WeeklySA_AdminARTWORKS: Open studios, site-specific ballet, live jazz and culinary encounters drew visitors across Johannesburg for a weekend celebration of art, place and creative difference…
By Jacob Mawela
Johannesburg became a sprawling canvas as Contra.Joburg returned on August 29 and 30, inviting festivalgoers into studios, performance spaces and cultural landmarks across the city.
Held under the theme “Different is good”, the 2026 edition offered artistic experiences designed to broaden perceptions of visual art while encouraging visitors to rediscover Johannesburg through its creative communities.
Studios and venues stretching from the inner city, Braamfontein, Doornfontein and Lorentzville to Rosebank, Waverley and Ophirton remained open from 10am to 5pm. A hop-on, hop-off shuttle service, operating every 20 minutes, helped visitors move between locations throughout the weekend.
There is no single way to experience the city, and there
shouldn’t be a single way to experience its art…
The programme allowed festivalgoers to explore at their own pace: spending time in artists’ studios, meeting creatives, buying artworks and enjoying an eclectic mix of food, drinks, dance and live music.
Its diverse line-up included a Joburg Ballet performance at the historic Rand Club; a brewery tour, tasting, rugby screening and live music at Jozi Gold Brewing Company in Braamfontein; a student market at the Bus Factory in Newtown; and a culinary experience at Victoria Yards.
A visit to Usha Seejarim’s studio in Ophirton offered a rare opportunity to encounter an artist in her working environment. Over coffee supplied by event partner Motherland Coffee, visitors engaged with the Bethal-raised sculptor whose monumental work, The Mundane and the Magical, stands outside the Radisson RED hotel in Rosebank.
The five-metre-high sculpture comprises two giant angel wings constructed from the soleplates of repurposed household steam irons — an arresting example of Seejarim’s ability to transform familiar domestic objects into public art.
Seejarim was among featured artists including Senzeni Marasela, Joe Turpin and Candice Kramer, whose practices are based at creative spaces spread across Johannesburg, among them August House and Ellis House.
Their participation was complemented by galleries, auction houses and cultural institutions including Stephan Welz & Co, Candice Berman Gallery and Asisebenze Art Atelier. Creative Uprising Hub at Transwerke and Asisebenze Art Atelier also provided children’s areas offering art-making, face painting and free hands-on activities, supported by childminders.
One of the weekend’s standout attractions unfolded at the once-exclusive Rand Club, where Joburg Ballet presented a site-specific performance responding to the building’s architecture, history and atmosphere.
The dancers transformed the landmark into a living stage, presenting highlights from The Bacchae and offering glimpses of the company’s forthcoming productions, Carmen and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The club’s ornate, pastel-coloured ballroom, with its echoes of St Petersburg grandeur, provided a striking setting in which historic architecture met contemporary performance.
On Saturday evening, the focus shifted to Jozi Gold Brewing Company, where acclaimed jazz bassist Herbie Tsoaeli led a quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Mohammed Dawjee, alto saxophonist Themba Mhlongo, pianist Yonela Mnana and drummer Sphiwe Shiburi. Among those taking in the performance were members of the Paradys telenovela cast, including lead actor Zane Meas.
Across its many venues, Contra.Joburg created space for discovery, conversation and connection. The festival brought together artists, institutions, collectors and curious members of the public through studio visits, performances, panel discussions, networking and culinary experiences.
For founder Sara Hallatt, the theme reflected both the character of the city and the festival’s purpose.
“Different is good because Johannesburg itself is different. There is no single way to experience the city, and there shouldn’t be a single way to experience its art,” Hallatt said. “Contra.Joburg is about meeting artists where they work, while discovering parts of the city you might not otherwise encounter.”
