Iconic South Africans showcased in visual art exhibition
01 October 2021

• Sandton City is proud to premiere In Good Company, The Exhibition featuring 32 awe-inspiring South Africans


• Exhibition includes augmented reality and audio guide

In a South African first, Sandton City is proud to announce In Good Company, the exhibition, by local artist Marc-Gregory, which showcases 32 iconic South Africans who have achieved extraordinary greatness with a unique style of contemporary visual art, in aid of Reach for a Dream.

The timeless collection, that is now available to view in the upper level in Sandton City, features over 40 art pieces inspiring hope, strength and courage for South Africans with visual art that is powerful and visceral. Personalities that feature in the collection include Ayanda Thabethe, Prof. Thuli Madonsela, Pearl Thusi, J’Something, Gert-Johan Coetzee, Maps Maponyane, Minnie Dlamini-Jones, Master KG, Thapelo Mokoena, Siba Mtongana, Catherine Constantinides and others.

From musicians to mavericks, humanitarians to health heroes, musicians to chefs, our country has an abundance of talented people that have achieved remarkable feats across all walks of life. In honoring South Africa’s culture of greatness, In Good Company, the collection, shares the exceptional perspectives and astounding stories through some of our country’s top achievers, both through visual iconography cleverly woven into the fine art and short stories conveying what one can learn from these unique people.

When engaging with this exhibition, one will discover how, for instance, Maponyane overcame his childhood stutter and grew to become a distinguished speaker, how Jeremy Loops connects to his creative flow, or how Siba Mtongana sees optimism as the secret ingredient in her culinary creations. One can only wonder at how Khuli Chana reclaimed his personal power after a near-fatal accident or how Farah Fortune went from struggling single mom to being named Africa’s most influential woman in media. Learn about Pearl Thusi’s mental model for success, how Boity learned patience, how Siv Ngesi believes in strength in vulnerability and more.

The online audio guide makes it possible to browse the collection accompanied by an audio storytelling journey, that can be enjoyed via one’s choice of streaming platform. As an additional experience, many of the art pieces come to life using an augmented reality smartphone app. This enables one to enjoy the selected images with a new dimension.

Describing himself as a “visual alchemist,” Marc-Gregory spent two years creating the collection, assembling South Africans across different fields that have achieved incredible accomplishments, and those whose stories have the potential to inspire others to pursue their own potential. While they all share traits of authenticity, clarity of mindset and dedication to their success, there are many stories that will pleasantly surprise you. Many have been recognized with awards for the greatness that they have achieved. Many are current, relevant and recognisable to South Africans. They all have inspiring stories to share. And, as the title suggests, they’re good company.

“In Good Company is a powerful artistic chronicle, inspiring hope and courage, and what better location to house this collection than at an iconic property that inspires dreams on a daily basis through a unique offering of brands and tenants, than Sandton City”, says Preston Gaddy, General Manager of Sandton City. “Sandton City is premiering the exhibition exclusively in South Africa, for South Africans from all walks of life to enjoy and be inspired by. Complete with an augmented reality layer on some of the pieces and an audio guide for those who would like to immerse themselves in the experience, this exhibition is the first of its kind in South Africa” he added.

In Good Company, The Exhibition will be available to view in Sandton City until 24 October 2021. Additionally, In Good Company, the book is now available for purchase at Exclusive Books at Sandton City, in aid of Reach for a Dream.

For more information or details about Sandton City, please contact Lana Maree-Arendse Lana.Maree-Arendse@epsgroup.co.za or visit www.sandtoncity.com .

ABOUT SANDTON CITY:
Sandton City Shopping Centre is renowned amongst both local and international visitors as one of Africa’s leading retail destinations. With an impressive retail, office and leisure spaceranking as South Africa’s top performing retail destination in terms of trading density, Sandton City has an effective tenant leasing strategy and a low vacancy level. The mall is home to over 300 of the most exciting local and international brands and presents you with a world of luxury in the exclusive Diamond Walk.

Sandton City is six-star green-star rated by the Green Building Council of South Africa. This is the first super-regional mall on the African continent to achieve such a prestigious rating, representing world leadership in environmentally sustainable operational efficiencies. In accordance with the SHORE accreditation standards by international certification body SAFE Asset Group, Sandton City is certified COVID-19 compliant and has also achieved gold level status as a safe retail destination for its ability to prevent, adapt, respond to, recover and learn from operational disruptions. Adjacent to world-class hotels and mega corporate headquarters, winning multiple Best Shopping Mall awards each year, Sandton City continues to be a leader in mixed-use properties.

Sandton City is owned by Liberty Two Degrees, Liberty Group and Pareto Limited, and managed by JHI Retail Proprietary Limited.

For more information, please visit either www.sandtoncity.com, www.liberty2degrees.co.za, www.pareto.co.za or www.jhi.co.za.

ABOUT THE ARTIST, MARC-GREGORY:
Marc-Gregory is a South African photographer and visual artist and creates what he aptly describes as visual alchemy – the fusing of photography and digital art. His artistry has been touted as fresh, alternative and modern during his work with South Africa’s most recognised personalities.

In Good Company is the culmination of a two-year journey, during which Marc-Gregory sought prolific South Africans with which to create visual art, by exploring what drives them, in order to portray them in a new way and inspire people to follow their dreams, all while raising funds for Reach for a Dream.

Marc’s photographs have been featured internationally, including in the Huffington Post and The Sunday Times. He currently works with leaders and brands, reinvigorating the way they celebrate themselves visually.

For more information, go to www.ingoodcompany.live - https://www.marc-gregory.com/InGoodCompanyor to follow the artist on Instagram go to @marcgregoryart.