Hospitality entrepreneur and cultural curator Monwabisi Thethe is set to close the year with a glittering new fixture on Johannesburg’s cultural calendar: The Art & Bubbles Affair, a three-day celebration of contemporary art, sparkling wines and the human stories that tie them together.
Known for hospitality ventures such as The Prawnery and Kanpai, Thethe frames this event as the logical next chapter in his work: one that elevates hospitality into a cultural practice where food, drink and art become vessels for storytelling. “I’ve always felt that hospitality is about stories and relationships,” Thethe says. “Creating the Art & Bubbles Affair was a natural progression for me, a weekend where art, wine, and celebration unify to spark true connections… That unpredictability and magic form the perfect foundation for a luxurious, sparkling experience that celebrates beauty and togetherness.”
A curated collision of art and effervescence
Happening at Keyes Art Mile in Rosebank from 5–7 December 2025, The Art & Bubbles Affair stitches together immersive installations, gallery exhibitions, masterclasses and curated sparkling-wine tastings. The programme is presented in partnership with leading galleries along Keyes Art Mile and spotlights contemporary artists whose work explores transformation, cultural narratives and emotional depth — themes Thethe says mirror his approach to hospitality.
Guests can expect an intentionally multi-sensory weekend: art installations and gallery exhibitions will sit alongside sparkling tastings ranging from South Africa’s Cap Classique to Champagne, Prosecco and Cava; masterclasses will give deeper access to craft and provenance; food vendors will provide complementary flavours; and live music and performance art will animate the spaces between canvases and glasses.
Art as investment, art as conversation
The event is designed not only for appreciation but for participation. Visitors will be able to engage in investment opportunities and bidding, and attend masterclasses that demystify the techniques and stories behind the works. “We have artists who infuse boldness, soul, and freshness into their canvases,” Thethe notes. “Guests can expect pieces that do more than just adorn a space; they provoke thought and evoke emotions. I aim for attendees to leave with not only new stories about the art and the artists but hopefully a piece or two to take home.”
A global-focussed wine programme with local heart
While the tasting programme spans global sparkling traditions, the inclusion of Cap Classique underscores the event’s commitment to celebrating South African excellence alongside international benchmarks. Thethe’s curation aims to pair place and palate, connecting guests to both local winemaking craft and international sparkling styles.
A platform for connection and cultural elevation
Beyond its headline attractions, The Art & Bubbles Affair is presented as a wider ambition: to sharpen Johannesburg’s cultural offerings while positioning South African hospitality and creative practice within global conversations. For Thethe, hospitality and art are joined by the same impulse — to create spaces where people exchange stories, form memories and leave transformed. “Art, like food and hospitality, is fundamentally about relationships. It turns spaces into narratives. It becomes part of the memory, part of the toast. That’s what we aspire to curate,” he says.
Practical details
• Event: The Art & Bubbles Affair
• Curator / Host: Monwabisi Thethe
• Where: Keyes Art Mile, Rosebank, Johannesburg
• When: 5–7 December 2025
The weekend promises to close the year on a note of elegance, rhythm and conviviality — an event for collectors, creatives, wine lovers and anyone who delights in the art of a well-staged moment. For those who prize stories, taste and the spark of human connection, The Art & Bubbles Affair aims to deliver moments that linger long after the last bubble fades.
