Wits Art Museum
The Wits Art Museum (WAM) in Johannesburg is one of Africa’s foremost institutions dedicated to historical, modern, and contemporary African art.
When the museum secured the prestigious Andy Warhol exhibition—an unexpected move given its African art focus—it sparked an opportunity to reframe the work of a Western pop icon within a uniquely local context. This project aimed to bridge cultural contrast, ignite new interest, and create relevance for a broader, more diverse audience.
How does one make this
iconic Western artist relevant
to a local African audience
—and generate interest
without showing the actual art?
With no rights to use Warhol’s original work—and a museum rooted in African art—we had to find a way to celebrate a global icon in a way that felt honest, local, and legal…
We took to the streets of downtown Johannesburg and photographed the vibrant fruit displays of local street vendors. These bold, everyday pop visuals echoed Warhol’s themes of consumerism and repetition, reframing his work in a uniquely local context. We used this imagery to build the campaign’s visual identity.
We then created an App to allow people to ‘screen’ themselves as a Warhol print which spread across social media. We also created live screen-printing workshops bringing Warhol’s pop ethos spirit home.
The campaign not only shifted perceptions of Warhol within WAM’s African art-focused context—it shattered attendance records. More than 5,000 people from diverse backgrounds visited the museum on opening day alone.
The project was recognised as a finalist at the Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards for its innovative approach to access, engagement, and cultural crossover.