Io is an interdisciplinary artist based in Johannesburg. Her work explores binaries between artifice/nature, chaos/order, utopia/dystopia real/imaginary spatialities during the Anthropocene. She is also intrigued by how human and non-human beings are evolving in hybrid environments.
The Moral Kiosk is the best place to have a great cup of coffee, get your leather shoes repaired, buy that rare vinyl you've been looking for ages, get your tarot read and watch an intimate gig and chat to Quiet about life in Joburg.
Located in the eclectic suburb of Brixton, this special hole in the wall offers an intimate venue for local music and flavours of food. It will not disappoint you in character and charm.
The Melville Koppies East is quite spectacular, with almost a 360 degree view of the city's canopying tree tops and urban outcrops. This small nature reserve in the city is a public space where traditional worshipers gather every sunset, pet owners walk their socialised dogs and enjoy the views. The protected natural vegetation of shrubs, rocky outcrops and grasses are something to behold. As a dog owner myself, I love to walk here. It is best to go at a busy time, which is usually in the afternoon and to be on the safer side, to leave valuables at home.
One of the most beautiful parks in Johannesburg. Emmarentia Botanical Gardens and Emmarentia Dam is ideal for a picnic or a stroll to clear your mind. Especially majestic in Autumn.
POOL is an emergent platform for curatorial and artistic production, experimentation and research, working with artists to support and commission new work situated in the area of New Doornfontein, which is also home to a few artists studios.
Emerging from a joint investigation into the role, form, and organising systems of art institutions in South Africa, POOL considers from a curatorial and artistic perspective, the question of what it means to institute and how to institute in a South African (and specifically Johannesburg) context. POOL is organised as an experiment in alternative instituent forms and as a site through which to stretch curatorial methodology and artistic practice through the frames of self-organising and self-instituting.
They often have very interesting projects on exhibit and workshops taking place - best check their facebook page for this - https://www.facebook.com/poolspace/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel. While you're in the area you could also have lunch at the Troyville Hotel up the road.