ARAK Collection Book Launches at Strauss & Co in Johannesburg and Cape Town

ARAK Collection Book Launches at Strauss & Co in Johannesburg and Cape Town

In February 2026, ARAK Collection presented a series of book launches and conversations across Johannesburg and Cape Town in partnership with Strauss & Co., marking the release of ten new publications. These included nine books developed through the ARAK Curatorial Fellowship, alongside Rudolf Seibeb: Portraits of the Common, dedicated to the life and practice of the Namibian artist Rudolf Seibeb.

The first event took place in Johannesburg on February 13, bringing together members of the ARAK Collection for a launch and panel discussion. Contributions from AbdulRahman AlKhelaifi, Thembinkosi Goniwe, and Dr Sara Bint Moneer Khan, moderated by Senior Art Specialist Wilhelm van Rensburg, offered insight into the development of the publications and the broader curatorial and research frameworks underpinning the fellowship. The discussion provided a valuable overview of the programme’s scope and its ongoing commitment to supporting critical engagement with contemporary art.

The programme continued in Cape Town on February 18 with a second launch, shifting focus towards an artist-led conversation. Following an introduction by Khan, the event centred on an artist talk by Rudolf Seibeb, offering a more personal perspective on his practice and the publication. The session, moderated by Strauss & Co. and supported by translation from Frieda Lühl (Project Room, Namibia), created an intimate setting for engagement with the artist’s work and its broader contexts.

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