This Youth Month, Of Soul & Joy, in collaboration with JSE Art Share, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s initiative to empower South African artists by providing a platform to showcase their work, invites the public to a special walkabout of Children of the Light — a poignant photographic exhibition running from 7 June to 31 July 2025 at the JSE. The walkabout will be open to the public on Saturday, 28 June at 11:00am at the JSE offices in Sandton.
Curated by interdisciplinary artist and cultural worker Refilwe Nkomo, Children of the Light is a celebration of legacy, purpose, and potential—an artistic exploration of how we illuminate the path for those who follow. Featuring work by student and alumni photographers from the Of Soul & Joy photography mentorship programme in Thokoza, the exhibition showcases the bold, intimate, and deeply human perspectives of young South Africans.
Participating artists include Jabulani Dlamini, Thembinkosi Hlatshwayo, Tshepiso Mazibuko, Sibusiso Bheka, Vuyo Mabheka, Lunathi Mngxuma, Sibusiso Sithonga, Fuwe Molefe, and Zwelibanzi Zwane. Through their lenses, viewers are invited into the interior worlds, energy, and lived experiences of a generation navigating identity, place, and aspiration.
“This exhibition is centred around connection,” says curator Refilwe Nkomo. “It’s where art and industry come together, bringing together different generations and communities. Children of the Light is a call to imagine and create a more inclusive future, led by the youth who carry both the burden and the brilliance of this moment.”
The exhibition mirrors values at the core of the JSE: being a good neighbour, enabling economic development and using business as a force for inclusive growth. By harnessing the JSE’s broad stakeholder base and its influential audience, the bourse aims to provide a platform for young creatives to gain exposure, further bolstering their careers, communities and fraternity. Through this collaboration, Children of the Light is intended to serve as a platform for change that speaks to the integration of art, business, and civil society.
“At the JSE, we are proud to support Of Soul & Joy. For us, JSE Art Share is an initiative not only honours the extraordinary talent of young South African artists but also contributes meaningfully to the growth of our creative sector and the broader economic development of our nation,” said Vuyo Lee, Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at the JSE.
“The youth are the custodians of the future,” says Jabulani Dhlamini, Of Soul and Joy Programme Manager. “Through photography, they learn not only to see differently, but to lead differently. This exhibition affirms their voice, vision, and value.”
The public walkabout on 28 June offers visitors a rare opportunity to engage with the curator and exhibiting artists. Guests will explore the power of visual storytelling as a tool for empowerment, social commentary, and connection—while also gaining insight into the transformative mentorship model behind Of Soul and Joy and Art Share’s Bridging Narratives series.
As part of its commitment to the creative sector, the JSE will purchase at least one artwork from the exhibition. Proceeds will benefit both the artist and Of Soul and Joy, reinforcing the exhibition’s aim to uplift emerging talent and reinvest in the ecosystems that nurture it.
Curated to create a space where creativity and community converge, Children of the Light also serves as an invitation to those who work tirelessly to drive South Africa’s economy—to pause, reflect, and be inspired.
Admission is free, but RSVP is essential.
To RSVP or for more information, contact [email protected] or click the following link: https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/34fb4b48-99ce-4e0d-9d34-4c1386b3149a/register