About OOVOOKOO

OOVOOKOO’s journey began with a transformation. A once nondescript building in downtown Johannesburg, has been reborn as a vibrant and dynamic studio-gallery space. OOVOOKOO seeks to inspire within the art industry by providing affordable spaces for artists to create and display their work. It is a physical haven for creativity but also a platform for artistic expression to flourish.

‘Ukuvuka’ in Zulu or ‘vuka’ in Xhosa - meaning ‘to rise’ or ‘to wake up’ - While OOVOOKOO itself may not directly translate to ‘uprising’, it represents the spirit of awakening, rising, catalysing change. We chose this name to symbolise our mission to catalyse change in the industry. We see k to awaken stagnant norms and challenge the status quo. We transformed a building in downtown Johannesburg into a hybrid studio-gallery space that provides affordable and accessible spaces for creatives. Our aim is to create a thriving, collaborative community that values growth, responsibility, integrity, and generosity - providing rich and nurturing opportunities for our community.

We at OOVOOKOO want to elevate value between artists and art buyers, and for everyone to be able to build equity. We are passionate about creating global spaces that encourage and facilitate this and are looking forward to transforming real estate in other locations to empower the reach and impact of our community.