Mbali Mthethwa, a visionary multidisciplinary product designer, project developer, and researcher from Johannesburg, South Africa, brings her diverse expertise to create transformative art. With degrees in Community Development, Leadership, and Anthropology from the University of Johannesburg, Mthethwa founded The Herd in 2019, a multi-award-winning collective. The Herd masterfully integrates African artisanal techniques with contemporary art and culture, collaborating with women crafters from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal to create stunning beadwork rooted in traditional Nguni techniques.
Under Mthethwa’s leadership, The Herd has significantly contributed to economic development and community upliftment, earning commissions from prestigious entities such as the South African Mint, NIKE, and the Human Sciences Research Council. Their work has graced international platforms including Maison & Objet Paris, the Brooklyn Museum, the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, and the Venice Biennale, and is celebrated in institutions like the Kunst Museum in Basel and the Wereldmuseum Leiden in the Netherlands.
With this exhibition, The Herd showcases exquisite beaded pieces that honour the rich heritage of Nguni craftsmanship. For the Nguni people, craft is not just a labour of love but a profound form of communication. This exhibition aims to revive and celebrate the divine spiritual beauty of African traditional craft, often obscured by historical whitewashing. By blending traditional Nguni techniques with contemporary design, each piece from The Herd embodies the enduring legacy and spirit of Nguni artistry.
Inspired by Ben Okri’s “The Famished Road”, Mthethwa’s latest series delves into personal emergence and identity development themes. These pieces, described as love letters blending painful history with tender childhood memories, reflect the apartheid government’s deliberate actions embedded in infrastructure. Simultaneously, they symbolize resilience and beauty emerging from trauma. This work honours the complex legacy woven into our infrastructure, celebrating both the oppressive origins and the nostalgic warmth of our formative years, highlighting the enduring spirit that shines through adversity.
