Canvas of the Future: Inside the Standard Bank Art Lab
A new era of art exhibitionism has emerged with the Standard Bank Art Lab, finding a home at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City. It hopes to create an air of collaboration and experimentation. Therefore, the Art Lab welcomes people from all walks of life to indulge in the curiosity and creativity art inspires.
Follow The Blue Thread
The Standard Bank Art Lab is a new visual arts space, reimagining how audiences engage with art. Subsequently, they do this through encouraging interaction that is up close, in motion, and in dialogue with the present.
Margaret Nienaber, Standard Bank’s Group Chief Operating Officer, said: “For over four decades, Standard Bank has proudly supported the arts, a commitment deeply rooted in our purpose: ‘Africa is our home, we drive her growth.’ The launch of the Standard Bank Art Lab marks an exciting extension of our arts portfolio. This includes the Standard Bank Gallery and Corporate Art Collection, the Standard Bank African Art Collection (jointly owned with Wits Art Museum), The National Arts Festival and Standard Bank Young Artists Awards.”
Furthermore, as a popular bank in South Africa, Standard Bank’s investment in the artistic industry comes with the hope of revitalising the creative economy of our country.
Woven Into Who We Are
At the core of the group’s ethos is the premise of the inaugural exhibition theme: “Follow the Blue Thread: It’s Woven into Who We Are”. Therefore, this exhibition celebrates the transformative power of African art through the medium of tapestry.
Furthermore, the play on words comes alive when we discovered the artworks in the Art Lab are tapestries. Woven from mohair, the artworks are created through collaborations between artists and master weavers. Therefore, the works reflect a longstanding connection between the textile and visual arts. By extension, the relationship between commerce, craft, and culture is also reflected.
In total, the Art Lab exhibits 12 tapestries from multiple artists. Featured are Miriam Ndebele, Judith Mason, Allianz Ndebele, Sam Nhlengethwa, Penelope Siopis, Tito Zungu, Willie Bester, William Kentridge, Katlehong Community Centre and Gladys Xaba.
Dr Same Mdluli, Standard Bank Curator and Gallery Manager, said: “The exhibition reimagines the corporate collection not as a static archive but as a living resource. In doing so, it asks vital questions. What cultural memory do collections preserve? Whose stories do they tell? And how might they contribute to the creative economies of tomorrow?”
The Standard Bank Art Lab is open Monday to Saturday, 09:00 – 16:00, and Sunday and public holidays, 09:00 – 13:00. Entrance is free, so visit the space with your friends, families, and even your colleagues, today!
Images: Victoria Hill/Supplied
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