Lexus South Africa has announced its fourth consecutive year as official vehicle partner to the RMB Latitudes Art Fair. The partnership reaffirms Lexus’ enduring commitment to contemporary African creativity, design excellence and progressive cultural platforms.
Taking place from 22–24 May 2026 at Shepstone Gardens, RMB Latitudes Art Fair has established itself as a leading platform for contemporary African art and cultural exchange.
Lexus will utilise the newly launched all‑electric Lexus RZ as the hero vehicle for the complimentary chauffeur service between Old Eds and Shepstone Gardens. Representing Lexus’ vision for electrified luxury, the RZ embodies refined performance, near‑silent movement and a heightened human‑centric driving experience – qualities that align seamlessly with the Fair’s 2026 theme, Oasis. The RZ will be anchored by a range of other Lexus models to ensure smooth guest chauffeurs between Old Eds and Shepstone Gardens.
“At Lexus, we believe design should be felt, not just seen. Our continued partnership with RMB Latitudes Art Fair reflects a shared commitment to meaningful, human-centred experiences, exceptional craftsmanship and platforms that nurture long-term cultural value. Through the all-electric Lexus RZ and our collaboration with artist Adele van Heerden, we are able to express electrification not merely as advanced technology but as an emotional, immersive experience – where art, motion and design converge in quiet, considered harmony,” said Tasneem Lorgat, General Manager, Marketing Communications at Lexus South Africa.
Art, electricity and movement converge
Lexus South Africa’s collaboration with van Heerden celebrates African creativity at its finest. Selected pieces from van Heerden’s RMB Latitudes Art Fair exhibition will be translated into bespoke vehicle wraps on two Lexus RZ chauffeur vehicles, transforming them into moving artworks throughout the Fair weekend.
Drawing on the artist’s distinctive visual language, the wraps introduce:
- Luminous gradients and colour fields that evoke water, light and electric charge
- Refined abstraction that mirrors the fluidity and silent power of electric energy
- Compositions that subtly respond to movement, shifting as the vehicle travels through space
- A minimal yet immersive aesthetic aligned with Lexus’ design philosophy
The result is a quietly powerful expression of motion and light – where natural elements and electric innovation converge, turning each journey into an extension of the exhibition itself.
Expressing her excitement about the collaboration, van Heerden said, “I deeply value opportunities that explore accessibility in how art is experienced and how collaboration can expand and translate my visual language into new contexts. Seeing these works wrapped around the Lexus RZ is particularly exciting, as motion introduces an element of animation that continuously reshapes the compositions as the vehicle moves through space. I’m thankful to Lexus for the collaboration as it allows me to highlight the importance of safeguarding South Africa’s water systems. I believe all water bodies are interconnected and that we need to carry a more holistic, mindful awareness of water in our daily movement – including how and how often we travel.”
A shared vision of sustainability, exchange and long‑term visibility
RMB Latitudes Art Fair is widely recognised for its distinctive model that prioritises sustainability, equitable access and long‑term visibility for artists from Africa and its diaspora. These values strongly align with Lexus’ own multi‑pathway approach to a more sustainable future, balancing innovation, responsibility and human‑centred design.
The Fair’s Oasis theme reflects on creative flourishing in unlikely places, drawing inspiration from Johannesburg itself: a city founded without natural water sources, yet sustained by ingenuity, resilience and regeneration. For Lexus, the theme resonates through the RZ’s electric stillness and the immersive calm it brings to urban mobility.
In addition to the complimentary chauffeur drives, Lexus has also partnered with Motherland to offer complimentary beverages at Old Eds parking area whilst guests await a ride in a Lexus.
By supporting RMB Latitudes for a fourth year, Lexus South Africa continues to contribute to a cultural ecosystem that reimagines how art fairs can function, not as transactional spaces alone, but as places of connection, dialogue and renewal.
