.M Curated Tours presented a considered art and culture journey through Johannesburg and Cape Town in 2023, centred around VIP access to the Cape Town Art Fair. The tour was conceived to offer collectors an insider’s view of South Africa’s contemporary art landscape, combining fair-focused programming with private access to galleries, institutions, and artist studios. Set against the cultural and geographic richness of both cities, the itinerary balanced structured encounters with time for reflection and personal exploration.
A defining feature of the tour was a series of private studio visits exclusively with artists represented by M Contemporary, offering guests rare insight into the practices shaping the gallery’s international program. These visits included in-depth encounters with Lionel Smit, Michael Taylor, Lyndi Sales, and Galia Gluckman, alongside contextual gallery and foundation visits. In Johannesburg, the group was granted special access to Roger Ballen’s Inside Out Centre for the Arts prior to its official public opening, with Ballen personally guiding guests through the space. This early access provided a unique perspective on the museum’s vision—dedicated to photography, installation, and socially engaged practice—positioning the centre as a significant new cultural institution within the city.
Complementing the visual arts program was a thoughtfully curated cultural and dining experience, with meals hosted in some of South Africa’s most distinctive restaurants, wine estates, and private settings. Travel between locations was carefully orchestrated to maintain a sense of ease and flow, allowing for deeper engagement with both artists and place. Together, the tour offered a layered and immersive perspective on South African contemporary art, grounded in direct access, meaningful dialogue, and the strong curatorial identity of M Contemporary.
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