LOCAL GALLERY RETURNS TO RMB LATITUDES TO SHOWCASE JO ROGGE AND LYNETTE MUSUKUBILI

The Project Room is proud to return to Johannesburg for the 2025 edition of the RMB Latitudes Art Fair, where we will be showcasing the works of two Namibian artists: Jo Rogge and Lynette Musukubili. Set against the lush backdrop of Shepstone Gardens, RMB Latitudes continues to assert itself as one of the continent’s most immersive art fairs – bringing together artists, galleries and collectors from across Africa and the diaspora.

Now in its third edition, the fair – which runs from 23 to 25 May 2025 – is known for offering a uniquely African art experience that reimagines what a fair can be. With a setting that includes marble halls, rooftop pavilions and secret gardens, RMB Latitudes encourages more intimate and site-responsive exhibitions. The Project Room has responded to this by presenting works by two artists who explore memory, identity and place in deeply personal ways, each grounded in Namibian history and the artist’s sense of personal storytelling.

Jo Rogge, whose name is synonymous with Namibian contemporary art, will be presenting new work that reflects her decades-long engagement with art and social justice. From founding the landmark Sister Namibia and co-founding the John Muafangejo Art Centre, to her continued mentorship of young designers across Africa, Rogge’s influence is undeniable. Her artistic practice interrogates heritage and belonging. “Shame should not be a weapon, because it is way too powerful,” Rogge has said, and her work is a compelling invitation to reflect on the fragility of identity in contemporary culture. Her deeply researched pieces resonate in the garden- like setting of Latitudes, creating moments of contemplation that suit the fair’s immersive format.

Lynette Musukubili, who debuted her first solo show Bukalo Stories at The Project Room in 2022, returns to Latitudes for the second time – this time with new sculptural work that continues her exploration of rural Namibian life. Growing up in Bukalo, a village near Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi, Musukubili learnt textile techniques from the women in her community, which she now reinterprets in her practice. Her plastic crochet tapestries blend memory, materiality and tradition, using discarded materials to reflect on communal life, resilience and transformation. In this year’s presentation, Musukubili pushes her work into new sculptural forms, holding space for viewers to reflect not just on their own experiences but on the stories carried by craft and culture.

The Project Room exists to support Namibian artists by creating opportunities for their voices and stories to be heard, seen and collected. The gallery is particularly proud to be participating in an event like RMB Latitudes, which prioritises accessibility, collaboration and the unique potential of African art. The fair’s curatorial sensibility has evolved into a thoughtful and considered approach to what it means to show art in spaces that are themselves rich with character and context. Here, works are not simply installed; they are encountered.

For The Project Room, this kind of experience aligns with its mission: to nurture the development of Namibian artists and amplify their stories beyond our borders. Participation in RMB Latitudes allows the gallery team and artists to connect with new audiences and reaffirm the vital role Namibian artistic practice can play in the broader narrative of African contemporary art.

Through the work of Jo Rogge and Lynette Musukubili, this showing is an invitation to pause, listen and reflect – and to discover the richness of Namibian storytelling in its most tactile, resonant forms. The Project Room’s participation in this prestigious event will again be sponsored by RMB Namibia, a collaborator of the gallery.