Celebrating visual arts from across the continent

Experience exhilarating exhibitions

Our art gallery is not your conventional gallery with white walls and stark open spaces – we make art more accessible to everyone.

While we are proud of our corporate art collection, which is one of the largest in Africa and in the top 10 globally, the art we exhibit in our gallery is not only the works of pioneering art masters, but rather that of dynamic, inspiring and emerging visual artists. More than simply preserving the continent’s art legacy, we are committed to shining the spotlight on works of young African artists to bring their possibilities to life.

“We believe in giving art light by nurturing the talent that we have within the continent.” ~ Dr. Paul Bayliss, Senior Specialist Art Curator.

Although banking is not something you usually associate with art, it’s part of our DNA. Our buildings are filled with art. In fact, the gallery is currently located in Absa Towers North in central Johannesburg – a space that showcases major artworks that were commissioned while the building was being designed; allowing artists and architects to work together to create a beautiful space.

The artworks in these larger spaces include:

• A huge colourful marvel by artist, Karel Nel, titled ‘Place of Nature’ hangs in the reception area
• Five, six-storey tall tuft carpet banners by Norman Catherine — hand-woven by rural men
• An 11-metre tall Walter Oltmann wire sculpture depicting replicas of carved African chairs, weighing half a ton
• A two-storey tall metal mobile of the old City of Johannesburg, shown against the newer, more modern city in perfect balance; created by Lewis Levin, Paul Cawood and Susan Woolf. It moves slowly, making a cycle every 20 minutes