Marble serves yummy soft serve. Then round the night off at MIX Cocktail Bar with cool beats and drinks.
1. Marking history at the Makers' Table
We are thrilled to co-host this month's Makers' Table with Keyes Art Mile and Open Window. Focusing on urban transformation and archival imagery, the session will feature transformed archival photographs from Marc Latilla, the author and researcher behind Johannesburg 1912 and Johannesburg Then and Now. Participants are invited to engage with the city’s historical layers by hand-colouring copies of black-and-white archival photographs from Latilla's research. It is a wonderful, hands-on opportunity to connect with Joburg’s architectural evolution, and we can't wait to see what gets projected onto the past.
2. When We Gather at Circa Gallery
We're also delighted by the news that Circa will once again enter the Keyes Art Night fold this month. The Bag Factory celebrates 35 years of fostering contemporary art with a massive group exhibition, When We Gather…the ordinary becomes extraordinary, which brings together a stellar line-up of alumni and current artists, from Mary Sibande, Lady Skollie and Levy Pooe to Senzeni Marasela, Nelson Makamo and Sharlen Khan. Drawing inspiration from Njabulo Ndebele's book Rediscovery of the Ordinary, the exhibition honours the shared studios and communities that have shaped South African art over three and a half decades.
3. Until Love Makes Sense at BKhz
BKhz presents a poignant solo exhibition by Stephen Langa. Until Love Makes Sense delves into Langa’s lived experiences, exploring the deep complexities of love and tenderness. The artist positions love not as a fixed destination, but as an ongoing practice of revision shaped by small everyday intimacies. It’s an exhibition that asks quiet but profound questions as it invites you to slow down and explore the layered meanings of home, care and connection.
4. The Shape of Another World at Lizamore on Keyes
Lizamore on Keyes brings together a compelling selection of artists whose practices explore material experimentation, personal mythology and memory. Spanning photography, painting, collage, sculpture and printmaking, The Shape of Another World reflects the gallery’s dedication to artists who push the boundaries of their mediums and engage deeply with storytelling. While you're there, you can also catch the final weeks of their current group show, A Small Kind of Magic.
5. Groundwork at Gallery 1
Timed to mark the ground-breaking of the Keyes Art Mile 2.0 expansion, Groundwork shifts how you look at the materials underpinning the world around us. Stone, dust, carbon, concrete – the raw materials of Joburg's built world – are put under the artistic microscope in an exhibition that examines the geological matter and human labour that holds the city together. As excavation for the precinct's next phase deepens outside the gallery doors, this ongoing exhibition offers a fascinating, real-time look at how our environments are formed materially, culturally and imaginatively.
6. Winter auction previews at Aspire Art
June is a major month for Aspire Art. Kicking off their winter season of live auctions is the highly anticipated Holding Time: Collecting Home From Afar, showcasing the Dr Bruce Hoffman Private Collection assembled while the collector lived abroad. Spanning major names like Peter Clarke, Penny Siopis and Gladys Mgudlandlu, it’s a masterclass in considered collecting. Also on view are standout pieces from the Day and Evening sales, including monumental works by Walter Battiss, Maggie Laubser and William Kentridge.
7. Pause for a drink and a meal
While art is front and centre at Keyes Art Night, you certainly won't be leaving hungry. Enjoy beautifully crafted sushi at the Japanese-fusion restaurant Kanpai or giant tiger prawns on the hibachi grill at The Prawnery. Book via Dineplan. Freshly Ground is great for a casual bite – a favourite is the creamy chicken tikka masala pasta. Add appetising Asian street food to the line-up at Momo Kuro on the top floor of the Trumpet Building, or try the ramen at Momo's street-level store. Burger and fries more your style? Keep it easy at BGR. Unwind with sunset drinks at Marble (also in the Trumpet Building), and if soft serve is your thing, head down the parking lot stairs to Pantry by Marble.
8. Sip and spin at MIX Cocktail Bar
To round off the evening, head to MIX Cocktail Bar, where a dynamic line-up of DJs will provide the soundtrack to an evening of artful celebration. With its lively atmosphere, MIX remains one of the city’s most popular post-gallery destinations.
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