The Inbetween: Poetry Meets Painting in Imilayezo KaSithunywa
By Sisipho Ndobe
In the words of the great Leonardo da Vinci, painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. But what do we call it when an artist incorporates both at the same time?
Well, I am no poet, nor am I a painter, but I know a gift when I see one. Or shall I say, gifts?
Where Words Take Shape
In a spiritually themed exhibition curated by the phenomenal poetry powerhouse Mbali Malimela, award-winning poet Kwazi Ndlangisa makes his debut into the visual arts. The exhibition, titled Imilayezo KaSithunywa (Messages from the Messenger), takes us straight into Ndlangisa's visions as he writes his poems line after line, and we get to see this unfolding in his visual artistry.
Ndlangisa shares that he has always wanted to exhibit his poetry and felt that merging it with one of his many talents, visual arts, was the most natural way to bring his words to life.
"It allowed me to give form and colour to what is usually heard or read."
— Kwazi Ndlangisa
The World Between Worlds
Kwazi Ndlangisa's body of work is widely known to explore themes of African Spirituality and connecting to oneself. His debut exhibition explores these themes much deeper, insinuating the existence of an in-between world between life and death a realm that alludes to the idea that we are guided by unseen messengers from our ancestral lineage.
Evidently, we hear from the artist himself that the exploration of these themes translates into his work through:
Symbolism
Memory
Ancestral presence
Allowing the unseen to be visible
What's more striking is that I might remember reading similar words uttered by Vincent Van Gogh:
"I dream my paintings, and then they paint my dreams."
From this evidence alone, how legendary will Imilayezo KaSithunywa make this young 21st-century poet, having dreamed the same dream as Van Gogh?
A Curator's Vision
Phenomenal art curator Mbali Malimela shares that what drew her to this project is its authenticity. As a poetry powerhouse herself, she understands that poets draw images with their words. However, having a poet who can use paint and words at the same time speaks to her as an artist.
"Poets draw images with their words. But to have a poet who can use paint and words at the same time - that speaks to something deeper."
— Mbali Malimela
Challenging the Narrative
The concept of Imilayezo KaSithunywa as an exhibition also challenges societal norms of forcing competitive structures into certain fields. These artists, Malimela and Ndlangisa, face this stereotype by joining hands and uplifting each other.
The art world has long been a world of competition, each pushing for their own. It is a world where it is believed that stars cannot all shine on the same sky without outshining one another. However, this narrative is significantly challenged through Imilayezo KaSithunywa.
Having this exhibition curated by another poet is symbolic of the many possibilities of breaking boundaries within the arts world. It is living proof that art is not a battlefield, but a shared spiritual and intellectual space where two or more artists can coexist, honour their individual spaces, and create collectively. In doing so, the creative landscape does not shrink; it flourishes.
Art in Unexpected Places
Malimela shares that this exhibition opens many more doors. She hopes to curate Imilayezo KaSithunywa in a way that blurs the line drawn by society in terms of shelving, in the sense that:
Poetry should not only be expected on stages
Art should not only be expected to be seen on the walls of art galleries and those of the rich
It should be expected to be seen in the most unexpected places possible. In light of this, she feels Durban is the best way to start.
A Deeper Conversation
According to Ndlangisa, in this way, Imilayezo KaSithunywa contributes to the broader conversation around African art and identity by encouraging deeper engagement with spirituality, heritage, and self-knowledge.
"By presenting this themed body of work, I believe viewers will begin to question their own identity. The exhibition invites both conscious and unconscious self-exploration. I trust that the messages carried within the work may take time for some to fully decode, but that process of reflection is part of the journey."
— Kwazi Ndlangisa
What's Next
Imilayezo KaSithunywa is set to be exhibited nationally, with more dates to be explored. However, I heard from the artist himself that there is still more to be discovered about the depth of his talents.
Still keeping an open mind about visual arts, Ndlangisa recently released a single titled "IMilolozelo KaMama", which contributes to the concept in question and has urged us to look out for the full album of Imilayezo KaSithunywa to be released after the tour.
A Final Thought
Imilayezo KaSithunywa is more than an exhibition. It is an invitation to step into the space between worlds, between word and image, between the seen and the unseen. It is a reminder that creativity, at its deepest level, is not about competition but about connection.
As Van Gogh dreamed his paintings, Kwazi Ndlangisa dreams in poetry and paint. And we are all invited to witness what emerges when those dreams take form.
Sisipho Ndobe is a writer and arts enthusiast based in KwaZulu-Natal.
To view the event gallery, visit https://imilolozelo.co.za/gallery
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