French Institute of South Africa marks unveiling of alumni community at Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg CBD

During the event, there was a scintillating performance by dancers from Joburg Ballet on Thursday, June 18, 2026. Guests were also taken on a tour of the Johannesburg Art Gallery’s collection being hosted there by Dr Same Mdluli, Standard Bank Gallery Manager and Curator.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

Picture credit: All pictures by Edward Tsumele

It felt great to be back there again this week, Thursday, June 18, 2026. First, it was when the returned exhibition, Home Coming, opened for the G20 last year. At that time, it was a small portion of the whole thing that went to South Korea amid complaints and controversy coming from some art stakeholders. The collection was controversially loaned to the Asian country, where it was seen by thousands of visitors. Brought back to South Africa late last year, this one, that is, the first portion, was displayed for the eyes and sensibilities of the dignitaries of the G20 delegates. That is part of the traveling exhibition.
That travelling exhibition, got tongues wagging in art circles. It was meant to showcase the artistic heritage of Johannesburg, and by extension, the country to the rest of the world. Exhibiting part of the returned touring collection, therefore, made sense to show the delegates that when it comes to collecting art, the tradition in South Africa, is well established.

But, it was not the .whole of that whole collection that had just come back from South Korea, where it apparently was seen by multitudes, that got to be seen be seen by the G20 delegates.

And so, art lovers waited for an opportunity to see the whole thing. It eventually happened, when it was displayed in November last year in collaboration with Standard Bank gallery and supported by other organisations and institution, such as The French Institute of South Africa.

Fortunately, then, after that, it was the full thing, when soon after the G20 delegates had packed up and gone, we were told that we could go back to the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg CBD, where the Standard Bank Gallery is, situated on Simmonds Street, where we were offered an opportunity to view the Home Coming exhibition in whole. It is indeed a marvellous and in many ways an enriching journey through the one time established culture of collecting art by JAG, some of the art objects really valuable.

As promised when we first saw the portion of it, indeed, we were given a rare insight of great works produced by local artists in years gone by, mostly with a disproportionate representation between black artists and white artists of that time in this country. The collecting habit of institutions, such as the Johannesburg Art Gallery, was pretty much following the dominant political dynamics of the time, where black people, including artists, were at the bottom, made possible by institutional instruments of the time, where they were pushed to the periphery of mainstream society.

It was only in later years, when black artists started to emerge, as part of the Johannesburg Art Gallery collection.

Here, we are talking about centuries back into the past, way before black artists, such as Gerard Sekoto to name but just one, who in today’s collecting trends, is doing extremely well, became part of the family of art at the Johannesburg Art Gallery. By the way, he is currently a hot favourite of the secondary market (art auctions). And of course you will see other valuable art by big names in local art, such as William Kentridge and Gladys Mgundlandla, among others, being exhibited alongside to Western big name artists, such as Matisse, David Hockney, who has just passed on in his 80s Picasso and artist the pop Andy Warhol, among others. This exhibition, therefore demonstrates a strong culture of collecting valuable art by JAG, when JAG, was still JAG with a decent budget for art acquisition.

On Thursday, guests were taken on a tour of the Home Coming exhibition at the first event of the loading French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) alumni initiative, seeking to connect beneficiaries of the various empowerment projects for creatives in Southern Africa, funded by IFAS. And, so, the Standard Bank Gallery, became alive on Thursday, when Johannesburg ballet held a scintillating performance for the guests, including some of the IFAS alumni present.

The event was attended by IFAS senior management and executive personnel, artists and delegates from South Africa’s art ecosystem.

At the event, Standard Bank gallery manager and curator Dr Same Mdluli, led a tour of the Home Coming exhibition, featuring works from the extensive Johannesburg Art Gallery, where it has found a new home, while a permanent home for the collection is being fashioned out by authorities. IFAS, is one of the partners vested in the current exhibition, as it is one of the stakeholders involved in the ongoing conversation around the future of the collection, in light of the fact that its home, that is the Joubert Park building, has been condemned as being no suitable for hosting such a valuable collection of art objects worth millions of Rand. It needs major renovations, which CITYLIFE/ARTS understands has just started.

The building in Joubert Park, housing the gallery, has over the years, developed perennial structural issues, deemed to be a risk to the collection. It is currently being restored because the City of Johannesburg has eventually yielded to the outcry of arts organisations based in the city, that include Johannesburg Art Foundation and the Friends of JAG, among others. Of course there is a case before the courts brought by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation contesting the suitability of one of the places to designated by the City of Johannesburg, to temporarily store these valuable art works, arguing that there are risks that would face these works there.

However, what cannot be denied is that, there is a level of relief in the local art world, that eventually a solution about the future, suitable home of this valuable collection is being sought, despite the current tussle between the City of Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Heritage foundation over temporary homes for the collection, while the JAG building is undergoing the major repairs.

.In the meantime, the public can view Home Coming exhibition at Standard Bank Gallery, 44 Frederick Street, Marshaltown. Gallery opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am-4.30pm, and Saturday, 9am -1.00pm.