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.
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 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.
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.
