Sibusiso Ngwazi (1999- )

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Bio

Sibusiso Ngwazi is a self-taught South African artist known for his non-figurative paintings. His practice reflects his desire to break free from the constraints of traditional representational art and explores the limitless possibilities of abstraction. Ngwazi’s work is characterised by bold, vibrant colours and fluid lines that create a sense of movement and energy. His sweeping brushstrokes and the use of non-representational shapes are layered to create complex, multi-dimensional compositions. A master of texture, his variety of techniques and paints results in rich and tactile surfaces. Notwithstanding the complexity of his works, Ngwazi always imbues them with harmony and balance. Revealing his devotion to intuition and strongly influenced by his spiritual beliefs, Ngwazi often starts a painting with his eyes covered. As a fresh take on action painting, hand, and brush, undirected by the eye, freely roam the canvas.

‘I cover my eyes, do the strokes, and then, in the middle of the painting, I remove the mask’.

For Ngwazi, this blindness is integral to his creation process. Like the Spanish surrealist Joan Miró (1893-1983), his painting style can be described as ‘automatic’ or ‘spontaneous’. As Miró, the artist believes in the importance of intuition and the subconscious; his works reflecting the free-flowing nature of the human mind.

Expressing a deep spirituality, Ngwazi’s paintings evoke a sense of transcendence. In the artist’s vision colours and forms have inherent spiritual properties and can be employed to entice an emotional response in the viewer, without relying on traditional representational imagery. Ngwazi considers himself as a vessel for a greater force – as observed in the confidence of his strokes and the energy that radiates from his abstract works. Experiencing Ngwazi’s paintings is utmost subjective, each work inviting the viewer to explore their own subconscious and emotional landscapes.

One of South Africa’s foremost emerging artists, Ngwazi has gained strong recognition for his talent, showcasing his work in galleries and exhibitions across South Africa. After moving to Cape Town in 2013, he has participated in several group exhibitions. In 2017, Ngwazi held his first solo exhibition which was well-received by both critics and art enthusiasts. In early 2021, Ngwazi started hosting open studio exhibitions at his home in Little Mowbray. His work has caught the attention of key figures in the South African art world, such as the art critic Ashraf Jamal, who writes about him in his upcoming book ‘Abstraction and Figure’.

Exhibitions

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024
‘Invocations’, Duende Art Projects, Antwerp, Belgium

2023
Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg, South Africa
'The Blind Side', Duende Art Projects, Antwerp, Belgium

2022
‘Revelations’, Youngblood Africa gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
'Metamorphosis', Chilli Art Projects, London, United Kingdom

2021
'I trust my stroke', Nirox Foundation, Krugersdorp, South Africa

2017
'Nostalgias' (curated by Mongezi Msomi), At The Palms, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024
‘In Conversation: Mary Visser and Sibusiso Ngwazi’, EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa
‘See Me Twice’, Artyli Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

2023
'A Very Loop Street Summer II ', EBONY/CURATED, Cape Town, South Africa
PAN Amsterdam, Duende Art Projects, Amsterdam, Netherlands
'Atmosphere', Daor Contemporary, Cape Town, South Africa
'Sunny Side Up', Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

2022
'Modernity & Its Offspring', Asisebenze Art Atelier, Johannesburg, South Africa
'Asisebenze Group Show', Asisebenze Art Atelier, Johannesburg, South Africa
'Autumn 2022', DAOR Contemporary, Cape Town, South Africa

Works by Sibusiso Ngwazi (1999- )

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