(1988 – )

Mncedi Madolo
Contemporary
Overview

Born in 1988, South African artist Mncedi Madolo completed a diploma in Fine Arts at Walter Sisulu University in 2014, majoring in painting. While studying he founded Smoked Beef Studios in East London in 2013 to pursue graphic design work. In 2017 he moved to Johannesburg to embark on a career as a full-time artist.

The multimedia collage works on show demonstrate the artist’s background in graffiti and graphic art while foregrounding the black female body in the context of common urban detritus recognisable from Johannesburg’s streets.

Overview

Living in the centre of one of Africa’s most urbanizing cities has brought me close to the realities of everyday life for most South Africans

 I saw my personal story in the people making a living within the constraints of a lower-middle-class existence. An existence lived between the political and the personal.

 There is an interesting paradox here, the happiness, the anger, the love, the struggle with a politicized human experience.

 My work aims to express the many intersections between systems of power and lived experience.

 Composed in the structure of magazine covers/poster, an attempt to attract the viewer into buying into this story.

 The process always starts with the layering of stories on top of stories. A complex layering of small details that make up a human life. Then the HERO figure with a halo of big brands. As though to promise a solution.

 I draw on a distinct South African trope, attempting to communicate with those that seem to already innately recognize.

Exhibitions

2023

Sunny Side Up, Group Exhibition, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

2023      

Investec Cape Town Art Fairr, Kalashnikovv Gallery

 Sunnyside Up Group Exhibition, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg

2022     

Flowers in a DARK ROOM (solo show), Deepest Darkest Gallery

Best of both (Solo Show), Lizamore & Associates

Turbine Art Fair 22, Kalashnikovv Gallery

Group show, Everadread Gallery

A New Wave, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg

2021   

Next Movement Kalashnikovv Gallery

 Turbine Art Fair, Kalashnikovv

From present to pivot, Kalashnikovv Gallery

 1XRUN (II), Brooklyn NY

 Museum acquisition show, The National Art Museum

1XRUN (I), Brooklyn NY

Curator workshop, LATITUDES Art Fair

2020     

Acquisitions group show, The National Arts Museum

 LATITUDES Art Fair, World Art gallery

2019     

  Group Show, Art Afrique gallery

 Colour blind (Solo show), World Art gallery

Turbine Art Fair, World Art gallery

2018     

Fresh Voices, Guns&Rain

Talent UNLOCKED sponsored group show, Rand Merchant Bank

 UKUMA (the wait), Assemblige

 2017    

Artist Career Boot Camp Exhibition, Bag Factory

Featured Artwork