G. O. M. D

NEW WORK... Close up / Detail.

I'm excited to be nearing the finish lines of my new body of work (still in progress). This update or close ups highlight some of the materials I have been using or experimenting with in the past few months. Materials: #Paint #Canvas #Soil #Cowdung #Charcoal The end of the year 2025 was an eye-opener for me, in many ways. I held conversations with very knowledgeable and experienced people, in the arts and in general. I learned a lot. The main thing was how to approach this thing I hold dear. Them learning about the sea of stories and ideas in my mind, to them sharing how to break them down and bring them out in broken pieces so they are well and easily consumable. This is where these conversations and introspection have led me to. I can feel my work changing/growing. I can't control it. It feels more and more inauthentic when I try to force it. I hope the work makes sense.

Last October, we had the privilege of welcoming Manelisi Nene @_manelisinene (b.1999, Durban) into our art residency program, marking the beginning of a deeply engaging and memorable chapter within our creative community. From the moment he arrived, Manelisi approached the residency as more than just a space to produce work — he embraced it as an opportunity to experience, connect, and reflect. Over the course of his stay, he documented and produced a short documentary titled ‘A Child Is Born’, capturing the full scope of his journey. The film traces his arrival and unfolds into a series of intimate, unfiltered moments shared with fellow artists, friends, and collaborators. It moves through the rhythm of daily studio life — quiet periods of creation, spontaneous conversations, laughter, and the exchange of ideas that shape a living, breathing creative environment. Through his lens, we see not only the physical space of the studio, but also the energy and relationships that bring it to life. Manelisi didn’t limit himself to painting; he immersed himself fully in the residency, allowing each interaction and experience to inform both his artistic practice and the narrative he was building on screen. His presence extended beyond his work, contributing to the atmosphere, dialogue, and sense of community that defines the residency. What emerges is more than documentation — it is a layered and thoughtful reflection on process, connection, and becoming. A Child Is Born stands as both a personal story and a collective memory, capturing fleeting yet meaningful moments and transforming them into something lasting. ————————————— Watch the documentary here: https://youtu.be/PPMGhTY6-LU?si=3IImYAEOQc3jkUai | LINK IN BIO

long story short: during my CPT residency @dacondorp last year, I had another goal in mind (to learn how to make a documentary). I documented my whole stay, the creative journey, from day one until the last day of the residency. I learned how to edit and finish the whole thing by myself. The documentary was finished before the year ended. But boooooy, the fear of disappointment and some high level of doubt in me held me by the balls. Until I met this young lady @rain_duma randomly at the beach by year end. We spoke about fomo and everything with self-doubt in it. I ended up telling her about what I been doing and how scared I am now to share it "because it's not perfect". She said there'll never really be a perfect time. The documentary is a little longer than what algorithm suggestions wants. We also spoke about this and how will people access it since instagram only wants minute long videos. She advised me to create a YouTube channel just so I can upload it and other important stuff. All that to say... the documentary is up and public. (Just look for Manelisi Nene whenever you have some time to spare) Link in bio: https://youtu.be/PPMGhTY6-LU?si=nN_HTvzdfHeSLk1K Thank you for taking part in this: @k.art.leho @sthenjwa_luthuli @lindekaqampi_ww @ikesobe @fineblackpepper @_lethimpilo

37th SESSION WITH THE THERAPIST 03/2026 I am happy to be in a good place to create again. I hope this new painting does something to someone out there, just like it did to me. I really love art. Especially when I am able to contribute to it. We are meant to grow. Our creativity grows with us. CHANGES. CHANGES. CHANGES. CHANGES.

It was not in any of my intentions to post this or share it, as it may not be that interesting. But after a recent conversation I had with my sister about appreciation and opportunities (missed and honored), I looked back at this opportunity I had recently. A week after my residency at DAC, I was invited to engage in a live talk with the University of Toronto as a guest speaker/artist. My part was to represent South African emerging artists/creatives and to present my work created during and prior to the residency to the University students (enrollment 93) and the representatives. Note: I held this meeting at home, the rural area, in a rondavel (placed a curtain behind me to better presentation), and my question to myself was, "How did I get here?" I am grateful for all the small and huge blessings and opportunities. 🙏 📸 @staytrue_photographer

The making of the masterpiece... 🎶 @umntungwambulazi

GRATITUDE... After closing my residency in Cape Town with DAC on Dorp @dacondorp with a successful exhibition, I find myself holding so much gratitude. This journey has been one of growth, discovery, and deep reflection, and to see it culminate in an exhibition filled with so many of you was nothing short of overwhelming. The turnout and the love I received were beyond anything I could have imagined. I honestly did not know what to expect. To everyone who showed up, who took the time, who shared their energy and support, THANK YOU. Not to mention having some people who literally flew in from Durban to Cape Town just to stand with me in that space. That is insane to me! That kind of support is something I will never take lightly 🙏 You made the closing of this chapter feel like the opening of something even greater. I wish to move forward carrying all of this energy, love, and encouragement with me into the next work. With love and heartfelt appreciation, - NGIYABONGA ♥️

I've been locked in the studio for the past six weeks. With so much learning and teachings from peer creatives, ones that make it believable possible, I have been working on new work. It is paintings, but for me, it is breathing. I am grateful to share this stage with such great people. And I can't wait to share what I have been working on. Hopefully, it makes sense. PS: The last slide is exactly how I feel right now. As I prepare for the final exhibition.

𝘓𝘌 𝘒𝘈𝘌: 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘈𝘙𝘛 𝘖𝘍 𝘚𝘌𝘌𝘐𝘕𝘎, 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘉𝘌𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘚𝘌𝘌𝘕 It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the opening of an exhibition presenting the works of Manelisi Nene @_manelisinene and Katleho Mosia @k.art.leho , created during their six-week residency. Their practices converge through the dialogue of greetings, rooted in their IsiZulu and Sesotho heritage. A greeting is more than a word—it is a threshold, a sacred act of recognition. In isiZulu, 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘢 is not simply hello, but a powerful invocation: “We see you, and all those who journey with you.” In Sotho, 𝘓𝘦 𝘬𝘢𝘦? follows—“Where are you situated, and where do you and your lineage reside?” More than a question, it is a call to gather histories and step into a circle of belonging. These works invite us to see beyond the surface—to recognize not only the physical, but the spirit and the history it carries. They remind us that to see is to embrace, and to acknowledge is to affirm existence itself. In these small yet profound gestures, history is carried forward, identities are honored, and survival is celebrated. ————————- TO BE SEEN is not an end—it is a beginning. This exhibition is a celebration of that beginning: an exploration of how our lives are woven together through the power of presence, acknowledgment, and belonging. Join us on the 20 September | 12:00–15:00. 73 Dorp Street, Bo Kaap - Cape Town

GRATEFUL I am just a village boy who somehow receives so much love from strangers (turned family), and from a few celebrated legends. From the internet, to handshakes. All this thing doesn’t make sense sometimes. Was just having a conversation with my brother @bulo_theafrican earlier, on how come do I be in my space, get some random ideas in my mind, throw them on a canvas, and people decide to leave their comfortable and important spaces just to come see what I have been thinking. And some even pay their hard earned monies, because they like it so much? #grateful