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Latitudes Podcast

Latitudes Online

Latitudes Podcast is the voice of art from Africa.

Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane, the podcast explores new ways of accessing and thinking about the contemporary visual arts from Africa, while also seeking to build strong community and a robust archive of thought leadership. The podcast serves as both a resource and a platform for critical discourse, bridging regional perspectives and shaping the conversation about art from Africa and the diaspora.

The Latitudes Podcast is sponsored by iTOO Artinsure and is brought to you by Latitudes Online, a digital marketplace for Art from Africa - curated by experts.

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S2 · E11
Dec 10, 2025 · 41 min
Carla and Pieter Schulting: The Collector As A Patron Of The Arts
In this final episode of season two, Refiloe Mpakanyane speaks to Carla and Pieter Schulting, Dutch collectors whose journey into contemporary African art has grown into a 350+ artwork collection representing all 54 countries on the continent. They share how one encounter with an Ethiopian artist sparked an unexpected pivot in their collecting life, eventually leading to Africa Supernova, the blockbuster exhibition at Kunsthal KAdE that drew tens of thousands of visitors and helped introduce new audiences to contemporary African art. At various points in the conversation, Carla and Pieter explore their mission to share the Schulting Art Collection with the world; the important role that art plays in their lives; as well as how they nurture relationships with the artists whose works are part of their collection. Carla and Pieter are earnest and inspiring when talking about the custodial role they play in looking after their collection for “future generations”. Highlights Include: · How curiosity became a mission to amplify African artists globally · ⁠The realities of caring for and living with a large art collection · Why supporting young, emerging artists matters · The relationships they build with artists – and how they offer guidance · How Instagram unexpectedly expanded the visibility of their collection · What it means to act as patrons, not just collectors Referenced exhibitions & institutions: · Africa Supernova · Kunsthal KAdE · Afriart Gallery · BMW Art Magazine · Azu Nwagbogu · Agnes Wanguru Chapter 4 (Insights from the Collectors) spans episodes 9-11 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast. It takes a closer look at art collecting as both a cultural and financial practice. Featuring collectors, gallerists, and market experts, this chapter explores the nuances of taste, market influence, and the evolving role of collectors. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E10
Nov 26, 2025 · 49 min
Justin Naylor and Carel Nolte: Beyond Collecting and Investing in Artists
On this episode of the Latitudes Podcast, Refiloe Mpakanyane is joined by Justin Naylor and Carel Nolte. Justin is the CEO of iTOO ArtInsure (sponsors of the Latitudes Podcast) and Carel is the Chief Enablement Officer of EasyEquities. Both are ardent wine and art collectors whose interests have blended with their work as well. This conversation gives an insurer’s perspective on the enduring appeal of art and most importantly how to protect one’s portfolio. Underpinned by a decades-long friendship that started in the workplace, Justin and Carel’s observations on investing & collectibles are filled with friendly banter as well as much talk of wine, friendship and family. The abiding theme is appreciating how much the creative industries contribute to society. Highlights Include: Friendship and the importance of family The power of art and artists: why artists move society forward The iTOO ArtInsure stolen art directory The power of marketing internally to grow and support the African art value chain Collecting as a long term investment Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Art Basel UBS Report 2025 Vladimir Tretchikoff William Kentridge EasyEquities Chapter 4 (Insights from the Collectors) spans episodes 9-11 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast. It takes a closer look at art collecting as both a cultural and financial practice. Featuring collectors, gallerists, and market experts, this chapter explores the nuances of taste, market influence, and the evolving role of collectors. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E9
Nov 12, 2025 · 48 min
Buoyancy & Belief: Inside a South African gallerists world with Emma van der Merwe
Buoyancy & Belief: Inside a South African gallerists world with Emma van der Merwe In this episode Refiloe Mpakanyane talks to Everard Read Cape Town Gallery Director, Emma van der Merwe from the dealer’s perspective, talking about the quiet contracts that hold the art world together — trust, instinct, and love for the work itself. In this conversation, she lifts the curtain on the energy and potential driving South Africa’s art scene, reflecting on the delicate balance between representing artists and believing in their long game — with buoyancy at the heart of it all. Emma’s interests in the arts were given the go ahead by her parents with only one condition: that she not walk in their footsteps. And differentiate herself she did! Emma grew up in Switzerland and France, and studied her Bachelors and Masters in Fine Art - at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, before completing a Master’s in Art Management at City University, also in London. In this conversation she talks about how Slade gave her access to mentors, teachers and institutions that gave her nothing short of a ‘privileged start’. Even while this same start in the London Arts scene involved no hand holding or indeed involved no blueprint to growth or success. In 2011 Emma joined the SMAC Art Gallery as its curator when its Cape Town doors were opened. Her next notable move was in July 2014 when Emma joined Everard Read Gallery Cape Town, as their Head Curator. In July 2018 she became a Director of the Gallery. Emma talks at length about the energy, potential and allure of South Africa’s art industry which continue to enthral newcomers to our shores. The conversation runs the gamut of nurturing artistic talent; best practice for representing artists; as well as Emma’s insights on forging and maintaining relationships with buyers. Emma also weighs in on collector trends and gives her take on their importance. In sharing what she knows for sure - Emma comes up with a few slogans to live and work by: The vibes have got to be right! Highlights Include: Studying at Slade and being mentored by DamePhyllida Barlow Starting out in the London art scenes and working at blue chip Galleries Getting to work with the likes of Damien Hirst, Sam Taylor Wood and Jenny Saville (among so many others) Deciding to come to South Africa and why the Cape Town ecosystem is compelling The key to artist and collector relationships Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Slade School of Fine Art Goldsmiths St Martins White Cube Gagosian Ruth Proust Everard Read Brett Seiler Chapter 4 (Insights from Collectors) spans episodes 9-11 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast. It takes a closer look at art collecting as both a cultural and financial practice. Featuring collectors, gallerists, and market experts, this chapter explores the nuances of taste, market influence, and the evolving role of collectors. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E8
Oct 29, 2025 · 45 min
Who Are the Art Critics of Today? Antwaun Sargent on Criticism and Cultural Change
What does it mean to be an art critic today, in a world where attention is shrinking and art is increasingly filtered through the scroll? Writer and curator Antwaun Sargent has spent the past 15 years championing and critically engaging Black artists, producing vital writing that has reshaped how contemporary art is understood and valued. In this episode, Sargent reflects on the shifting role of the art critic in a world shaped by algorithms, attention economies, and new global audiences. In conversation with Refiloe Mpakanyane, Sargent speaks candidly about the expansion of the critic’s role, the rise of new cultural voices outside institutions, the power and problem of visibility, and why the work of sustaining artistic ecosystems goes far beyond the market. In this episode, we discuss: How the role of the art critic has expanded beyond traditional media The impact of social platforms on the way we experience and talk about art The rise of new, trusted cultural voices outside institutional networks Why visibility matters for artistic recognition and critical engagement The evolution of Black representation in galleries and museums globally The difference between selling art and sustaining artistic practice What it means to build ecosystems, not just audiences How collectors, curators and writers shape cultural legacy Chapter 3 of the Latitudes Podcast explores Art Criticism in the Age of the Algorithm. This chapter brings together writers, critics, and art professionals to examine the evolving landscape of contemporary art criticism and its new means of communication. Art writers have long played a pivotal role in steering conversations within the art world, but as their platforms and methods of communication shift, so too does the depth and scope of their influence. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E7
Oct 1, 2025 · 50 min
Heba El Kayal: Speaking Across Mountains
On this episode of the Latitudes Podcast, Refiloe Mpakanyane is joined by Heba El Kayal. Heba is a curator, consultant, writer and researcher, originally from Cairo with networks in the Middle East, North Africa, The UK and the USA. With a Master's degree in Art History from Columbia University in New York, Heba is the former Chief Curatorial Consultant at the Norval Foundation in Cape Town and recently joined Strauss & Co's Advisory Board in 2024. She has held advisory roles to collectors, auction houses and art institutions in Beirut, Dubai, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA. In our conversation, we focus on how technological connectivity informs art writing and criticism; how identity can inform process and meaning-making. The conversation is underpinned by Heba's thoughtful account of her own journey into and through a dynamic African art landscape. Highlights Include: Her journey into art writing and the challenges of lack of documentation Curating the 2019 exhibition “Speaking Across Mountains” Identity, art and making meaning: how they intertwine and inform each other Referenced exhibitions & institutions: The New Art Exchange: “The Work of Ibrahim Ahmed” by Heba El Kayal Havana Biennal “Interview with Kurdish Art Exhibition Curator, Hebel Kayal.” An episode of the Kurdistan In America podcast “Speaking Across Mountains: Kurdish Artists in Dialogue” exhibition curated by Heba El Kayal at The Middle East Institute The Painted Protest: How politics destroyed contemporary art by Dean Kissick on Harper’s Bazaar “A round up of the 12th Investec Cape Town Art Fair”, A review by Nkgopoleng Moloi on Artthrob Chapter 3 (Art Criticism in the Age of the Algorithm) spans episodes 7-9 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast. It brings together writers, critics, and art professionals to examine the evolving landscape of contemporary art criticism and its new means of communication. Art writers have long played a pivotal role in steering conversations within the art world, but as their platforms and methods of communication shift, so too does the depth and scope of their influence. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E6
Sep 17, 2025 · 39 min
Touria El Glaoui | On An Equitable Art World
In this episode of the Latitudes Podcast, Refiloe Mpakanyane talks to Moroccan born and raised Touria El Glaoui about the impact of her cultural work. As the founder of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Touria is widely celebrated as a global cultural taste maker whose work has been important in championing African art on the global art scene. Beyond her work with 1-54, Touria has curated and co-organised exhibitions spotlighting the likes of the work of her father, celebrated Moroccan painter, Hassan El Glaoui. She serves on the Advisory Board of Christie's Education; she holds a seat at the Scholarly Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and in 2023 she was awarded the Gold Medal in the Arts at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Touria’s persistence has taken her around the world and helped her build an art fair that straddles three continents. That dogged attitude is apparent in this conversation; along with an intellectually curious but passionate approach to her work - which is truly inspiring. Highlights Include: How to challenge the disparity in the valuation of African art. Same 1-54 but different locations: challenges and opportunities of programming for 3 different locations and continents. African artists responding to the structural needs of their local art scenes. Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Tate Modern’s Africa Acquisitions Committee Catalyst Fund MACAAL (Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden) in Marrakesh, Morocco ArtXLagos São Paulo Biennale 2025 Chapter 2 (Connecting the Stories from the Continent) spans episodes 4-6 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast, and is a regionally focused exploration of the intersections between local art scenes across the continent. Featuring insights from curators, art advisors, museum directors, and gallerists; this chapter examines curatorial themes, market positioning, and unique regional dynamics. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E5
Sep 3, 2025 · 45 min
Thandiwe Muriu: Creating Locally, Impacting Globally
In this episode of the Latitudes Podcast, Refiloe Mpakanyane connects with Nairobi-based photographer Thandiwe Muriu. Thandiwe unpacks her knack for incorporating local wisdom into her art and letting it shine on the global art platforms. After walking us through the beginning of her artistic career (193 Gallery slid into her dm’s), the conversation gets into the depths and thoroughness of Thandiwe’s creative process; her hopes and ambitions for Kenya’s art scene; as well as the validation of having having her art aired by the UNESCO Art Collection. Thandiwe’s sunny and optimistic nature is on full display in this conversation and she ends the conversation with a touching message for her fellow artists. Highlights Include: Thandiwe’s artwork being acquired by the UNESCO Art Collection Thandiwe’s desire to have her work fully produced in Kenya - without having to print elsewhere. The challenges of travelling and staying connected to the global art scene How 193 Gallery slid into Thandiwe’s DM’s. Designing prints and getting into textiles Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Maison Longchamp X Thandiwe Muriu (Memories of the Future) The UNESCO Collection Strauss & Co’s collaboration with Art Auction East Africa 193 Gallery Chapter 2 (Connecting the Stories from the Continent) spans episodes 4-6 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast, and is a regionally focused exploration of the intersections between local art scenes across the continent. Featuring insights from curators, art advisors, museum directors, and gallerists; this chapter examines curatorial themes, market positioning and unique regional dynamics. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E4
Aug 20, 2025 · 40 min
To Not Dream is To Die: The Philosophies of Ugoma Ebilah
In this episode of Latitudes Podcast Refiloe Mpakanyane is joined by Lagos based art curator, gallerist and cultural convener Ugoma Ebilah. In this conversation Ugoma talks us through the skills that have enabled her to stay at the forefront of shaping contemporary discourses in African art. Whether it was through representing artists and changing the artist-gallerist dynamic; founding BLOOM Art (a gallery and salon that has been instrumental in instigating dynamic curatorial interventions and programming that has attracted a new generation of art collectors and enthusiasts) or serving on the board of trustees for G.A.S Foundation: Ugoma is a cultural producer with a deep held belief in art’s potential to be a catalyst for structural renewal, ideological innovation and societal transformation. The conversation is the first episode in Chapter 2 of The Latitudes Podcast. Highlights Include: How Ugoma’s corporate finance skills have bolstered her creative arts and cultural work. Brokering her first sale by selling a Lemi Ghariokwu piece. He is also famously known creating iconic record covers for Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.How to speak the language of the collector. Joining the Guest Artist Space Foundation’s board of trustees. Growing the continent’s pool of art collectors before the pool of artists outstrips them and looks to other territories for survival. Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation a non-profit organisation established by Yinka Shonibare “A Tapestry of Contradictions and Convergence at the 2024 Lagos Biennial”, Artthrob feature by Sinazo Chiya(March 2024) The Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2025 Chapter 2 (connecting the stories from the continent) spans episodes 4-6 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast, and is a regionally focused exploration of the intersections between local art scenes across the continent. Featuring insights from curators, art advisors, museum directors, and gallerists; this chapter examines curatorial themes, market positioning, and unique regional dynamics. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E3
Aug 6, 2025 · 52 min
Athi-Patra Ruga: Portrait Of A Boundless Artist
In this instalment of the podcast, multidisciplinary artist Athi-Patra Ruga joins Refiloe Mpakanyane, remotely from his farm and studio in the beautiful Hogsback area, in the Eastern Cape. The conversation happens under the aegis of revealing the realities and hidden truths of his studio practice; as well as unpacking the lessons he has learnt along the way and the events that triggered growth and change in himself and his creative practice. Athi is forthright and forthright and forthcoming in this conversation that is an exercise of looking forward, interrogating the moment in which we are talking as well as projecting his hopes of leaving behind something tangible for other artists to hold onto. Highlights Include: Moving to Hogsback at the beginning of the COVID lockdown influenced Creating in a rural space- how his studio practice has changed and how Iinyanga Zonyaka subsequently came about Creating a studio that serves your changing needs Unlearning people-pleasing as an artist Irma Stern as unintellectual ancestor and Athi in his Georgia ‘O Keefe era Mentorship, community and taking on the mantle of an artist philanthropist Referenced exhibitions & institutions: Inyanga Zodyaka, Narval, Cape Town, 2021 Gladys Mgudlandlu (1925-1975), self taught South African artist who began her career painting in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape. And the featured exhibition is the Irma Stern: An artist of modernity between Berlin and Cape Town” at the Bruecke Museum in Berlin Victory of The Word- project to preserve the historic Lovedale Press in Alice, Eastern Cape. Elana Brundyn (cultural entrepreneur) newsletter on Medium. Chapter 1, spanning episodes 1-3 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast, offers a foundational guide to entering and engaging with the art world. A resource-driven series providing practical tools for emerging artists and enthusiasts to navigate the art world’s complexities. Featuring first-hand insights from artists, arts educators, and professionals who demystify the industry and share actionable guidance on residencies, networking, and career building. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E2
Jul 23, 2025 · 45 min
Zizipho Poswa: Sculpting Legacy, Rooted in Ancestry
In this moving conversation, Cape Town-based sculptural ceramicist Zizipho Poswa joins Refiloe Mpakanyane to share the personal, cultural and spiritual underpinnings of her extraordinary art practice. Known for her monumental ceramic and bronze sculptures celebrating African womanhood, Poswa opens up about her rural Eastern Cape upbringing, the powerful women who shaped her, and the ancestral callings that fuel her creative vision. From co-founding Imiso Ceramics with almost no capital, to exhibiting at global institutions like LACMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Poswa reflects on her path with humility, purpose and fire. She and Refiloe unpack her creative rituals, her career-defining partnership with Southern Guild, and the tension between craft and fine art - as well as the urgent need to preserve work on the continent so future generations don’t have to fly to foreign museums to see themselves reflected in art. This not-to-be-missed conversation incorporates personal history, creative entrepreneurship, cultural pride and legacy-building. Highlights include: How Zizipho Poswa's mother's belief laid the foundation for her artistic journey Founding Imiso Ceramics on a shoestring and a vision Spiritual rituals and ancestral messages as creative guidance Her dream of keeping important works accessible to African audiences The leap into bronze and what it means for legacy Referenced exhibitions & institutions: iLobola | uBuhle boKhokho | Indyebo yakwaNtu Southern Guild (Cape Town & LA) LACMA, The Met, Princeton University Art Museum Louis Vuitton x LOEWE collaborations Frieze Sculpture, Regents Park, London Chapter 1, spanning episodes 1-3 of Season 2 of the Latitudes Podcast, offers a foundational guide to entering and engaging with the art world. A resource-driven series providing practical tools for emerging artists and enthusiasts to navigate the art world’s complexities. Featuring first-hand insights from artists, arts educators, and professionals who demystify the industry and share actionable guidance on residencies, networking, and career building. Powered by iTOO Artinsure Supported by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Co-curated by Art School Africa Hosted by Refiloe Mpakanyane
S2 · E1
Jul 9, 2025 · 52 min
Ayana V. Jackson – The Art of Showing Up
Chapter 1 of Season 2's podcast is all about flicking through the manual - a guide to the art industry: The door opener, the first step, the how-to enter and engage with the art industry. A resource-driven series providing practical tools for emerging artists and enthusiasts to navigate the art world’s complexities. In this opening episode of The Latitudes Podcast powered by iTOO Artinsure Season 2, Refiloe Mpakanyane speaks with internationally celebrated photographer Ayana V. Jackson. Known for her arresting visual investigations of race, gender, history and the colonial gaze, Ayana takes us behind the scenes of her practice, from navigating global residencies and managing her studio, to honouring her family's legacy and making space for the next generation through her Johannesburg-based residency, STILL Art. This episode is a deep dive into the practical and philosophical tools that have shaped Ayana’s trajectory: the power of public programming, the reality of running your studio like a business, and the ongoing process of becoming an artist. Recorded between time zones and continents, this conversation is generous, grounded and deeply human. Highlights Include: Ayana’s reflections on legacy, privilege and purpose How residencies and research shaped Ayana's exhibition, From the Deep at the Smithsonian The value of public programming as artistic practice Why artists should master the business side of their work A moving tribute to curator and visionary Koyo Kouoh Powered by: iTOO Artinsure Supported by: BASA Co-curated by: Art School Africa Hosted by: Refiloe Mpakanyane Latitudes Online: www.latitudes.online
S1 · E12
Feb 14, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
The Awe-Inspiring Mission of Valerie Kabov
Valerie Kabov is the Director of First Floor Gallery Harare as well as the co-founder of the African Art Galleries Association. She is an educator, writer and researcher whose international experience in teaching, training and implementing projects in the field of art; audience engagement and intercultural dialogue, has further burnished her impressive mission into an awe-inspiring one. Valerie sits down with host Refiloe Mpakanyane to explain her approach toward supporting the artist; thriving in spite of the capitalist head-winds that Creativity faces; the need for unbowed and professional art criticism and the foundational need for art in every single person’s life. Valerie brings forth some surprising and delightful elements of her upbringing in Belarus and Australia, which continue to inform her work and which along with experience, her studies and temperament, have coalesced into a delightful, invigorating and expansive world view.
S1 · E11
Jan 31, 2024 · 55 min
Ubuntu and Isintu, Milisuthando Bongela on How Not to Forget
In this episode, Refiloe Mpakanyane speaks to award-winning writer Milisuthando Bongela. While her career began in fashion, her creative spirit has carried her into music, art, media and now film. Bongela has written and directed her first film: the self-titled: Milisuthando. The artfully edited and scored documentary is a personal essay spanning 30 years and was eight years in the making. Written as a portrait of the filmmaker and her country, South Africa, both growing up (as it were) in parallel and in the aftermath of apartheid. Told in a non-linear fashion: Milisuthando calls the film an invitation to viewers to excavate forgotten parts of themselves, their history their family. The film takes a feminist lens to questions about power, fear, intimacy and love as it relates to race. The conversation traverses on Bongela's decades-long path to writing and directing her debut film, as well as what finding her voice and perspective means to her and how she imagines it will ground her work going forward.
S1 · E10
Jan 17, 2024 · 57 min
Setting your Change Agenda with Osei Bonsu
In episode 10 of the Latitudes Podcast, host Refiloe Mpakanyane speaks with British-Ghanaian, curatorial powerhouse, Osei Bonsu. A sought-after curator of contemporary art, Osei’s work has taken him all over the world, advising museums, art fairs as well as private collections. Also a lecturer and writer, Osei has contributed to various arts publications and exhibition catalogues. Before joining the Tate Modern as Curator of International Art, he had established the digital platform, Creative Africa Network, where he drew upon his experience to mentor artists and re-imagine more meaningful ways to create value for and among African artists on the continent. Osei shares why this mission to effect change abides in his current work and why a more textured and nuanced art space that grows the western canon, benefits us all. Osei’s expansive view on the purpose and potential of art moves our conversation to the importance of family as well as his take on professional recognition.
S1 · E9
Dec 6, 2023 · 41 min
On Blackness and Beauty with Ekow Eshun
In Episode 9 of the Latitudes Podcast, host Refiloe Mpakanyane talks to Ekow Eshun; a British writer, journalist, broadcaster and curator, about his abiding penchant for doing the difficult (and sometimes agonising) in order to spark meaningful conversations in audiences. A thoughtful and considered conversationalist, Ekow reflects on a multifaceted and impactful career that has spanned magazines, books, curating and broadcasting. He credits curiosity and a search for new ways of seeing and representation as the drive behind his work. We explore Ekow’s career highlights, his most recent offerings – think In The Black Fantastic - and look ahead to what's to come. Ekow Eshun is Chairman of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, and the former Director of the ICA, London. He is the curator of exhibitions including the critically acclaimed In the Black Fantastic at the Hayward Gallery, London, and author of books including Africa State of Mind andBlack Gold of the Sun, shortlisted for the Orwell prize. He has contributed to books on artists including Mark Bradford, Chris Ofili, Kehinde Wiley, John Akomfrah and Wangechi Mutu.
S1 · E8
Nov 22, 2023 · 43 min
Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi: Making Art is a Way of Thinking and Releasing
In episode 8 of the Latitudes Podcast, host Refiloe Mpakanyane talks to the dynamic New York born, South African-based, multi-media artist Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, who received the Tollman Award for the Visual Arts in 2019 and the Phillippe Wamba Prize in African Studies in 2004. Nkosi has collaborated, exhibited and studied globally and is popularly known for her pastel-hued paintings of triumphant Black gymnasts as well as her series of portraits of influential Black figures. In this conversation, Nkosi unpacks the genesis and process behind some of her pieces; she sheds light on her studio practice, as well as her emphatic belief that love can be a force for meaningful change. Nkosi explains how her vibrant heritage (South African father and Greek-American mother) and being born “in exile” have influenced much of the direction of her work. Be it synthesising the “disparate” elements of one’s identity; or looking critically at the seemingly benign conventions of our lives: Nkosi's art is deeply considered and grounded in thorough research that lays bare the workings and consequences of our shared imperial and colonial history, while also imagining an alternative and fascinating present. *A quick note that the poem alluded to in the conversation is called First Petition by Divya Victor
S1 · E7
Nov 8, 2023 · 1 hr 3 min
Painting Our Humanity With Charles 'Chuck' Collins
In episode 7 of the Latitudes Podcast, host Refiloe Mpakanyane talks to San Francisco based Charles 'Chuck' Collins. Whether working in law or sitting on the board of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Collins’ career has always bent toward improving the lived experiences of communities. This theme is baked into the conversation which focuses not only on what art and design tell us about ourselves (and our condition) but why art is so pivotal to our shared growth and humanity. Collins zooms in from the macro perspective of historic legacies that encourage the devaluing of African art (and artists) and takes us into an almost step-by-step process of how an intentional, global community of collectors, can elevate African art using their influence, their reach and one of Collins’ favourite things: “a good plan”. Humanity is at the heart of Collins’ championing of the visual arts and it shines through profoundly in this interview.
S1 · E6
Oct 25, 2023 · 49 min
South African Modernism and Surprising Tales From a Life in the Auction World
In this episode, Alastair Meredith chats to Refiloe about his fascination with South African modernist art; where it all started and why the genre remains the gift that keeps on giving to the South African public and the world. Alastair lets us into the workings of the secondary art market and shares heartwarming anecdotes of unexpected encounters with forgotten art gems. His is a work of passion and a reminder of the wealth of talent, flair and history that South Africa's art industry embodies.
S1 · E5
Oct 11, 2023 · 44 min
The ABCs of Gen Z: Always be creating
In today's episode, host Refiloe Mpakanyane delves into why so many Gen-Z artists multi-task and produce at the intimidating rate they do. In conversation with dynamic young artists and ANNA Award finalists, Nindya Bucktowar and Alexandra-Naledi Holtman, she explores whether this is a necessary adaptation to contemporary demands or a simple extension of their innate, intellectual curiosity. And while wearing multiple hats might impress or draw admiration, how do artists do this without stifling their creative flame?
S1 · E4
Sep 27, 2023 · 57 min
Simchowitz and Altman: The Lightning Rod and The Anchor
Our guests on this episode of the Latitudes Podcast are South African-born, U.S-based friends of more than 30 years: Stefan Simchowitz and David Altman. Their wide-ranging conversation with Refiloe explores everything from walking the line between collector and dealer, what success means in the art world and the promotion of cultural production from Africa. Touching on the political, spiritual and everything in between, we hope this discussion gives you greater insight into Altman and Simchowitz - the man The New York Times has dubbed the Patron Satan of the Art World. Simchowitz is well known - some may say notorious - as an art collector, curator and advisor who owns gallery spaces in the Los Angeles area; and runs a number of art residencies in the U.S and South Africa. Altman is a producer and businessman who has been involved in development and charitable work for decades. His work has taken him to the US, Italy, Kuwait and Kenya and, having travelled widely in over 75 countries, he maintains an extensive global network in both the private and public sector. As a platform for critical thinking, the Latitudes Podcast seeks to spark debate and provide our audience with a wide range of viewpoints from across the art ecosystem, even those that may ruffle feathers.

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