BY SITHA MALIWA:
Johannesburg is about to become a meeting point for some of the continent’s most powerful artistic voices as BMW Art Generation Vol. IV brings together art, music, food, ideas and culture in a two-day cultural spectacle.
Johannesburg will pulse with creativity this weekend as the BMW Art Generation Vol. IV throws open its doors, bringing together an extraordinary constellation of contemporary African and diasporic artists, thinkers, musicians and cultural voices.
Presented by BMW South Africa in collaboration with FNB Art Joburg, the fourth edition promises to be more than an exhibition. It is an invitation to question, listen, discover and confront the stories and knowledge systems that shape how we see the world.
The event unfolds across two Johannesburg locations – The BMW Art Haus in Parktown North and the MAX section at FNB Art Joburg’s 19th edition – creating one sprawling cultural experience that moves between the intimacy of an art space and the energy of one of the continent’s leading contemporary art fairs.
“At BMW, we believe art has the power to connect people, open new perspectives and deepen our understanding of the world,” says Taz Ramphisa, General Manager: Customer & Brand of BMW South Africa. “The BMW Art Generation reflects our commitment to creativity, cultural exchange and meaningful engagement with contemporary African art. By creating spaces for discovery, reflection and exchange, we aim to support the ideas, voices and practices that continue to shape the continent’s cultural landscape.”
Whose knowledge gets remembered?
At the centre of this year’s edition is From Whose Waters Do We Drink?, a thought-provoking framework conceptualised by Kim Kandan. The question is deceptively simple – but its implications reach deep into questions of history, identity, memory and power. The exhibition asks audiences to look beyond the conventional understanding of indigenous knowledge as something locked in the past. Instead, it presents indigenous knowledge systems as living, evolving and powerful forces that continue to influence contemporary life and artistic practice.
Participating artists engage with questions of memory, place, identity, transmission and ways of knowing, creating an environment where histories collide, perspectives meet and knowledge moves between generations.
The exhibition features an impressive line-up of artists, including Professor Berni Searle, Bronwyn Katz, Cheriese Maharaj, Donna Kukama, Dr George Mahashe, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi, Kamil Hassim, Kamva Matuis, Kemang Wa Lehulere, Lady Skollie, Lebohang Kganye, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Paulo Nazareth, Portia Zvavahera, Robin Rhode, Simnikiwe Buhlungu and Yinka Shonibare.
Together, their work promises to create a conversation that crosses generations, borders and artistic disciplines.
Not just an exhibition
For BMW, the ambition extends beyond putting artworks on walls. The BMW Art Generation has increasingly positioned itself as a platform for cultural exchange – a space where audiences can encounter not only artists but the ideas, histories and conversations behind their work.
“The BMW Art Generation has always been about more than introducing people to contemporary African art. It is about creating conditions for meaningful engagement. Every encounter contributes to an ecosystem where knowledge is shared across generations, and collecting begins with understanding. This year’s theme invites us to reflect not only on what we know, but where that knowledge comes from and how we ensure it continues to flow into the future,” says Mandla Sibeko, Director of FNB Art Joburg.
That philosophy will come alive during the opening weekend, when art will share the stage with conversations, books, food, wine and live music.
A weekend where art meets music
The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV opens at The BMW Art Haus on Saturday, 29 August and Sunday, 30 August 2026, with doors opening at 11:00. The programme begins at noon with a guided walkabout through From Whose Waters Do We Drink?, offering audiences an opportunity to explore how the participating artists have responded to the exhibition’s central ideas.
At 13:00 and 15:00, thought-provoking conversations will bring together leading voices to unpack the histories, ideas and questions surrounding the exhibition. For those who want to linger, a reading room and bookstore by Jonathan Ball will offer a curated selection of books expanding on the artists and themes explored throughout the exhibition.
And then, as the afternoon unfolds, the atmosphere shifts. Audiences will be able to move between exhibitions and conversations while enjoying local cuisine, Methode Cap Classique and wine before music takes centre stage from 16:00 to 20:00.
On Saturday, Thando Zide will headline the programme. On Sunday, the spotlight turns to acclaimed musician Nduduzo Makhathini. The result is an experience designed to blur the boundaries between gallery, cultural gathering and social space – where a conversation about knowledge can lead to a new artwork, a book can spark an idea and music can carry the evening into the night.
Johannesburg’s cultural moment
With its combination of heavyweight artistic talent, critical conversations and music, BMW Art Generation Vol. IV arrives at a moment when African art and cultural production are commanding increasingly global attention.
But its most powerful proposition may be its invitation to audiences to stop and ask a fundamental question: Where does our knowledge come from, and what happens to it when it is passed from one generation to another? This weekend, Johannesburg will not simply be looking at art. It will be listening to it. And, perhaps, listening to the histories and knowledge carried within it.
The BMW Art Generation Vol. IV takes place on 29 and 30 August 2026 at The BMW Art Haus in Parktown North, alongside its presentation in the MAX section of FNB Art Joburg. – @NewsSA_Online
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