ASISEBENZE ART ATELIER: A LOOK BACK AT 2025

A Powerful Start: RMB Latitudes Art Fair
Our year opened with momentum at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair, where we showcased works by Siphamandla EX, Steve Maphoso, and Patrick Seruwu.
The booth drew in a remarkable audience, collectors, art lovers, and curious passersby, all engaging deeply with the work.
The energy was tangible, the conversations meaningful, and the reception overwhelmingly positive.
We were honoured to be invited back for next year, a testament to the strength of our artists and the vibrancy of the Asisebenze ecosystem.

Contra Art Fair: Community, Creativity & Connection
Our participation in Contra Art Fair was another standout moment, filled with joy, movement, learning, and discovery.

We showed up for both days of the fair:

• Saturday: The Asisebenze Art Gallery opened its doors, welcoming a beautiful flow of visitors. The day was uplifted by spoken word poetry as well as movement performances featuring our very own Nqobile Mkari setting a soulful tone for the fair experience. 
  

• Sunday: The Asisebenze Art Atelier opened to the public. The studios buzzed with conversation, curiosity, and connection. We hosted a zine workshop with Imbewu Collective, sparking collaboration across artists and visitors
  
  

The heart of Contra lies in the intimacy it creates — people walk into your studio, see your works in progress, and connect with your creative identity. Several of our emerging artists made sales, gaining not only financial support but also vital insight into their audience, their market, and the works people resonate with most. For many, it was a turning point in understanding their career’s direction.

A New Chapter: Opening of Asisebenze Art Gallery
One of the most significant milestones of 2025 was the official opening of our new gallery. It was a warm, celebratory moment, a space built with intention, community, and dreams for the future. This gallery symbolizes our continued growth and our commitment to holding space for artists to experiment, evolve, and take creative risks.

Exhibition Highlight: Reuse, Repurpose, Reimagine

Our current exhibition, Reuse, Repurpose, Reimagine, stands as a thoughtful exploration of sustainability, materiality, and artistic innovation. Still open to the public, it continues to draw visitors into conversations about waste, value, transformation, and the endless potential of reimagining the familiar.

Artist Achievements: Local and International Impact
Beyond the walls of Asisebenze, our artists have been moving — literally and creatively.

This year, studio members:

• Exhibited in international shows, expanding their reach and artistic networks.
  

• Showed work in various parts of Johannesburg, strengthening their visibility and influence within the city’s creative landscape. 
  

• Made sales, built new collaborations, and continued developing distinct artistic voices that resonate far beyond the studio walls.

Each milestone, whether big or small, contributed to a collective sense of pride and momentum.

Looking Toward 2026
As we close this chapter, we are filled with gratitude, joy, and anticipation. 2025 was a year of growth, movement, and possibility, and it has laid the foundation for an even more expansive 2026. We step forward committed to nurturing creativity, supporting our artists, and continuing to build a space where art is lived, shared, questioned, and celebrated.