In 2022, the artist Ntsikelelo Mzibomvu was involved in the “Walk for Change” initiative, a 645km walk from Kwa-Thema (Gauteng) to Durban (Kwa-Zulu Natal). The walk took 14 days to complete, with 7 individuals participating. The walk was in partnership with “Cool Dad’s Foundation” and “Hope for Africa”. An act of activism, the main aims of the walk were to:

1. Raise funds to buy school shoes for children who walk to school without school shoes. On average, there are almost 2000 children in South Africa that walk to school without shoes or with torn shoes.  
2. Speak out on issues relating to men and fatherhood, issues such as mental health, and fathers who are denied access to their children.
3. Speak out against Gender-Based Violence.

On the back-end of this initiative, there were many personal and spiritual reflections on the state of South Africa. Through the exhibition, the artist will reflect on the various aspects of the walk that impressed him the most. The exhibition will run throughout the conference and the artworks will be available for collection. 

Brief Biography

Ntsikelelo Mzibomvu comes from an arts family heritage. He grew up in a family of musicians, and his uncle was a visual artist and art teacher. Through his uncle, he would then be exposed to art and philosophical thought from a very young age. 

As a Contemporary African Art visual artist, his work focuses on two areas, Expressionist Abstract Art; and his Drawings and Paintings. His Expressionist Abstract Art seeks to speak about the various aspects of the human journey through a series of works titled “The Pilgrimage”.  This series aims to capture and express human emotions and thoughts without restraint freely. He achieves this by borrowing from various art movements and fitting them into an abstract composition.

His drawings and paintings primarily focus on matters relative to fatherhood and modern masculinity. Whether it be the celebration of environmental aspects of being a man such as family, women, parents, and children; or be it personal matters such as spirituality, finances, and mental and physical health. He aims to touch on these subjects and spark dialogue through his art. His exhibition “Unconditional Love(d)", was first hosted in November 2022, in collaboration with Mbalemnyama Art Studios at Parkhurst. And he intends to run the exhibition for two years, using art and dialogue as a driver and a tool for activism toward positive masculinity. 

He is also an author and a keynote speaker.