Artist continues to take the Jozi art scene by storm
Johannesburg artist gets his sculptures on display and up for sale.
Mmutla Mashishi, a Johannesburg artist, has made a name for himself with his sculptures created from recycled materials.
Mmutla creates sculptures from plastic, zinc, iron, wood, cement and various other materials. His sculptures depict a lot of meaning or represent aspects of our society that he believes need attention, his art represents a message.
“I believe my art should invoke emotions and make people think. I want people to admire the artistry but also interpret my art via their own personal view,” said Mmutla.
After winning the recycle art competition held at the Mall of the South in 2024, Mmutla wanted to try selling his art and he also wanted to help other artists in Joburg South get some exposure.
“I see the south of Joburg as a great hub for aspiring artists, people appreciate art and seek to grow the industry. I want to raise money to open an art school here in the south,” he continued.
His speciality is making detailed sculptures using zinc. The zinc is left to rust, which creates a colour contrast and allows Mmutla to create details on a specific piece.
“The rust allows me to add colour and makes the details on a sculpture pop out,” outlined Mmutla.
On April 5, an art exhibition titled Faces of Freedom was held at Gallery 21, Transwerke in Constitution Hill. Mmutla was a featured artist.
He submitted a sculpture titled, Traces of Triumph. The sculpture depicts a man with nails sticking out of him.
“The sculpture stands as a testament to resilience, it tells a story of overcoming passed fractures,” expressed Mmutla.
Mmutla sold the sculpture for R25 000 and will use the funds to fund his dream of opening an art school in Joburg South.
