Creativity and urban grit: Shaping the RMB Latitudes art fair experience

Ferial Haffajee: Shepstone Gardens is known as a beautiful wedding venue. How did you realise that it could be a venue for an arts fair — it’s not an obvious choice?

Lucy MacGarry: That’s exactly what drew us to it, the fact that it wasn’t an obvious choice. At Latitudes, we’re always looking for ways to challenge traditional models, and Shepstone Gardens offered us the opportunity to create a fair experience that was more immersive, more intimate, and more joyful than the conventional white-cube format. 

Visitors are always struck by its layered, almost surreal beauty, and reimagining it as a platform for contemporary African art felt both subversive and poetic.

FH: And it’s in the inner city, just off Louis Botha, which is a rather gritty part of town. Did you want to bring arts to the inner city?

LM: Absolutely. We believe art belongs in the city, not just in pristine suburbs or elite institutions. Louis Botha is gritty, but it’s also real. Our goal has always been to bring the arts closer to where people are, rather than expecting them to come to where the arts have traditionally been. 

By situating RMB Latitudes in this part of Johannesburg, we’re actively choosing to contribute to urban revitalisation, accessibility, and the idea that beauty and creativity can, and should, exist in tension with the realities of our city.

FH: The people flocked in. What are the numbers through the years?

Robi Coci: We’ve been thrilled by the response. In our first year, we welcomed around 7,000 visitors. By 2024, that number had grown to just under 9,000. And this year, 2025, we saw a record-breaking 10,500 people through the gates over five days. Of course our capacity is limited to the size of the venue, but the fact that we’ve sold out every year has been phenomenal. 

The growth has been organic, largely driven by word of mouth and community momentum, and the demographic is incredibly diverse, which we’re very proud of.

FH: How was trade? I saw lots of sold signs on many pieces of work.

RC: Art sales were strong, possibly our best yet. We’re still tallying final numbers, but exhibitors reported solid sales across a range of price points. 

One of the things we’re proud of is how accessible the fair is to both emerging and established collectors. 

At most fairs, the vernissage is where the sales happen, but at ours they happened consistently across the event. For us, that’s a real sign of success — that so many visitors feel collecting art is available to them, it’s not just for the serious collectors who are invited to opening night. That mix of serious acquisitions and first-time purchases is what makes the atmosphere so dynamic. 

FH: The art fair is different in that it makes substantial space for independents and for galleries — how has this symbiosis worked?

RC: It’s central to our ethos. We’ve intentionally designed RMB Latitudes to be a fair where both the established gallery system and independent practitioners can thrive alongside one another. 

“We believe this cross-pollination strengthens the entire ecosystem.”

We believe this cross-pollination strengthens the entire ecosystem, giving galleries access to fresh talent and giving independents access to serious collectors. There’s also a sense of community that’s developed, a shared respect and exchange of ideas, rather than hierarchy.

FH: Tretchikoff’s Lady from the Orient visited for a few days and Mary Sibande brought Sophie at the opera. My goodness — what ambitious curation. Which was the favourite?

LM: Strauss & Co’s presentation of Tretchikoff’s Lady from the Orient was, without a doubt, the talk of the fair, drawing immense public interest. And after the work’s groundbreaking auction result the following week, we feel so privileged to have had her on view. 

Mary Sibande’s Sophie was certainly another highlight, showcasing a powerful reclamation of identity within the narrative of South African women. 

It’s genuinely difficult to pick a single favourite. 

For instance, the large ceramic sculptural pieces by Xanthe Somers, directly resulting from her winning last year’s ANNA Award residency, were an absolute hit and certainly among the most photographed works at the fair. The public's incredible response to our Botswana Focus was also very rewarding and this year, our ESSAY presentation in the Chapel space offered another compelling dialogue. The project thoughtfully paired the charcoal and pastel drawings of Sydney Kumalo with the clay sculptures of Amalie von Maltitz.

Ultimately, what brings us the most joy is witnessing how these diverse, ambitious curatorial choices ignite public imagination and connect collectors with art that truly moves them.

FH: Finally, what I love about the fair is that it is young, black-led in its diversity and optimistic. Is this reflected in buying patterns?

RC: Yes, and it’s one of the most exciting shifts we’re seeing. The collector base is changing. 

We’re seeing younger buyers, more women, and more black collectors entering the space with confidence and curiosity. There’s a growing appetite for collecting work that resonates personally and culturally, not just aesthetically or for investment reasons. 

The fair reflects a broader shift in the art world, where diversity is no longer just a theme, it’s the foundation. And yes, that’s absolutely influencing what, and who, gets bought. DM