Homecoming: A Legacy of Art and Mining

We are delighted that a collection of Johannesburg’s art treasures have returned home after travels abroad. To celebrate, we are hosting a special visit to the Homecoming Exhibition. Currently on show at the Standard Bank Gallery in Simmonds Street, the exhibition features a selection from the renowned Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) collection.

Many of these much-loved works formed part of the Gallery’s founding collection in the early twentieth century. They were acquired when Florence Phillips commissioned Hugh Lane to assemble a gallery that would extend the cultural and educational horizons of a young and rapidly growing city. Alongside these works are later acquisitions that reflect the evolving story of Johannesburg and its artistic legacy.

Wilhelm van Rensburg, Senior Art Specialist & Head Curator at Strauss & Co, will take us through the exhibition. Its works are arranged around unexpected and thought-provoking themes - such as Food, Death, Sailing and the Nude - offering fresh perspectives and new curatorial insights. Entry to the gallery is free.

The tour continues with an exploration of the Standard Bank atrium. Here, the preserved Ferreira Mine Stope provides a powerful reminder of the city’s mining origins, set within the striking architecture of 1980s Johannesburg.

Prof Kathy Munro will conclude the visit with an engaging talk drawing together the threads of art, mining and finance in the making of the City of Gold. Having begun her own art education at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, Prof Munro later lectured in South African economic history at Wits. She will reflect on the vision of Florence Phillips, the ambitions of the Randlords, and the shifting meanings and interpretations of this important collection over time.

Underground parking is available at the gallery.