Visiting JHB was an octane rush and proof that the “City Of Gold” is creatively alive and kicking.
To most people outside South Africa, Johannesburg aka Jozi or Joburg or eGoli (meaning the “place of gold” in Zulu)… is just seen as a Big Messy & Moody Metropolis – noisy, complicated, fearless and even sometimes dangerous …but give it a moment of your time, and you will find that this city of extreme contrasts is so much more than that, and deserves to be more than just a stop-over to the Kruger Game Park or the beautiful and much adored Cape Town.
The City is an Adrenaline Rush in so many ways
Founded in 1886 following the discovery of gold, the city rapidly grew and flourished, and unbeknownst to many in the 1930’s’ Johannesburg was perceived to be the New York of the Southern Hemisphere, because of the rapid construction of skyscrapers fueled and funded by gold and mineral mining. Today the city remains unchallenged as the Commercial and Financial heart of South Africa, and thankfully some of the buildings from that boom period like the stunning Art Deco Ansteys Building, have survived the decades of rapid growth and indifference for any historic preservation – which explains why today this city is such a hodgepodge of architectural gems and mishaps.
Whats interesting also is that like parts of New York City which have been regenerated over the past decade, Jozi city Centre too is boldly regenerating itself and reclaiming its role as the cultural hub of South Africa, this transformation of certain areas has attracted
artists, musicians, writers and even chefs from all over the world who are all contributing to the city’s energetic and creative transformation. Lots of space and relatively cheap rent has allowed many creative people to follow their dreams.
Braamfontein an area close to the city’s largest university campus, is one of these inner city areas that has been successfully transformed into a thriving and vibrantly colourful neighbourhood. This is is no ordinary gentrification – a Ghetto has become a GoTo …and an exciting African version of big city living has emerged here, and the area is now known for its its edgy art galleries, experimental theatres, hip fashion, trendy shops, jazz clubs and multitude of cafes, bars and restaurants. A big attraction in Braam is the graffiti murals by local and international artists that add colour and energy to many of the neighbourhood walls.
Another trendy and and revitalized area that was once a previously abandoned business district on the eastern edge of the city, is Maboneng, now home to unique cafes & restaurants, galleries as well as live work spaces.
In some areas a Ghetto has become a GoTo
Adjacent to Braamfontein lies Constitutional Hill, a national heritage landmark which consists of a series of museums, a colonial fort as well as the Constitutional Court of South Africa which is built on the site of a notorious political prison, some of which remain as part of the museum and can be toured – the Court also houses one of the country’s most impressive collections of contemporary South African art …A place well worth visiting for so many reasons, and you will walk away with a deeper understanding of the city and the country, humbled and looking at the world through different eyes.
Keyes Art Mile in the Rosebank and Parks area is another exciting project that has firmly established itself as the creative hub of the city. Some of the best Art Galleries in the country like the Circa, Everard Read, Goodman, Smac and TMRW (the mixed reality workshop) reside along this strip adjacent to Workshops and studio spaces, all supported by trendy bars, rooftop cocktail hotspots as well as chic cafes
and Interior Design stores like True Design, which showcases Iconic designs dedicated to producing timeless classics.On the first Thursday of each month a section of the street along Keyes Art Mile gets closed off and you can look forward to an evening of contemporary art, live music, poetry performances, mass doodle sessions, pop up bars, food trucks, pop up exhibitions…all in a street party atmosphere.
I have a feeling that Johannesburg’s fearless creative energy is fueled by everyone’s senses constantly being on high alert …it is a city of such stark contrasts – you have cutting edge architecture and shanty towns, immense wealth and extreme poverty, oppression and liberation, a despair of the past and hope for the future – much was not allowed for so long, through physical restriction and mental censorship …and now anything and everything is attainable and available – it’s First world and Third world thrown together, and people either love it or want to leave it.
I was fortunate to stay at “Remote Corner” a family run B&B that is beautiful and casually stylishly, classically immersed into a beautiful garden setting, you feel asif you are out in the countryside, yet you are minutes from Rosebank, and other great areas and close to the Keyes Art Mile. Having hosts who love their city and who were eager to share it with me made my stay all the more enjoyable and informative…I look forwards to my next stay.
