Fine Artist
Masindi
Mbolekwa (b.2002) is a visual artist from Johannesburg.
He is concerned
with pictorial space and the ways in which it is utilized in the creation of a
dialogue between metaphysical/abstract and material/representational realms.
Mbolekwa is an
Honours graduate in Fine Art from the University of The Witwatersrand (2023).
Notable exhibitions exhibitions include ‘What Comes First?’ (2022) at
Constitutional Hill, ‘Siyabuka’ (2023) at Asisebenze Art Atelier, ‘Crossroads:
TsilaTse Pedi’ (2024) at Saint Loreint Gallery, ‘FigurativeFrontiers’ (2024)
with Origin Art at RMB Latitudes, andTswela Pele (2025) with Kalashnikovv
Gallery at Latitudes Centre for The Arts. In 2024 Mbolekwa was featured in Wanted
Magazine’s annual ‘Young and Vital’ artists list and was the recipient of a
senior residency at Blvck Block. He has tutored in the ‘Drawing and
Contemporary Practice’ module of the Fine Arts course at the University of the Witwatersrand
and completed an artist-led commission project with Rand Mutual Assurance. Mbolekwa’s
practice is a poetically loaded engagement with personal and cultural history
and the ontology of natal alienation within a postcolony through the consideration
of forms of earth as spiritual, and the use of abstract form, colour contrast,
bodily gesture and archived knowledges as a language to communicate narrative
and myth as well as facilitate emotive experience.
Selected
Exhibitions
‘SCREEN-IN-TIME’
THE POINT OF ORDER
9 – 16 July
2022
Group
exhibition, film screening, and occupation at
The Point of
Order.
Location: The
Point of Order
Address: Cnr
Bertha and Stiemens, Johannesburg
‘WHATCOMESFIRST?’
CONSTITUTIONAL HILL
2 September –
30 October 2022
Participated in
Moleskine Foundation’s ‘AtWork 2022’
workshop. The
end of which saw the curation and
installation of
created artworks at the Old Fort at
Constitution
Hill – for which I was part of the curatorial and installation team.
Location:
Constitution Hill, Old Fort
Address: 11
Kotze Street, Johannesburg
Siwa Mgoboza
(head Curator) – siwamgoboza93@gmail.com
‘WHATNOW?’
DENZIL & JO’S GALLERY
16 June 2023 –
16 July 2023
2023 edition of
Denzil’s & Jo Gallery’s annual young
artist
exhibition.
Location: 27
Boxes, Denzil’s & Jo Gallery
Address: 75 4th
Avenue, Melville,
Johannesburg
‘NW23AUCTION’ THE POINT OF
ORDER
10 August 2023
Newwork 23 fundraiser Auction for
the NW23 end of year
show. I took on an assistant
management role during the
preparation of this exhibition and
the opening night.
Location: Cnr Bertha and Stiemens,
Johannesburg
Address: 75 4th Avenue, Melville,
Johannesburg
‘SIYABUKA’ ASISEBENZE ARTATELIER
13 October 2023 – 15 October 2023
Group Exhibition that was the
launching event of
Tint Cultural Week.
Location: Asisebenze Art Atelier
Address: 28 Plein Str, Johannesburg
Siyabonga Mtshali (head curator)
‘NEWWORK23’ WITS ART MUSEUM
23 November 2023 – 10 February
2024
Newwork 23 was the graduate
exhibition of the Wits School
of Arts class of 2023. My own work
was exhibited in both
Wits Art Museum and Arthouse r215,
the latter of which was
a larger show of my work, curated
and installed by myself.
Location: The Wits Art Museum
Address: Cnr Jorissen and Bertha
Str, Johannesburg
‘THE KIDS THESE DAYS’ KEYES
ART MILE
1 February 2024 – 29 February 2024
Second iteration of the “kids
These Days” exhibition at
Keyes Art Mile.
Location: Keyes Art Mile
Address: 21 Keyes Ave, Rosebank, Johannesburg
Molly Catherine (head Curator)
‘CROSSROADS: TSILA TSE PEDI’
The Viewing Room Art Gallery @StLorient
13 April 2024 – 14 May 2024
Group show at Saint Lorient Art
Gallery.
Location: The Viewing Room Art Gallery
@StLorient
Address: 492 Fehrsen Str, Brooklyn
Circle, Pretoria
Kutlwano Monyai (head Curator)
‘EXPLORING FIGURATIVE
EXPRESSIONS’ ORIGIN ART
11May 2024 – 8 June 2024
Group show at Origin Art Gallery.
Location: Origin Art
Address: 19 Keyes Ave, Rosebank,
Sandton, 2196
Oliver Antonie (Gallery Manager)
‘FIGURATIVE FRONTIERS’ RMB
LATITUDES 2024
22 May 2024 – 26 May 2024
Group showing at RMB Latitudes Art
Fair with Origin Art.
Location: Shepstone Gardens
Address: 12 Hope Rd, Mountain
View, Johannesburg, 2192
Oliver Antonie (Gallery Manager)
‘CASSIRER WELZ FINALIST
EXHIBITION’ STRAUSS and CO.
5 June 2024 – 1 July 2024
A group showing of shortlisted
artists' work for the Cassirer
Welz Award at Strauss and Co. In
Safika House. Facilitated in
partnership with Bag Factory
Artist Studios.
Location: Safika House
Address: 89 Central St, Houghton
Estate,
Johannesburg, 2198
Nala Xaba
‘NOSTALGIA AND PLACE’
ORIGIN ART
5 September 2024 – 31 October 2024
Group show at Origin Art.
Location: Origin Art Gallery
Address: 9 Keyes Ave, Rosebank, Sandton,
2196
Oliver Antonie (Gallery Manager)
‘FREIGHT’ BLVCK BLOCK
15 September 2024 – 15 October
2024
A group showing of the work of
Blvck Block Residents
at Victoria Yards.
Location: Blvck Block - Victoria
Yards
Address: 16 Viljoen Str,
Lorentzville,
Johannesburg, 2094
Solomzi Moleketi (Founder)
‘ECHOES OF HOME’ ARTIVIST
28 March 2025 – 28 April 2025
Group Show of Blvck Block Artists
at Artivist.
Location: Artivist
Address: 7 Reserve Str,
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
Solomzi Moleketi (Founder)
Samukelisiwe Ngcobo (Curator)
‘TSWELA PELE’ LATITUDES
CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
3 April 2025 – 3 May 2025
A focus on emerging practice at
Latitudes Centre for The
Arts by Kalashnikovv Gallery,
curated by Mbako Moemise.
Location: Latitudes Centre for the
Arts
Address: 10 Hope Rd, Mountain
View, Johannesburg, 2192
‘FEAST OF FLESH AND PRAYER’
THE VIEWING ROOM ART GALLERY @STlORIENT
31 May 2025 – 15 June 2025
A solo exhibition
Location: The Viewing Room Art
Gallery @StLorient
Address: 492 Fehrsen Str, Brooklyn
Circle, Pretoria
Awards and Recognition
January 2021 – 2023 - Induction to
Golden Key Society for academic excellence
April 2024 - BLVCK BLOCK residency
recipient
June 2024 - Cassirer Welz Award
Shortlist
September 2024 – listed on Wanted
Magazine’s “Young and Vital Artists 2024”