Mapping Migration Through Art

What do Africa’s cities reveal about the future of urban life? Atlas of Uncertainty, opening at Wits Origins Centre, brings together 30 artists from Accra, Johannesburg, and Nairobi to explore how migration reshapes urban spaces. Through installations, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition maps the movement of people and the transformation of cities.

Cities in Motion

This travelling interdisciplinary project comes from the Oxford/Wits Mobility Governance Lab and the African Centre for Migration and Society. It asks what Africa’s cities can tell us about the future of cities everywhere, blending artistic practice with academic research to offer new ways of understanding how people move through and reshape urban environments.

When and Where

• Opening: Saturday 18 April, 10:00 to 15:00

• Venue: Wits Origins Centre, Braamfontein campus

• Dates: 18 April to 3 July 2026

• RSVP: sophie@frame45.com for the opening event

Visitors have three months to explore the exhibition, which runs until early July.

Why It Resonates

Migration and urbanisation are defining features of contemporary Africa, yet they are often misunderstood or oversimplified. This exhibition brings art into conversation with research, offering layered perspectives on how cities evolve. The Wits Origins Centre, a museum dedicated to human origins and development, provides a fitting venue for work that examines where we are headed as urban populations.

Practical Info

• Cost: Check Wits Origins Centre website for admission fees

• Getting there: Accessible by car or Gautrain to Park Station

• Bring: Curiosity and time, the exhibition rewards slow exploration

The Bottom Line

Atlas of Uncertainty is more than an exhibition. It’s a conversation about migration, art, and the future of African cities. With Johannesburg as one of its focal points, it’s a chance to see the city and the continent in a new light.