Air Force 1 '40th Anniversary' at Gallery on 4th
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the iconic Air Force 1, Nike are hosting a three-day exhibition at Gallery On 4th in Melville in JHB for anyone to witness the collective power of force rooted in the community.
In the spirit of collaboration, Nike plans to revive the gallery along with the chosen heroes, DBN Gogo, Wanda Lephoto, and Anthony Bila.
The weekend-long exhibition will showcase a variety of work from community heroes and pieces from emerging artists who, together with established creatives, express what it means to ‘Be True ‘ in South Africa.
The first day, 23 September 2022 is set for the launch and will be accompanied by the weekend visits (24th and 25th) of the exhibition and campaign highlighting the core of Air Force 1.
Our homies from Lemkus will be there on Saturday 24 September to help release the Nike Air Force 1 'Feel Free, Let's Talk' from Gallery on 4th in Melville. The release will also take place on Shelflife.co.za (7am) and from our CPT and JHB stores (10am)
For the launch, guests will have an opportunity to hear from the chosen creatives, DBN Gogo, Wanda Lephoto, and Anthony Bila, as they dive deeper into the stories. Guest will also be introduced to five upcoming talented individuals identified by them, with their works showcased at Gallery on 4th.
The idea of bringing together an interactive and real-life experience was inspired by one of Nike’s classic and iconic moments which debuted at Gallery on 4th 12 years ago. Gallery on 4th has evolved from its original vision of being a venue for exhibiting the work of established and up-and-coming artists whose work represented what it meant to “Be True”, and has now become a collective voice of and for the creatives.
HISTORY:
Gallery On 4th is a Nike concept store and exhibition space that can be cited as one of the pivot points in the rise of popular sneaker and streetwear culture in South Africa. Opened in the mid 2000's, Gallery was a meeting point for a powerful group of bubbling creatives that would go onto build movements and careers that laid the bedrock for a lot of what exists in SA today. A local home for streetwear aficionado's, future brand managers, creative directors & culture stalwarts alike, one wouldn't be far off to say that Boyznbucks was birthed from Gallery with Mkay Frash, OKM, Sanele Xolo and Riky Rick all gravitating around space.
A lot of them making up the early Nike fam and including Kemi Benjamin, Ningi Mhingi, Ayanda Njanya and Lucky Nthuli all being involved in the institution in the past, Gallery on 4th is a gem in the heart of JHB and was always ahead of it's time. The space is used for Nike to collaborate with local artists to tell authentic stories and the release of the Nike Air Force 1 'Feel Free, Let's Talk' is no different.
