Africore Galleries is an art gallery located in Johannesburg, South Africa that showcases art from across Africa. It was founded in 2007 by Prof. Mandla Mchunu and Mr. Bheki Gumede to promote appreciation of diverse African art traditions beyond Southern Africa. The gallery currently features a collection of contemporary Nigerian art, as well as sculptures from Zimbabwe and carvings from Malawi, and aims to expand its collection to represent West, East, Central, and North Africa over time.

1. Business Profile

2. WHO WE ARE Africore Galleries is a subsidiary of the Africore Group of companies. It is located at 191 Jan Smuts Avenue at the corner of 7th Avenue in the business district of Rosebank in Johannesburg, South Africa. Africore Galleries was born in November of 2007, out of travels throughout Africa by the Africore team as democracy business activists, working in the area of strengthening democracy by instituting electronic voters’ and population registration in various countries like Nigeria, and the DRC to mention a few. During the execution of these business missions, the Africore team encountered artistic talents of varying qualities, which inspired the concept of establishing an art gallery in South Africa that would showcase this vast array of African talent.

3. OUR VISION AND MISSION Our vision is to showcase the rich artistic traditions of Africa by showcasing art from the West, East, Central and Northern regions of Africa. We do not seek to exclude Southern African art traditions as our mission is to create interactions and exchanges that will expose the rich diversity of art traditions from other parts of the continent to our South African clientele.

4. OUR KEY OBJECTIVE One of the key objectives of the gallery is to promote the appreciation of the rich and diverse art traditions from other regions in Africa, particularly given the lack of interaction between South Africa and other African states during the apartheid era. The gallery is thus a point of African art trade and exchange of natural African talent

5. OUR COLLECTION Africore Galleries currently offers a diverse collection of contemporary Nigerian Art and artefacts. It showcases a collection of works by a diverse group of artists from Ghana and Nigeria, including El-Dragg Okwoju, Obi Ekwenchi, Joseph Eze, Kofi Nduro, Ayoola, Obeng Tweneboah, Hakim Ojudunola, Elijah Ekanem, Rotimi Akinnire, Gerald Onuoha to name a few. We also have a selection of Zimbabwean stone sculptures and Malawian wood carvings.

6. OUR FOCUS Our gallery is unique in its focus on non-Southern African art and we are working towards including works of art from around West Africa, from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Mali, Cameroon and eventually exploring the inclusion of art from East, Central and North Africa. Presently, we are particularly interested in building strong working relationships and mutually beneficial collaborations with artists, galleries, cultural centres and art associations in Nigeria, within South Africa and Southern Africa as well as around the West Africa region.

7. OUR COMMUNICATION TOOLS Our website is currently a work-in-progress but please do log onto the Africore Galleries website via www.africore.com . Or participate in our discussions and debates by becoming a ‘fan’ of the gallery on our facebook page by searching Africore Galleries on www.facebook.com . Also share and exchange information by participating in discussions and expressing your views on our web log via www.africoregallery.blogspot.com .

8. THE TEAM The Founders Africore Galleries opened its doors to business in 2007 under the steermanship of Professor Mandla Mchunu and Mr. Bheki Gumede both executive directors of the Africore Group . Professor Mandla Mchunu is a lawyer by training. He obtained his LLM from Bristol University in England. He lectured at the universities of the North and Natal and was a guest professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Up to 1996, he was the Director for the Center for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Natal. Prof. Mchunu started the Street Law Programme, which is taught in all universities in South Africa today.

9. THE TEAM CONTINUED Mr. Bheki Gumede worked for the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban campus, as a coordinator for the Democracy for All and Street Law projects. He had the national responsibility of the Qualitative Research unit within the same institute. He conducted research in South Africa for NDI and the Centre for Human Rights of Zimbabwe. He was employed by the IEC in KwaZulu Natal and the national office on an ad hoc basis during the 1999 and 2000 elections. Gallery Manager The new gallery manager Ijeoma Uche-Okeke comes with a solid personal, professional and academic background in the field of arts, culture and heritage management. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine and Applied Arts majoring in painting from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, as well as a postgraduate diploma and an M.A. in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management and Heritage Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

10. THE TEAM CONTINUED Ijeoma is the daughter of internationally acclaimed contemporary artist and scholar, Professor Uche Okeke, a pioneer of the internationally recognised Uli School of Art originated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka. She also comes with a wealth of experience gained from practicing professionally in the arts and culture sector in her home country, Nigeria.

11. OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES We offer a number of products and services designed to provide high quality contemporary and traditional art to seasoned collectors as well as encourage new collectors to invest in art. Loan-to-buy This service is targeted at developers, interior designers, home owners, renters and corporations. The gallery loans the art work to the client at a fixed monthly rate that includes an insurance fee, works can be exchanged after a certain period according to the requirements of the client. The client can decide to purchase the painting at any stage of the rental agreement. Hiring the gallery space The gallery space is available for rent at a fixed fee that is determined by client’s requirements, for small to medium sized corporate meetings, and exhibitions of artistic, design and literary products.

12. OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Limited edition prints We carry a selection of limited edition high quality prints of select paintings at a very reasonable price. We also carry prints of notable South African figures such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Jacob Zuma to name a few. Mini exhibitions We will be organising monthly exhibitions aimed at showcasing our collection to our target audiences and building on their appreciation for the diverse art styles and artistic talents on show. Crafts We will carry a select variety of traditional and contemporary craft from around the continent. Consultancy The gallery will provide consulting services for clientele that require such services.

13. OUR SPACES

14. OUR SPACES CONTINUED

15. OUR EXCLUSIVE HANDCRAFTED FABRICS

16. OUR EXCLUSIVE SCULPTED DECORATIVE POTS

17. WORKING HOURS The gallery is open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays only PRIVATE VIEWINGS Private viewings can be arranged by appointment with the gallery manager