Take an Art-Tour of Johannesburg
It’s human nature to record our practical and emotional history in works of art. From the Great Pyramids of Giza to San Rock Paintings to the abstract angst on modern art canvases, human beings have been making their mark on the story of civilisation with art. Johannesburg has its own story to tell – that of wealth, struggle, triumph, inequality, death, liberation, and freedom. These qualities of being human are captured in giant sculptures and mementos of achievement across Johannesburg’s landscape in the form of sculptures and commissioned artworks. There are tours available for visitors to get a glimpse of these historical structures and learn about the history of the city as well as the people who have made it great.
The artwork belongs to Johannesburg and no art auctioneers will be able to preside over its redistribution. Anyone is free to visit and reflect over these works of art. Within this context, get in touch with Art-Tours, which arranges small, customised tours of Johannesburg, depending on what groups are interested in and what they’d like to see. Join your art tour guide, Bié Venter, and discover Johannesburg from a brand-new perspective. If you are truly interested to learn of the origins of these artworks, it can also be arranged that you meet the artists at August house, which is Bié’s loft apartments and studio in downtown Johannesburg.
Bié can also take tour groups on visits to the main art galleries in Johannesburg, which tell a much richer and wider story of the economic capital as well as the broader South African story, through the artists who are exhibiting there. There are a number of tours, with the information as follows:
Departure times: 10:00 to 15:00 (5-hour duration)
Rates: R1025 per person; 2 people – R 950 each; 3 people – R650 each
Includes: pick-up from your residence, hotel, or guesthouse
Great lunch venues are recommended by the tour guide, for the cost of guests.
The tours include:
Tour 1 – The Braamfontein Spruit Art Tour
Tour 2 – The Newtown Tour
Tour 3 – The Resistance Art Tour
Tour 4 – The August House Art Tour
Tour 5 – The Hillbrow Art Tour
All of the artworks you’ll learn about are beautiful outdoor displays of creativity, passion, and meaning – to both the artist as well as the greater Johannesburg community as a whole. You’ll see parts of Johannesburg that you would otherwise never dream of visiting, from a whole different angle, especially understanding the history and progression of each place.
