• Liminality In Space

    Liminality In Space, Mongezi Ncaphayi's first solo exhibition at Enari Gallery gives us a glimpse of a world where explotions of color, creates a synthesis inspired by the rythm of music. Ncaphayi tackles themes of migration in terms of a spiritual sense of mapping one’s path. He collects maps to spark a creative desire to make art on literal and metaphysical notions of movement.

     

  • Ncaphayi's art gracefully confronts the world, delving into intricate societal matters such as politics, power dynamics, and systemic injustices. Despite...
    Beauty Mark (close up), 2023, mixed media on paper, 200 x 140 cm
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    Ncaphayi's art gracefully confronts the world, delving into intricate societal matters such as politics, power dynamics, and systemic injustices. Despite exploring these charged realms, his creations retain their identity as exquisite abstract compositions. These pieces don't always adhere to the familiar languages and shapes we expect, inviting viewers to explore beyond their accustomed preferences.
  • "Ncaphayi's artistic language takes viewers on a transformative journey, transcending the boundaries of space."
  • When making the artworks, Ncaphayi holds these maps in his mind and etches from intuition. He says that he sometimes looks at his work much later on and, only then, can he map meaning. He likens this process to a spiritual receiving of guidance from the galaxies.

  • Ncaphayi's reflection

    'I've recently come across the word "liminality," and it has helped me make sense of certain aspects of my life. I feel a strong connection to it because it resonates with the state of being that I often find myself grappling with. I've struggled to explain my feelings when overwhelmed by certain emotions. "Liminal space" refers to the uncertain transition between where you've been and where you're headed, both physically and metaphorically. It's like standing on the precipice of something new, yet not quite reaching it.

     

    I've consistently described my work as spiritual maps, and currently, I'm exploring the concept of the "migration of spirit." While in the past, my focus mainly revolved around the socio-political aspects of migration within the South African landscape, my recent work delves into the spiritual dimension of migration. This dimension, to me, is distinct from the socio-political realm.'

  • Being an urbanite with a profound affinity for nature, I find that the geometric shapes I incorporate into my work...
    Lost and Found, 2023, mixed media on stretched canvas, 110 x 115 cm

    Being an urbanite with a profound affinity for nature, I find that the geometric shapes I incorporate into my work draw inspiration from the structured architecture that surrounds me. However, these specific shapes serve as strong compositional devices that hold subjective and abstract personal meanings for me.'

     

    - Mongezi Ncaphayi

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  • Background

    Hailing from South Africa and born in 1983, Mongezi Ncaphayi currently resides and works in Cape Town. His artistic contributions play an essential role in today's contemporary art scene, presenting a distinctive perspective that enriches global creative conversations. Employing the wet-on-wet method, Ncaphayi crafts mesmerizing artworks, harnessing a semi-structured approach that gives rise to intricate, rhythmic interplays of painterly expressions. This technique imparts his paintings with a distinct texture and fluidity, resulting in harmoniously blended colors that captivate the eye.
  • Ncaphayi pursued a Professional Printmaking Course at Artist Proof Studio in 2008 after receiving his Diploma in Art and Design...
    Exhibition View, Images Courtesy of Enari Gallery, Photography: Sonia Mangiapane
    Ncaphayi pursued a Professional Printmaking Course at Artist Proof Studio in 2008 after receiving his Diploma in Art and Design from Ekurhuleni East College-Benoni in 2005. in 2012 He received a Certificate in Advanced Studies from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. Notably, Ncaphayi was awarded the prestigious Absa L'atelier Gerard Sekoto Award in 2013. Significant artist-in-residency projects in his repertoire include the Atelier le Grand Village Residency in Angouleme, France, in 2014 and the Thami Mnyele Foundation Residency in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 2016. His achievements were recognized the following year when he received funding from the Prince Claus Fund in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  • Exhibition View, Images Courtesy of Enari Gallery, Photography: Sonia Mangiapane (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Exhibition View, Images Courtesy of Enari Gallery, Photography: Sonia Mangiapane (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).
    Exhibition View, Images Courtesy of Enari Gallery, Photography: Sonia Mangiapane (Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

    Exhibition View, Images Courtesy of Enari Gallery, Photography: Sonia Mangiapane

  • Among other institutions and private collections, his work can be found in the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, the...
    Among other institutions and private collections, his work can be found in the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Thami Mnyele Foundation in Amsterdam, the Bibliothéque Nationale de France in Paris, France, the Ampersand Foundation in London, and the Luciano Benetton Foundation in Treviso, Italy.