Experience the contrasts of Cape Town through Sandile Ashar Mhlongo’s evocative acrylic paintings. Lights in Darkness, Darkness in Light is currently exhibited by House Union Block (HUB) at the Cape Heritage Hotel’s Sisonke Gallery until 27 October 2024.

HUB is a nonprofit organisation that connects South African artists to commercial opportunities under the umbrella of the Spier Arts Trust. Operating from Union House in Commercial Street, Cape Town, HUB features a gallery space and a dedicated team curating local and international exhibitions, providing career-boosting visibility and sales opportunities for South African fine artists, such as Mhlongo.

A Second-Generation Artist

Born in Gugulethu and living in Mitchell’s Plain’s Lost City, Mhlongo began his art career in the late 1980s while still in high school, learning from his father, an artist who worked as a bricklayer. His work is inspired by his family's lived experiences, and his paintings are visually striking depictions of everyday life infused with a touch of surreality.

Mhlongo’s latest collection reflects the theme of finding light in times of darkness, blending the personal and political with observations of South Africa’s changing landscape. His works offer visual metaphors and a commentary on the country’s social realities, urging viewers to choose optimism in difficult times.

A Notable Career

Mhlongo was mentored in the Nando’s Creative Exchange programme in 2017, a platform designed to develop emerging artists. His work has been featured in group exhibitions curated by Truworths, the Community Arts Workshop, and The Cape Gallery, and he held a solo exhibition at Cape Town’s AVA Gallery in 2012.

This solo show at Sisonke is a profound exploration of the interplay of hope and despair in the life of a Capetonian. "There's good and bad in the dark. Choose light. Shine, shine your light in the dark and you will find all you are looking for," says Mhlongo.

Exhibition Details

• Date: 5 September to 27 October 2024
• Time: 09h00–17h00 daily
• Venue: Sisonke Gallery, Cape Heritage Hotel, 90 Bree Street, Cape Town City Centre

For more information, please visit: https://houseunionblock.co.za.

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