Guns & Rain works with contemporary visual artists from seven African countries, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini and Nigeria. Most of our artists are emerging, and focus on social, political and historical themes.

The gallery was established in 2014 to address the under-representation of African artists in the international art scene. It was one of the first online galleries in Africa and was ahead of its time, with its first curated online exhibition taking place in 2015 in collaboration with WISER, Wits University. We now have a permanent space in Parkhurst, Johannesburg.

Guns & Rain has held regular events and exhibitions in Johannesburg since 2015, and is now a seasoned exhibitor at local and international fairs. We are a member of the Emerging African Art Galleries Association (EAAGA), Association of Women Art Dealers (AWAD) and collaborate regularly with other partner galleries and dealers in Africa, Europe and the US. We also collaborate with universities and have hosted artists and interns from the University of Johannesburg and University of Oxford. Guns & Rain has helped launch several artists into international careers and has helped place African art in multiple international collections around the world.

Based in Johannesburg, founder Julie Taylor is an anthropologist, communications specialist and entrepreneur. She was born and raised in Zimbabwe and holds degrees from Oxford and Cambridge. She is author of Naming the Land, a book based on her doctoral research about San identity in northern Namibia, and has published multiple peer-reviewed journal articles. Before Guns & Rain, Julie ran Google’s communications for Africa. She recently completed her Masters in History of Art at Wits University, with her research focused on the art practice of Tuli Mekondjo and Helena Uambembe.

The name ‘Guns & Rain’ is used with acknowledgement and thanks. It comes from the acclaimed work of South African-born British anthropologist and playwright David Lan, who wrote about guerrillas and spirit mediums in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle — for its reference to nature, culture, identity, land, struggle, change, and many other important African themes. Guns & Rain is committed to fair, mindful and ethical trade.