#Gauteng52, Week 46: Open Studios at August House

2Summers | 16 November 2017
johannesburg art gauteng52

Welcome to Week 46 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit August House, a collection of artists’ studios and residences in downtown Johannesburg.

August House is a building full of artists.

I went last Sunday during one of the Open Studio events the building holds a few times a year. I ran into an artist friend who has a studio there (it seems nearly every artist I know either lives in August House, has studio space in August House, and/or is affiliated with August House in some way) and he was shocked when I told him it was my first time visiting. I now realize why.

Outside of August House
August House, a 1940s-era Art Deco building on End Street. The building housed light industry before it became an artists’ residence.

Although I had never heard of August House until a year or two ago, the building has been an icon of the Joburg art world since artists began living and working there in 2006. There’s been lots of intrigue surrounding the building since then, with rumors of it being sold to property developers for low-cost housing, artists moving out and back in again, etc. (Read some of the history in this Mail & Guardian article from 2015, and another one from 2013. Fourthwall Books also published a book about August House recently, which I must read.)

One of the most interesting things about August House – to me at least – is its location, in a rough section of the downtown neighborhood of Doornfontein. August House is surrounded by dilapidated buildings, some of which are highjacked (illegally run by criminal gangs who charge rent without providing any maintenance or services like electricity or running water).

View from front window of August House
A view through one of the front windows of August House. Things look pretty good in this direction, but I’m guessing the street was cleaned up in preparation for the Open Studios event.
Toni-Ann Ballenden studio
The studio of artist Toni-Ann Ballenden. The building across the street from her window is definitely highjacked.
Another view from August House
Another view.

Things are now looking up for August House. The current owner has had the building since 2014 and seems committed to preserving it as an “artists’ playground”, as the August House website says. The building is fully occupied and houses about 50 artists, and the whole area is transforming fast. I noticed a building across from August House, which used to be one of the worst highjacked buildings in the city, has now been neatly spruced up and has a large “apartments to let” sign on the front.

A Morning at August House

In addition to being an artists’ playground, August House is a photographer’s dream. The views are amazing, as shown above, with every window (there are so many windows) painting a different portrait of downtown Joburg. And then there are the studios themselves, each of which provides a figurative window into the mind of the artist who lives/works there.

Sizwe Kushu Khoza studio at August House
The live-in studio of artist Sizwe Khushu Khoza. He made all of his personal possessions into a big, one-room art installation.
Fiver in Vusi Beauchamp’s studio
My friend Fiver, who matches the studio of artist Vusi Beauchamp.
Artist Bukhosi Nyathi
Artist Bukhosi Nyathi, who perfectly matches his own studio.
Bukhosi

One more shot of Bukhosi because he’s so damn photogenic.

Olatunji Sanusi, artist at August House
Artist Sanusi Olatunji, who lives and works on a carpet of torn magazines and newspapers.
Studio of Sam Nhlengethwa
The huge, impossibly stylish studio of artist Sam Nhlengethwa.
Maureen, wife of Sam Nhlengethwa
Maureen Nhlengethwa, Sam Nhlengethwa’s wife, with some of Sam’s work.
Artist Neo Mahlangu
There don’t seem to be many women artists at August House, but I did find a couple. This is artist and graphic designer Neo Mahlangu, who created an interesting exhibition around the theme of social media.
Dance performance by Oscar Buthelezi of Moving Into Dance
We watched an incredible performance by Oscar Buthelezi of Moving Into Dance Mophatong.

Follow August House on Facebook for announcements about the next Open Studios event. I forgot to mention this earlier, but August House is undoubtedly the best place in the city – by far – to buy South African art. The artists working there range from very young and up-and-coming to very famous and well established. There are incredible deals to be had.

August House is at 76 End Street, Doornfontein. Email [email protected] for more information.

Read all of my #Gauteng52 posts and check out the interactive #Gauteng52 map.