Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation: New Model for African Art Institutions

The Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation (JCAF) in Johannesburg, directed by Clive Kellner, opened in February 2020 with a lecture by Arjun Appadurai. Its inaugural exhibition, 'Contemporary Female Identities in the Global South' (2020), was followed by 'Liminal Identities in the Global South' and the upcoming 'Modernist Women’s Identities in the Global South' (2022). JCAF operates without a permanent collection, focusing on research-driven, tech-enhanced exhibitions. Housed in a historic tram repair workshop (1906–1961) later converted into an electrical substation, the building was restored by StudioMAS over three years, preserving its oxidized red color, steel doors, and hopper heads. The foundation is funded by founding partners and structured as a company and a nonprofit. Kellner notes that apartheid's legacy still affects South African society, with contemporary art addressing identity, race, and postcolonial issues. Artists like Otobong Nkanga, Kapwani Kiwanga, Berni Searle, and Nandipha Mntambo explore themes of environment, migration, gender, and mythology. JCAF's three-year research theme 'Female Identities in the Global South' focuses on women artists, culminating in a publication. The foundation aims to present global artistic discourse from the Global South, using interactive technology and guided tours instead of wall texts.