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Andrew Ntshabele

Bio

Andrew Ntshabele was born in the small rural town of Moruleng in the North West province of South Africa. When Andrew was four years old, his family moved to the city of Johannesburg, where he currently resides. Andrew was exposed to the suburbs as a child, where his mother worked for a wealthy family. Andrew had the pleasure of witnessing South Africa’s first democratic votes in 1994 and seeing Johannesburg’s transformation from the early nineties, and mid-nineties to the present.
Andrew’s interest in creating artworks that represent the environment and the people he meets in his everyday life lies in his exposure to the inner city of Johannesburg, where he is confronted by, poverty, pollution, and urban decay every day of his life. He has seen the effects that urbanization has had on the city of Johannesburg in relation to its physical change, and socio-economic and political change post-apartheid.
In Andrew’s early years, he showed exceptional talent, leading him to complete a BTech degree majoring in painting from the University of Johannesburg in 2013. During these early years of being a professional artist, Andrews received the painting merit award at the Ekurhuleni 2012 Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards, as well as exhibited at the Turbine art fair 2015 as part of the emerging artist’s
Andrew’s works have continued to steadily grow in international popularity, as his approach to creating preserves the past through the use of newspapers and documents combined with images of the present, and is about authentic storytelling.
Andrew has successfully taken part in both international and national art exhibitions.
Artist Statement
“My artwork is a form of social commentary, focused on painting people who reflect the world I live in. My early works were a response to the poverty and suffering which I encountered in the inner city of Johannesburg, where I once lived. In my recent works I have chosen to focus on happier everyday occurrences, and my works began to describe a greater array of emotions to express the human condition despite experienced circumstances.
My works consist of human figures placed against a collaged background. Although the collaged background tends to flatten the illusion of space, I wish to depict real people who occupy space and have dreams and aspirations. The style of my work is therefore a form of realism, and the people are painted in a naturalistic way.
I am influenced by impressionism and realism, as the subject matter for both styles focuses on ‘the ordinary person’ and their daily lives. My subject matter is specifically people in my environment and thus it reflects everyday life in South Africa. My work however operates on another level due to the content in the collaged backgrounds as the documents reflect global issues that have effected Africa and South Africa. It thus offers a means to look back at the past while moving forward and imagining new opportunities.
I use photographs that I have taken as the source material for my paintings and see my works as series, focusing on different types of people or actions. I tend to group the series together and that way I keep track of my progress or growth.
My work is undergoing a gradual change as I am beginning to work in layers now. It’s still in its early stages of development but I am interested in the relationship between the figures and the collaged elements. I have always been intensely fascinated with colour and since the backgrounds are mostly monochrome, I make sure the colour of the figures stand out.
I wish to use my art to motivate and inspire people. I hope that that my pieces get people thinking as I feel that I am documenting history past and present. I am proud of my journey so far and am motivated by the fact that I love what I do for a living.”

Education and Qualification
2005
•Jeppe High School for Boys

2006-2007
•Boston City Campus & Business College, South Africa, Business Administration (SAQA)

2009- 2013
•University of Johannesburg, South Africa, BTech Visual Arts

Commissions

2012

•Commissioned to paint a portrait (mine worker) for the Exxaro portrait project 2012

2015

•Commissioned to paint the Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom, for Meetings Africa 2015 at the Sandton convention centre

Awards and Grants

2012

•Received a Special Mention award at the Ekurunuleni Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards

2013

•University of Johannesburg NRF Scholarship

2015

•Part of the emerging artists mentorship programme hosted by the Assemblage Studios and Fresh Produce

Exhibitions

2012

•Ekurunuleni Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards ,Curated group Exhibition
•Invited to submit to North-South central Fringe of Johannesburg, Curated group Exhibition
•Invited to submit to North-South central Fringe of Bloemfontein, Curated group Exhibition
•University of Johannesburg final examinations group exhibition, UJ FADA Gallery

2013

•University of Johannesburg Student Show Case group exhibition, UJ FADA Gallery
•North-South Student Show Case traveling group Exhibition, UJ FADA Gallery
•North-South Student Show Case traveling group Exhibition, BODUTU Gallery
•North-South Student Show Case traveling group Exhibition, TUT Gallery
•North-South Student Show Case traveling group Exhibition, CUT Freestate Gallery
•MAP(Mashumi Art Projects) group Exhibition, Nex Dor Restaurant Vilakazi street Orlando- Soweto West

2014

•Two-Person Exhibition, MAP(Mashumi Art Projects), Nex Dor Restaurant Vilakazi street Orlando- Soweto West
•Two-Person Exhibition, The other side of Joburg, StopSign Art Gallery,203 Fox Street, Maboneng Precinct
•Visual Art Riot group exhibition opening, at the Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival,
presented by Constitution Hill, in association with Kalshnikovv Gallery
•IDC Gallery group exhibition

2015

•Live painting and Solo Exhibition, Meetings Africa, Sandton Convention Centre
•KaPlan group exhibition, Constitutional Hill, 1 Kotze street
•Turbine art fair, Assemblage Studios and Fresh Produce emerging artists group exhibitions
•After the winter group exhibition, The Henry George Gallery, 45 6th street, Parkhurst

2016

•Bowan Gilfillan group exhibition, 11 Alice Ln, Sandhurst, Sandton
•Dark Passages, Lighted Rooms, MAP Contemporary, 87 4th Ave, Melville
•Expressions exhibition, The Henry George Gallery, 45 6th street, Parkhurst
•Group exhibition, Art it is Gallery, 11 Chester Rd, Parkwood, Randburg

2017

•The Joburg Fringe Art Fair, Victoria Yards, Lorentzville
•Expressions 2 exhibition, The Henry George Gallery, 45 6th street, Parkhurst

2018

•Inaugural Themba Gala auction, Fox Junction Event Venue (1 Fox Precinct, 14 Alexander Street, Ferreirasdorp)
•The Travelling Art Gallery pop group up exhibition in Germany, Hamburg, Hildesheim, Ludwigshafen
•The Art of Law exhibition, Werksmens attorneys, The Central, 96 Rivonia Rd, Dennehof, Sandton
•The Travelling Art Gallery pop group up exhibition in Germany, Hieldeshiem
•SeeyourartAmsterdam pop up group Exhibition, Netherlands Amsterdam

2019

•What is South Africa Even? Volume 2 group exhibition, Bag Factory Studios, 10 Mahlatini St Newtown, Fordsburg
•The Travelling Art Gallery pop group up exhibition in Germany, Frankfort, Stuttgart, Munich
•Affordable Art Fair Brussels, Art chemistry Gallery, Brussels Belgium
•Our City with Portraits, The Henry George Gallery, 45 6th street, Parkhurst
•ARTMUC Contemporary Art Fair Munich, The Travelling Art Gallery, Munich Germany
•Kings Day celebrations week, Solo Exhibition, Artchemistry gallery, Muurhuizen, Amersfoort Netherlands
•Art Laren, artchemistrygallery, Het Gooi, Gelderland, Netherlands
•Reflecting on August, THK Gallery, 52 Waterkant St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
•Moving Into Dance, charity exhibition, AGOG Gallery, 12 Lower Ross St, New Doornfontien
•People of the Shadow Economy, Solo Exhibition, The Henry George Gallery, 45 6th street, Parkhurst
• Affordable Art Fair Stockholm, Artchemistry Gallery, Nacka Strandsmassan Augustendalstorget 6, Nacka Strand 131 52, Stockholm, Sweden
•Europe Art Fair and Beyond, Artchemistry gallery, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam
•Pop-up exhibition at the V&A Waterfront, EADT (The Emerging Artists Development Trust), V&A Waterfront, 19 Dock Rd, Cape Town

2020

•Innsbruck International Art Fair, The Travelling Art Gallery, Austria
•Artyli.com, group Exhibition, Monte Casino, Montecasino Blvd, Fourways
•Reset exhibition, group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark
•I am because we are, group Exhibition, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark
•Pop up Group exhibition, The Travelling Art Gallery, Crailsheim Germany
•Solo exhibition, The Travelling Art Gallery, Berlin Germany
•Phakama Art online art auction
•Sounds in Solitude, group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark
•Trio Umoyo, group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark

2021

• Encounters 1, Solo Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark
•Encounters 2, Solo Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 6, Stanely Studios, 39 Stanley Ave, Milpark
•Online Charity Auction, The Traveling Art Gallery, Germany/ South Africa
•Pop exhibitions, The Traveling Art Gallery, Germany
•Africonic, group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery,Shop 53, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton
•Art The Hague, Group Exhibition, Artchemisty Gallery, The Netherlands

2022

•Pop exhibitions, The Traveling Art Gallery, Germany
•Pop exhibitions, The Traveling Art Gallery, V & A Waterfront Capetown
•Dance of the counterpoints, group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 53, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton
•The stories in between, Group Exhibition, Artyli.com Gallery, Shop 53, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton
•Group Exhibition, Loo and Lou Gallery, 20 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, 75003, Paris, France

Professional Experience

2010-Present

•Amateur photographer
•Freelance Graphic designer

February 2013

•Assisting Art director, Egg Films, Keep Walking South Africa ‘Strider’ Johnnie Walker Whisky TV Commercial Ad, (Responsible for organising props and distributing props, setting up set and arranging set).

Teaching Experience
February 2013 – October 2013

•BTech internship, Central Johannesburg Collage, Crown Mines Campus, (courses taught: N4 & N5 Visual literacy, Conceptual studies, Responsible for lectures, syllabi, grades, etc.).

February 2014 – June 2014

•Lecturer, Central Johannesburg Collage, Crown Mines Campus, (courses taught: N4 Drawing, Form and Colour Studies, Print Making, L2 Drawing, Computer Literature, N5 History of Art).

January 2015 – March

•Art Teacher, Singing Forest Montessori Pre and Primary School Fourways, ( Subjects: Drawing and painting).

May 2015 – Presents

•History of Art Tutor, Central Johannesburg Collage, Crown Mines Campus
Collaborative Projects

April 2013

•University of Johannesburg Fine Art department, Group leader, Hamakuya HIV-AIDS and teenage pregnancy awareness, Mural Painting Project,(high schools and community center in Limpopo province).

Skills set

•Digital Media: Adobe CC Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Indesign, computer proficient

•Analog Media: Pen, Pencil, Acrylic, Oil, Water Color, Charcoal, Pastels, Crayons, print making, mixed media
Radio/Television
• The Art Bulletin, Interview, SABC 2, The Main Street Bizzare, Johannesburg, 06 April, 2014.
Website Publications

•Andrew Nsthabele – your own free website, access date: March 11, 2013. mashumiartprojects.weebly.com/andrew-nsthabele.html

•Canvas by Grolsch, There’s No Stopping For Zama Phakathi | Grolsch, access date: May 22, 2014. canvas.grolsch.com/za/news/there’s-no-stopping-for-zama-phakathi.

•City Buzz, New gallery to open doors at Maboneng | City Buzz, access date: May 26, 2014. citybuzz.co.za/12421/new-gallery-to-open-doors-at-maboneng

•Karen Bassel, A Portrait of a Young Artist Series: Some went mad, Some, access date: November 25, 2014. artcoza.wordpress.com/…/a-portrait-of-a-young-artist-series-some-went-

•Feest, The Other Side of Jozi – Johannesburg – Gauteng – Feest, access date: April 3, 2014. feest.co.za/The-Other-Side-of-Jozi-Johannesburg-04-0

•Kulani Nkuna, Young artists given new space to showcase works | The … , access date: April 2, 2014. citizen.co.za/153170/uncontained-passion/
•Mamodima Monnakgotla, Township art tribute to women – Sowetan LIVE, access date: March 28, 2013. www.sowetanlive.co.za/goodlife/2013/…/township-art-tribute-to-women

•UJ department of visual art – University of Johannesburg, access date: July 28, 2014. www.uj.ac.za/…/4th%20Year%20Exhibition%20Catalogue%202013.pdf

•Zanele Mashumi, Our second featured artist in our “MEET THE ARTIST …, access date: March 11, 2013. mashumiartprojects.wordpress.com/…/our-second-featured-artist-in-our

•Zanele Mashumi, Andrew Ntshabele | – Mashumi Art Projects – WordPress.com, access date: March 14, 2014. mashumiartprojects.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/andrew-nsthabele/
Blogs

•Kaffein Online Magazine: The Other Side of Jozi, access date: 1 April, 2014. 02:00am
kaffeinonlinemagazine.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-other-side-of-jozi.htm

•Bongani Tau, Stylist Journal | Andrew Ntshabele, access date: February 15, 2013. bonganitau.tumblr.com/post/43141707098/andrew-ntshabele

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