The art fair, which was held from September 5- 7, featured the work of TBP members, Kim Karabo Makin, Rrangwane, Thebe Phetogo and Thero Makepe. These artists work across various mediums, including photography, sculpture, digital collage, and painting. During the fair, TBP Artist Collective's booth presented a body of work loosely themed around the idea of ‘Selemela’, as an extension of their presentation at RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025 (where they formed a part of the Botswana Focus Special Project). The body of work is rooted in Setswana knowledge systems and archives, informing the collective's practice. ‘Selemela’ refers to the Pleiades star cluster, which in Setswana and other regional cultures signals the start of the ploughing season — a time of renewal and transformation. This metaphor speaks to the role of TBP as a collective: in both cultivating and archiving Botswana’s contemporary artistic voice, addressing gaps in representation within local and international art spaces. In this way, they presented TBP as a constellation of individual artists forming a singular entity, with the audience as an essential, unseen element that completes the work.
The interplay between visibility and obscurity — like the ‘missing’ seventh star in the Pleiades- reflected the nuances of collective practice, national identity, and the broader presence (or absence) of Botswana’s contemporary art in global dialogues. Reflecting on the experience of showcasing at the art fair, Phetogo said it felt like a significant step in the right direction.) Phetogo is a painter based in Gaborone, Botswana. In his work, the sphere of painting and its vast history and conventions act as a stand-in for history and the world at large. “Showing at FNB Art Joburg with TBP was really special. It was both an affirming and energising experience. As TBP, we have been working together for years now to create space for artists from Botswana, so being present at one of the continent’s most established fairs felt like a significant step in that direction," said Phetogo. Makin said the event exposed their work to a whole new market. “Having gained notable momentum in recent years, Botswana’s creative development continues to broaden with much recognition from the South African art market. Building off of the support we received from RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025 (through the Botswana Focus Special Project) to FNB Art Joburg 2025, I feel this experience was exceptional in promoting our growth as TBP, both as a collective and as a platform nurturing young creative Batswana,” Makin said.
