ART AT MBAZO
A Growing Collection of African Designs by Local Artists
Mash.T
Furniture · mashtdesignstudio.com
Arend Eloff
Art · arendeloff.com
Dbongz
Art · @dbongz_one
Haldane Martin
Furniture · haldane.co.za
Kipekee Studio
Furniture · kipekeestudio.com
Dokter & Misses
Furniture · dokterandmisses.com
Annika Theron
Art · @annikas_sketchbook
Ngwenya Glass
Crockery · ngwenyaglass.co.sz
Gone Rural
Décor · gonerural.com
Mash. T
Mash.T Design Studio creates award-winning furniture, lighting and accessories that celebrate African craftsmanship. Founded by designer Thabisa Mjo, the studio brings together technology and traditional African designs to tell uniquely South African stories.
Arend Eloff
Arend Eloff was born into an inspirational artist family where his own talents and interests for drawing, painting and sculpture was evident from a very early age.
His continued passion, practice and play into these creative fields led to many drawings and sculptures in clay emerging from his creativity and his first bronze artwork was cast at the age of 16.
His work and stature as a creator in art and design is always expanding and evolving into new fields and mediums and his work is highly valued and recognised its diversity of expression.
He is deeply influenced by the essence and value of our natural world and the relationship of man to beast. His work is evolving into the symbolism and messages that nature has for mankind as an evolving spirit and he constantly looks toward nature for guidance, messages and teachings on universal balance.
His work is produced in various mediums from high quality bronze castings to acrylic resins and glass.
dBongz
Dbongz Mahlathi is a street artist from the West of Johannesburg. He started participating in street art in 2008 when he first came to the city to pursue his tertiary education. He fell in love with the freedom it afforded him, the colours, the huge canvases in a form of walls, the confidence it instilled in him, and the ability to spread conceptual messages to the masses.
Haldane Martin
The director & designer behind the brand, local artist Haldane Martin, is world-renowned for work with a powerful sense of identity. His earlier works are heralded as significant contributions to the development of a unique South African design language.
Now, focussed on premium outdoor furniture designed in Cape Town, Haldane combines his passion for design with his love of the outdoors, offering their clients authentic self-expression & enduring connection with nature, in beauty and comfort.
Kipekee Studio
Kipekee Studio is a boutique woodworking company owned and operated by the local artists and husband and wife duo, Michael and Kylie Bornman. They create their traditional African designs in their workshop situated on the beautiful east coast of South Africa. Together, they create original quality furniture; handcrafted with passion, care and most of all – love.
In what seems to be a very complicated world they try to fulfil a minimal, natural and beautiful aesthetic with all their products being built to last. They seek to create meaningful items through simple yet sophisticated design, and above all, remain true to the natural aesthetic of the raw material they’re using.
“We seek simplicity and dream of making this Kipekee adventure come to fruition.”
Dokter & Misses
Dokter and Misses is a Johannesburg-based multi-disciplinary product design company.
Established in 2007 by industrial designer Adriaan Hugo and graphic designer Katy Taplin they develop furniture, lighting and interior solutions for private and corporate clients as well as educational institutions.
Annika Theron
Annika Theron is a self-taught local artist who has a passion for portraying nature. From detailed botanicals to landscapes, she works in a variety of mediums including pen, pencil, watercolour, acrylic, digital painting and mosaic tiles.
The work featured at Mbazo was originally created in pen on paper. The original drawings were first exhibited in 2015 in South Korea: Perceive Nature, Solo Exhibition, (July 2015), Samcheok, South Korea, and then again in 2017 in South Africa as part of a group exhibition What Do You See?, Youngblood Arts and Culture Development, (May 2017), Cape Town.
Ngwenya Glass
Since 1987, Ngwenya Glass has been making glassware in Swaziland/Eswatini from 100% recycled glass, seamlessly integrating sustainable practices with beautiful African designs. Building upon a reputation of quality, functionality, beauty & social impact. The unique combination of factors that make up Ngwenya Glass, make it a living & breathing animal in its own right.
Gone Rural
Glass beads were first used as trading commodities centuries ago in intra-African trade. They are an integral part of the Zulu culture.
They have over 80 women making bead and telephone wire crafts in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Most are the primary breadwinners in their families. Typically, the women support ten people.
