Design Week South Africa presents Showcase at RMB Latitudes 2026 The Design Showcase by Design Week South Africa, RMB Latitudes 2025 (Image by Anthea Pokroy). After the successful launch of the Design Showcase last year, a collaboration between Design Week South Africa and RMB Latitudes Art Fair, we return for a second edition this May with four dedicated design spaces featuring over 25 African brands. Happening as part of RMB Latitudes Art Fair at Shepstone Gardens from 22–24 May 2026, visitors will have the opportunity to explore and purchase design pieces from a considered selection of emerging and established designers from across South Africa and the wider continent. PARTICIPATING BRANDS With four dedicated design spaces throughout the expansive Shepstone Gardens, visitors can look forward to an exclusive collaborative pop-up by ethical jewellery and accessories atelier PICHULIK, and Cape Cobra Leathercraft, a third-generation, speciality leather luxury handbag and accessory brand. The Herd, a craft and design studio positioned at the intersection of contemporary art, material culture and Indigenous beadwork, will curate an interactive retail space, while multi-brand store Duck Duck Goose will showcase its collection of independent South African and international fashion and lifestyle brands in an immersive store. The central retail space will be a curated showcase of design items from South African and African brands, including clothing and handbags from Ghana’s Clatural and South African Dyad; furniture and homeware from Stripped Editions, Something Good Studio, Wax Lyrical, Bumba Souled Ceramics and Salabim; jewellery from Athena A Jewellery and Umbral; clothing and accessories from Lesotho-based Falla Studios, Mother Of Gao and Mors Design; a collaboration between furniture brand Weylandts and Fieldbar; fragrances and body care by Très Nagual perfumery; leather goods by The Joinery; and upcycled pieces from MakeSpace by Wunders. In dialogue with the Fair’s 2026 Nigeria Focus, a selection of Nigerian design voices will be presented together, including footwear brand Kkerele and Lagos-based concept store Alara, whose inclusion brings a distinctive lens on contemporary African fashion, craft, and collectible design. This grouping highlights the dynamism of Nigeria’s design ecosystem and reinforces the fair’s commitment to cross-regional exchange and visibility. 2026 Theme: Oasis Framing this year’s Design Showcase is the Fair’s 2026 theme Oasis, conceived as a moment of pause, reflection and sensory engagement within the broader fair environment. Visitors will be welcomed into the space by Heart of Oasis, a sculptural lighting installation by David Garra. Suspended within the architecture of Shepstone Gardens, the work draws on organic, floral forms, creating a canopy-like gesture that signals entry into the design section. Extending this theme throughout the showcase, floral artists Botanicus, Emely van Heesch and Loulou d. will present site-responsive botanical installations. Their interventions activate the space through texture, scent and form, reinforcing the Oasis as both a conceptual and physical environment, and positioning floral practice within the broader language of contemporary design. ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP “We are proud to partner with Design Week South Africa. By presenting design alongside contemporary art, we are expanding how it is valued and experienced, and strengthening the presence of African designers on the global stage,” says Roberta Coci, co-director of RMB Latitudes Art Fair. “The RMB Latitudes x Design Week South Africa Showcase offers vital visibility and exposure for South African design brands. Including artisanal craft and premium luxury designers among the greater canon of African art expands the cultural landscape. Globally, design is part of the international art fair circuit, and Design Week South Africa is curating an important footprint through the RMB Latitudes partnership,” says Katherine-Mary Pichulik, founder of PICHULIK. ABOUT DESIGN WEEK SOUTH AFRICA Design Week South Africa is an expansive city-wide calendar of events and immersive experiences that showcase the future of South African design through knowledge-share, inclusivity and support. Launched in 2024, more than 200 activations, discussions, showcases, workshops and exhibitions across Johannesburg and Cape Town have taken place, as Design Week South Africa positions itself as this country’s leading design platform. ABOUT RMB LATITUDES ART FAIR RMB Latitudes Art Fair is a celebration of African creativity, bringing together artists, galleries, and collectors from across the continent and its diaspora. Launched in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank and the team behind Latitudes Online, the fair offers a dynamic and immersive art experience in the heart of Johannesburg. TICKETS & INFO Tickets: Tickets to the RMB Latitudes Art Fair are available online now. Children: R70 | Adults: R380 Location: Shepstone Gardens, 12 Hope Road, Mountain View, JohannesburgDates: 22 – 24 May 2026 Times:Friday: 12:00 – 19:00Saturday: 10:00 – 19:00Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00 CONTACT Visit:https://www.designweeksouthafrica.com/ https://www.latitudesartfair.com Follow:@designweeksouthafrica @latitudes.online Contact:info@designweeksouthafrica.com VIEW ALL THE DESIGN SHOWCASE PARTICIPANTS 05 May 2026

Nigeria Focus at RMB Latitudes Art Fair Connecting the Continent Through Art _________________ Nigeria occupies a singular position within the African art ecosystem. It is one of the continent’s most dynamic cultural centres, producing artists, curators and thinkers whose influence resonates far beyond its borders. From Lagos to Abuja, the energy of the Nigerian art scene has helped shape global conversations around contemporary African practice. For a platform like RMB Latitudes Art Fair, which is committed to strengthening connections across the continent, a focused engagement with Nigeria is both natural and necessary. Nigeria Focus recognises the extraordinary depth of artistic production emerging from the country while also acknowledging that meaningful exchange across African regions still requires intentional infrastructure. Despite the strength of Nigeria’s art community, opportunities for sustained collaboration between West and Southern African practitioners remain relatively limited. By placing Nigeria at the centre of this year’s programme, RMB Latitudes Art Fair aims to strengthen these connections, creating new pathways for dialogue, visibility and exchange. The programme begins with an exhibition in Lagos this April, presenting the work of selected Nigerian artists within their local context and audience. The exhibition will then travel to Johannesburg, where it will be presented at RMB Latitudes Art Fair in May, introducing these artists to the fair’s broader network of collectors, curators and galleries from across Africa and beyond. Nigeria Focus has been co-curated by Ugonna Ibe, founder of the Lagos-based Yenwa Gallery, and Boitumelo Makousu, curator at Latitudes. Bringing together curatorial perspectives from West and Southern Africa, their collaboration ensures that the programme is grounded both in the realities of Nigeria’s vibrant art ecosystem and in a broader continental outlook. At its heart, Nigeria Focus is about recognition and reciprocity. It acknowledges the cultural leadership Nigeria already holds while creating space for new relationships to form across the continent. By bringing these voices into conversation with the wider Latitudes community, the programme contributes to a more connected and collaborative African art landscape. Ugonna Ibe-Ejiogu - Curator and Founder of Yenwa Gallery Boitumelo Makousu - RMB Latitudes, Latitudes Online & LCA Curator See all participating artists 12 Mar 2026

Nike Air Max Residency at RMB Latitudes The Residency at Latitudes The purpose of the Nike Air Max Residency booth at RMB Latitudes is to showcase the creative excellence developed through art, fashion, and music during the March residency programme by mentees Themba, Mbali, Jordan & Asante from the Art residency in partnership with Floodhouse. Yolophonik, Zango, Anchorbee & W4DE from the Music residency in partnership with Flame studios and Khanyi, Sihle, Lindokuhle and Thato from the Fashion residency in partnership with Magugu House. Under the mentorship of DBN Gogo, the music mentees collaborated to create an EP during the residency, titled Future Frequencies, and it is available on all digital streaming platforms.  Guided by Thebe Magugu, the fashion mentees designed and created garments from scratch that expressed their individual identities and creative perspectives. Under the mentorship of Bahati Simoens, the art mentees refined and elevated existing works that best reflect their worlds as artists, with the Latitudes exhibition serving as an extension and celebration of this creative journey.  Art Mentees: Themba Mwanza Themba Mwanza is a Johannesburg-based multidisciplinary artist. Born in Mpumalanga, he spent most of his childhood there before relocating to Gauteng. In 2020, he completed a BA in Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he was awarded the Anya Millman Scholarship for Outstanding Work in Fine Art.During his studies, Mwanza conceived his own iteration of the BMW Art Car series, which was later acquired into BMW’s private art collection and exhibited at NIROX Sculpture Park as part of BMW Art Generation Vol. III in 2025. His practice reflects an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art, engaging themes of materiality, experimentation, and visual storytelling. Mbali Nqobile Mdikane Mbali Nqobile Mdikane (Mthatha/East London) is a Johannesburg-based artist whose practice explores intimacy, inheritance, memory, and identity through autobiographical symbolism. Working primarily in painting, her work investigates how relationships shape the ways individuals come to understand themselves. Drawing from the worlds introduced to her by those closest to her — including family, friends, and formative relationships — Mdikane constructs symbolic spaces that reflect processes of learning, reflection, and becoming. These worlds emerge through objects, rituals, gestures, clothing, environments, and cultural references that carry both personal and collective meaning. Her work frequently engages with boxing as an inherited language introduced through her father, using the sport as a framework to explore discipline, tenderness, performance, masculinity, and intergenerational exchange. Alongside this, her practice considers the relational ecosystems shaped by her grandmothers, mother, siblings, extended family, and broader community. Rooted in a Xhosa postcolonial consciousness and shaped by the layered social landscapes of the Eastern Cape and Johannesburg, Mdikane is currently researching expanded material approaches, including soft sculpture, digital collage, photography, and mixed media, as extensions of her exploration of embodiment and relational memory. Jordan Bareiss Jordan Bareiss is a Johannesburg-based emerging artist working across digital art, photography, mixed media, and interactive installation. His practice explores the intersection of analogue and digital processes, drawing on mysticism, nostalgia, and the textures of South African landscapes — particularly the Drakensberg — as sites for reflection on memory, materiality, and technological change. Using his own photographic documentation as a foundation, Bareiss constructs works that often resemble recovered artefacts. Through layered textures and digital intervention, he investigates the tension between inherited forms and emerging technologies, considering how the digital can both disrupt and reshape contemporary relationships with the natural world. Assante Chiweshe Assante Chiweshe is a visual artist working across photography, moving image, and mixed media. Her practice investigates the relationship between the past, present, and future through engagements with memory, identity, lineage, and the family archive, often reconstructing and recontextualising inherited images. Rooted in photography but expanding beyond the still frame, her work explores image-making as a site of reflection, preservation, and transformation. Though early in her contemporary art practice, Assante continues to develop an interdisciplinary language informed by both personal and collective histories. Fashion Mentees: Khanyisile Masina Khanyisile Masina is an indigenous fashion designer whose work is rooted in cultural exploration and self-taught craftsmanship. After studying Primary Fashion Skills at TUT, she developed a distinct design approach centred around draping — a technique that allows her to intuitively shape garments into bold, avant-garde silhouettes. Her practice is deeply informed by a journey back to her roots, drawing on indigenous knowledge, tradition, and collaboration with her family. Through her work, she reinterprets the sculptural qualities of ancestral dress while exploring how these forms can evolve into contemporary pieces suited for everyday wear. Thato Mengwai Thato Mengwai is a South African fashion designer whose work focuses on contemporary streetwear, with an emphasis on structured silhouettes and functional garments. Drawing inspiration from subcultures and their histories, his practice explores the relationship between heritage and modernity through a refined contemporary aesthetic. He holds a BA in Fashion Design from the University of Johannesburg, where he developed strong skills in pattern making and garment construction. Thato further gained industry experience through the Nike residency at Magugu House under the mentorship of Thebe Magugu, where he developed and constructed a garment he developed and constructed a garment from concept to completion. His work aims to merge practicality with thoughtful design, creating garments that are both purposeful and relevant within the evolving landscape of modern streetwear. Siphesihle Mkhabela Siphesihle Mkhabela is the designer behind “M.S.”, a label founded on the belief that true style does not need to be loud. Based in the south of Johannesburg, South Africa, his approach to design is guided by intention, discipline, and attention to detail. For Siphesihle, clothing extends beyond fabric; it is an exploration of structure, proportion, and texture — the way a silhouette holds its form, the contrast between satin and knitwear, and the ability of black to convey both weight and softness. Working primarily within a monochrome palette allows him to focus on clean lines, craftsmanship, and presence. Through M.S., she creates timeless pieces for individuals who value quiet confidence and quality over excess. Each design is rooted in the belief that simplicity, when executed with precision, can speak most powerfully. Lindokuhle Mdluli Lindokuhle Mdluli is a Johannesburg-based multidisciplinary visual artist and fashion designer. Born in Soweto and currently studying Fashion Design at the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, his practice spans garment construction, pattern making, digital illustration, and photography. His work reflects an interdisciplinary approach to visual storytelling, combining technical skill with creative exploration across both fashion and visual art disciplines. Music Mentees: Yolophonik Yolophonik is an alternative music producer and DJ whose sound moves fluidly across genres, with strong influences rooted in funk, R&B, and hip hop. His music is created for listeners who look beyond charts and mainstream radio to discover sounds that resonate on a deeper level — the kind of listeners who uncover their favourite artists on platforms like Bandcamp and SoundCloud. His artistry speaks to creatives who believe music is too expansive to be confined to a single genre. By blending elements from different musical styles, Yolophonik creates soundscapes that feel both experimental and deeply personal. His work reflects a spirit of freedom, individuality, and sonic exploration that defines his identity as an artist. W4DE W4DE — with the “4” representing the letter “A” — is an artist from Rondebult, Germiston whose life is deeply rooted in music. For him, music is more than a passion; it is present in every aspect of his daily existence. From a young age, W4DE was heavily influenced by his father and the joy and freedom music brought into his life. Witnessing the emotional impact music could have inspired him to pursue a path dedicated to making others feel that same sense of freedom, happiness, and connection through sound. Defined by hard-hitting log drums, soft chords and melodies, and heartfelt arrangements, W4DE’s music balances intensity with emotion. His artistic philosophy is captured in one defining statement: Music is his WAY4WARD. AnchorBee DJ SA Bongiwe Gule, professionally known as AnchorBee DJ SA, grew up in Soweto within an environment that demanded resilience long before she ever stepped into a studio. Township life did not romanticise struggle — it taught adaptability, foresight, and composure in the face of uncertainty. These formative experiences continue to shape both her artistry and her approach to business. Her stage name, derived from her own identity, carries symbolic meaning. An anchor represents stability, strength, and grounding. In an industry where artists can easily lose themselves in trends, the name serves as a reminder to remain authentic and rooted. AnchorBee’s sound is deeply influenced by sgidongo and iSgubu within the broader Amapiano landscape. Her basslines are commanding, her log drums unmistakable, yet what truly defines her production style is precision and control rather than sheer volume. Raised in Soweto and creating in Johannesburg, she draws inspiration directly from the raw energy of the city and the subgenres that shaped her musical foundation. “I think the subgenres of piano like Boots, Zoom, and Bambo are uniquely tied to South African roots because those are the sounds we were exposed to. They originate from sgidongo — that hard bass sound specifically. Even the way we use the log drum, you can hear it comes from the hood.” For AnchorBee, music is more than a career — it is identity, purpose, and life itself. “The reason I create music is that I love music. Music is my life.” Zango Kubheka Zango Kubheka is a multidisciplinary creative from the East of Johannesburg whose artistry extends far beyond the boundaries of conventional music production. A respected producer and DJ, he has collaborated with vocalists such as Roho, Blxckie, and Lia Butler, among others. Zango’s passion for music is reflected in his ability to craft immersive sonic narratives behind the decks. He takes pride not only in transforming ideas from imagination into reality, but also in his refined technical skill across both music production and DJing. His journey is one of continuous evolution. Every performance becomes an opportunity to guide audiences through stories of reflection, celebration, and emotional connection. By balancing familiar anthems with unexpected selections, Zango creates immersive experiences that remind listeners of music’s power to inspire, heal, and unite. Rooted in personal and artistic growth, Zango uses his platform to bridge cultural divides and foster connection on the dance floor. Whether performing in intimate spaces or on largescale stages, he invites audiences into a world of musical exploration and boundless creativity — a philosophy he describes as “taking the long way home.” 20 May 2026

ESSAY: Jan Neethling and Robert Hodgins | On Friendship and Form A special project at RMB Latitudes Art Fair, curated by Lucy MacGarry Each year, RMB Latitudes Art Fair presents ESSAY, a dedicated curatorial project that brings together focused dialogues between South African artists across generations. Conceived and curated annually by RMB Latitudes Co-Director Lucy MacGarry, the programme explores themes of lineage, influence, memory, and material thinking, pairing practices not often seen in direct conversation and offering new perspectives on both established and under-recognised figures within the field. Since its inception in 2019, ESSAY has evolved into a considered and increasingly ambitious platform within the Fair. Early iterations focused on bringing lesser-seen bodies of work into view, while more recent presentations have developed into nuanced cross-generational conversations, foregrounding both continuity and divergence within South African art history. In 2023, ESSAY brought together Sam Nhlengethwa, Katlego Tlabela, and Cinthia Sifa Mulanga in a layered dialogue across generations. In 2024, the focus shifted to the collaborative practice of Wendy Vincent and Geoffrey Armstrong, reflecting on over two decades of shared production. The 2025 edition paired the late Sydney Kumalo with Amalie von Maltitz, exploring intersections between sculpture and drawing, and the ways in which material and form carry meaning across time. The 2026 iteration of this annual special project centres on the work of Jan Neethling, presented in dialogue with a focused selection of works by his former teacher and lifelong friend, Robert Hodgins. Bringing their practices into close proximity, the exhibition considers how influence, exchange, and sustained dialogue unfold over time, shaped as much by friendship and critique as by individual artistic trajectories. Jan Neethling tending to a bonsai trees, 2025 - a parallel practice of patience and form, where observation unfolds slowly over time. On Friendship and Form foregrounds this relationship, offering a lens through which to engage with both artists’ work, while positioning Neethling’s practice with renewed clarity and focus. “Jan Neethling’s paintings are marked by restless figuration and shifting, unstable terrains, where portraiture, still-life and landscape collapse into dense, compressed compositions. Shaped through decades of exchange, friendship and sustained dialogue, these works are at once vividly observed and psychologically charged.” - Lucy MacGarry. Jan Neethling - Five Seasons -2015-Acrylic on Board-121x76. What follows is an essay by David Mann, written in advance of the exhibition at RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2026. Confused Landscapes: Observation and Influence in the Work of Jan Neethling and Robert Hodgins By David Mann Influence can be found anywhere, but it’s often those closest to us who have the most profound impact on our work. This year, RMB Latitudes’ Special Project, ESSAY, centres on the work of Jan Neethling, presented in dialogue with that of his former teacher and lifelong friend, Robert Hodgins. It’s an overcast Wednesday morning in Johannesburg, and the road to Neethling’s Midrand home is pockmarked with potholes. “Best to take a slow approach on the road in,” he texted earlier that morning. On the drive over, business parks, uniform townhouse clusters, and co-working hubs filter past the window, all recent developments. It would have looked far different in the 1970s, when Neethling first moved here, when the stretch between Johannesburg and Pretoria was much flatter. Neethling, now 87, is waiting at the gate in a white jersey matching his hair. Many rooms make up the farmhouse-style home in which Neethling resides, each one of them packed to the rafters with artworks. Some carry familiar names—Deborah Bell and Paul Stopforth—but most are by Hodgins and Neethling. At a cursory glance, you might not be able to tell them apart. “I think you can certainly see his impact on my work when you look at it,” says Neethling, gesturing around the room. “I liked Rob’s work immediately and I believed in it, so it became a big influence on my own work.” Robert Hodgins -Untitled - Oil on Canvas. Both Hodgins and Neethling were born in London, about 18 years apart, and moved to South Africa when they were very young. It was at the Tshwane University of Technology (then named Technikon Pretoria) that the two first met. Hodgins was a lecturer in the Fine Art department, and Neethling was a second-year student, pursuing art after having developed an affinity for it in high school. Neethling recalls their first meeting, Hodgins playfully reprimanding him for wearing jeans to a college where the convention at the time was very much suit-and-tie. After college, the two became fast friends, meeting regularly to paint and chat. While Hodgins went on to have an internationally renowned career as a painter, Neethling remained relatively unknown outside of Johannesburg for most of his career, despite painting regularly and exhibiting since the 1970s. Seated on the couch, Neethling recalls the incongruous evolution of their careers as being a necessary one. He had much to learn from Hodgins, he says, and Hodgins benefited from Neethling’s feedback and support. “He was an early mentor, but he also became my best friend. So I admired him and supported him in equal measure,” says Neethling. Both artists have gravitated towards the rogues of society in their work—politicians, businessmen, oligarchs, drug lords and gangsters—and produced expressionistic representations of these malevolent figures, at once studying and satirising their ill-gained authority. “He maintained that my work did influence him, but I don’t think so. He was very much his own artist, and he wasn’t influenced by many people. His influences were well-known international names, but whose aren’t?” Still, while Neethling’s career never achieved the same visibility as Hodgins’, his work ultimately developed into its own style. Neethling’s frenetic figures govern his canvases. His busy, expressive style belies a technical skillset that sees him working with colour and detail to brilliant ends. A painter of “life on the move”, even his landscape and still-life works bristle with a restless presence. Like Hodgins, Neethling is a great observer and chronicler of human activity. With much of his early career taking place in a country at odds with itself, Neethling painted what he saw: distorted figures and forms, feverish and contested landscapes, and a growing cast of grotesque characters in positions of power. Robert Hodgins - Untitled - Circa 1990-2000- Oil on Canvas - 45 x 60. “I didn’t want to just paint a plain landscape. I painted what I saw, you know, neither myself or Rob painted towards an idea or a title, we painted images from the world, from the media we were consuming, and allowing the paintings to emerge in that way. So, you end up with these conflicted figures moving through confused landscapes,” explains Neethling. Of the works by Neethling featured in ESSAY, there are landscapes, portraits, still-lifes, and wonderfully surreal mixtures of all of these things at once. This cross-pollination of style and reference is something of a signature of his. The stately legs of a table inside a still-life, for example, might easily be swapped out for the pompous nose and tight-lipped smile of a pinstriped businessman in another painting. Over the course of their 50-year friendship, Neethling and Hodgins met regularly. They also argued, constantly. “Sometimes about painting, but mostly about life,” says Neethling. “It was very much a part of our friendship.” When Hodgins lived in Westdene, he’d most often be found at Neethling’s Midrand home, cooking them meals and discussing his work. After multiple break-ins, however, Hodgins sought to move and Neethling offered him a room and a studio in his own home. So it was that Hodgins spent the last 16 years of his life in Neethling’s home. Jan Neethling, Make Up, 2018- acrylic on canvas- 80 x 50. Today, Hodgins’ old studio stands largely unchanged, still filled with endless canvases, most completed, some unfinished. Even his old room remains untouched; a black-and-white portrait of him seated in an armchair, smartly dressed in a shirt and tie, hangs on the bedroom wall. Neethling still paints. His studio is alive with works in process, while reference images and news clippings adorn the walls. “I try to paint a little each day,” says Neethling, moving through the space. “I get tired so much quicker these days.” Jan Neethling in his studio, 2025, surrounded by works in process. It’s true that Hodgins was both a friend and a mentor to Neethling, as well as a source of constant inspiration and energy to create. But Neethling’s technical ability, both as a painter and a printmaker, saw him serving as an invaluable critic and collaborator in Hodgins’ work, contributing enormously to his career over the years. Though this is not the first time the two artists have shown work together, this year’s ESSAY at RMB Latitudes Art Fair marks a significant moment in Neethling’s career, one that brings his work into renewed focus within a broader public context. Here, among the bristling landscapes, striking still-lifes, and curious cast of characters, Neethling presents a body of work that is at once observant of the world and singularly alive within it. 22 Apr 2026