When Capetonians think of Johannesburg, they often think of it as a business hub.

Go to Jozi if you want to make it big, because that’s where all the buck are.

What we often forget is that the city has an incredibly rich, culturally diverse contemporary art scene, which has been going from strength to strength for decades now.

I’d argue that it’s more inclusive, vibrant and interesting than Cape Town’s art scene, but that’s just me.

Marriott Bonvoy: Traveller has singled Jozi out as the place to be for an art-fuelled cultural experience, by selecting the five top galleries to visit when you’re in the city.

Let’s get stuck in:

Gallery Momo

Gallery Momo is a great place to view an extensive collection of contemporary art from South Africa and the African diaspora.

Established in Johannesburg in 2002, and with an exhibition space now open in Cape Town, this gallery supports painters, photographers, sculptors and other inventive types (through its residency program), helping them launch their burgeoning careers.

Momo cultivates an array of talent from all sectors of the art world.

Circa on Jellicoe

Circa on Jellico brings art and technology together.

Circa, which falls under the nurturing auspices of the Everard Read Gallery (another wonderful space focused on helping young S.A. artists build their careers), puts on art and design exhibitions, multimedia art installations, film presentations and art lectures in an architecturally thought-provoking setting.

The gallery has three floors of exhibition space housing film, painting, photography, sculpture and more.

Absa Art Gallery

The Absa Art Gallery, situated in Joburg’s Absa Towers, is the embodiment of how art and business collide in Jozi.

Architects designed an environment here that lets artists showcase their work in big, open spaces, which highlight the larger-than-life splendor of their creations. Apart from permanent displays, like the towering carved African chairs, or a six-story tuft hand-woven carpet banner, the gallery also hosts rotating art exhibitions, plus a large permanent collection of South African pieces, for visitors to enjoy.

It’s an impressive space.

Johannesburg Art Gallery

This gallery is more than just a place to view art. It holds a pretty impressive title.

The Johannesburg Art Gallery (known locally as JAG), only a few minutes away from the Protea Hotel by Marriott Johannesburg Parktonian All-Suite, claims the title of the largest art gallery in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 9,000 artworks on display in 15 exhibition halls and sculpture gardens.

The gallery, opened to the masses in 1915, houses Dutch paintings from the 1800s, European and African paintings from different centuries, and a notable collection of contemporary African and South African art.

Admission is free, allowing anyone and everyone to view paintings by Monet, Picasso, Rodin, Gerard Sekoto, Maud Sumner and other famous names.

Goodman Gallery

The Goodman is a bit of a fixture in South Africa.

The Goodman Gallery opened its doors to the public in 1966 during an extremely turbulent sociopolitical era in South Africa. The gallery, now with locations in Johannesburg and Cape Town, fosters and promotes the gifts of well-regarded and up-and-coming South African and international artists whose work has something to say about the African experience.

You can find The Goodman in the middle of Rosebank’s “Art Gallery Row”, which is also home to other art galleries including David Krut Projects, just south of Circa and the Everard Read Gallery.

I’d suggest you should go and find it, because we could all use a little more art and culture in our lives.

[source:marriottbonvoy]