The eagerly anticipated BMW Art Generation Vol. III is set to return to the enchanting NIROX Sculpture Park, offering an immersive programme filled with celebration, dialogue, and the poetics of possibility. This year’s event, presented by FNB Art Joburg in partnership with BMW Group South Africa, promises to be an unmissable experience for art and music enthusiasts alike.
Scheduled for 30 August 2025, the festival will be headlined by two titans of the South African music scene: Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and the genre-defying Msaki. Their performances hope to create a musical dialogue that honors the rich legacy of South African sound and cultural expression.
This year’s theme, “A Tropology Between Image and Imagination,” delves into the narrative strength of creative practices, inviting artists and cultural thinkers to explore how symbolism, gesture, and form can serve not just as artistic tools but as vehicles for reclaiming histories and shaping speculative futures. The festival underscores the importance of imagination as a methodology for illuminating the complexities and nuances of African presence.
The programme’s opening event, “Garden Affirmations,” hosted by Muneyi, encourages participants to slow down and engage with the moment. Grounded in a commitment to intergenerational dialogue and joy, this component of the festival pairs cultural giants with contemporary visionaries to foster connections across time and creative disciplines.
As the legacies established by South African musical elders reverberate through the voices of today’s innovators, the musical performances by Mabuse and Msaki will seamlessly weave traditional and contemporary influences, celebrating the enduring spirit of South African sonic innovation.
Whether you are an art aficionado, a music lover, or someone simply looking for a thought-provoking experience, BMW Art Generation Vol. III promises to offer a profound exploration of creativity and cultural dialogue in one of South Africa’s most breathtaking settings.
Talks Programme
A curated talks programme anchors the day’s intellectual offering:
Talk I | Image and Imagination
This panel features acclaimed artists such as Zanele Muholi, examining how image-making becomes a means of resistance, self-authorship, and future-building. The conversation unpacks the frameworks through which artists interpret identity, presence, and cultural mythologies.
Talk II | Existing, Performance & Being
Featuring luminaries like Nicholas Hlobo, this conversation responds to Koyo Kouoh’s call for loving and emancipatory depictions of Black experiences. Artists reflect on how performance and representation intersect with history, grief, and joy.
These talks serve as key moments for reflection, offering audiences deeper insight into the artistic processes and lived experiences that shape contemporary art on the continent and beyond.
Community Workshop
The BMW Centre for Art Education will also host a workshop for the Kromdraai community, led by Liesl Hartman, Head of Education at Zeitz MOCAA. This initiative encourages hands-on creativity and fosters intergenerational exchange through artmaking.
Legacy & Vision
At its core, The BMW Art Generation is about legacy-building. Since 2020, BMW and FNB Art Joburg have cultivated a new wave of art patrons through the BMW Young Collectors Co., a community committed to collecting African art and investing in local cultural ecosystems.
