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"Sing About Me" A solo exhibition by Themba Mwanza

Constitution Hill: Rich Spirit (Oil on Canvas)_Themba Mwanza

Rich Spirit (Oil on Canvas)_Themba Mwanza

BLVCK BLOCK is thrilled to present the highly anticipated art exhibition, "Sing About Me", featuring the culmination of Themba Mwanza's BLVCK BLOCK residency. The opening of "Sing About Me" will commence at Constitution Hill (at the Number 4) on the 27th of July 2024 from 13h00 - 16h00.


BLVCK BLOCK invites art enthusiasts, collectors and the general public to embark on Mwanza's journey through escapism and self-reflection in his first solo exhibition. Titled "Sing About Me", Mwanza's series borrows its name from Kendrick Lamar's song in the seminal "GOOD KID MAAD CITY", exploring the grim realities black youth face.

Against the backdrop of Number 4, a space initially serving as a men's prison during Apartheid, Mwanza's oeuvre explores themes such as rebirth and escapism in the face of adversity. It centres itself around black narratives and the efforts made by his subjects to achieve peace and comfort, which, to the artist, ultimately means liberation.

Thus, Mwanza's work serves a dual purpose: he explores the inner contemplations necessary to achieve peace while urging his audience to rethink sites that are relics of oppression as spaces of introspection. In doing so, one's quest for peace in a society once defined by racial segregation becomes a social endeavour at the service of greater harmony.

As Mwanza experiences his artistic process, he states, "I prefer to use oil paint; I like the smell of it, I like how the pigments move, I like how versatile it is". Mwanza skillfully commands oil paint, creating brush strokes that are as interesting as the art piece.

Constitution Hill: Themba Mwanza

Themba Mwanza

Themba Mwanza is a 25-year-old visual artist born in Mpumalanga. Mwanza is based in Johannesburg and completed his BA in Fine Arts at the University of Witwatersrand in 2020. Mwanza's studies led to his iteration of the prestigious BMW art car series, a 325i titled "Mangobe Gado Gusheshe", drawing inspiration from his commute to and from the university on the Metrorail trains. A collaboration between BMW South Africa and Wits School of Arts made this project possible.

Mwanza's art is the communication between his present and younger self. The motivation rooted in Mwanza's childhood vision to create art incorporates a specific softness and playfulness from his youth. Mwanza takes every new creation as an opportunity to meet feelings of nostalgia and transmute those feelings into more than a product of memory and longing; instead, creating an experience filled with the revival of your innermost self. Mwanza describes his practice as having "… a particular softness and sometimes playfulness that I try to extract from my being and translate into my practice".

Visit "Sing About Me"

The "Sing About Me" exhibition public opening will be on Saturday, the 27th of July 2024, at Number 4 Constitution Hill, Johannesburg.

It will be open to the public at Number 4, Constitution Hill, from the 27th of July to the 27th of August 2024. Gallery hours are 9 am - 5 pm. Admission is Free.

For more information, please visit @blockblvck on Instagram or contact blockblvck@gmail.com



About BLVCK BLOCK


Established in 2020, BLVCK BLOCK is an independently run artistic collective founded on the ethos of operating and centring the marginalised. Our mission is to create equitable opportunities for talented young creatives in the artistic communities by countering the dominant cube and opening the art economy to continuously excluded artists. We are committed to providing visibility, career development, and economic opportunities to artists in Southern Africa through various programs, mentorship, facilitating sales, and more. Over the years, we have successfully curated numerous exhibitions and residencies that highlight our artists' diverse and rich talents.

Our residency program includes Junior and Senior Resident Artists with international residencies that foster cross- cultural artistic exchanges. We provide our artists with stipends, materials, studio space, mentorship, and opportunities to exhibit their work. This holistic approach nurtures their creative practice and supports their professional growth.

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