Songs of the Self

• Venue: NWU Gallery
• When: 14 July to 15 August 2025

NWU Main Gallery Invites you to the opening of the “Songs of the Self” solo exhibition by Ezequiel Mabote

In his solo exhibition “Songs of the Self”, Ezequiel Mabote orchestrates a visual symphony that reflects deeply on identity, belonging, and soulful expression. Through vibrant woodblock prints and radiant landscapes, the exhibition invites us to consider the unfolding nature of the self, not as something fixed, but as a dynamic interplay of psychological, cultural, biological, and social forces.

Rooted in the philosophy of “being-in-the-world”, Mabote’s artworks celebrate the self as inextricably linked to its surroundings. Each piece reminds us that identity develops through connection, through a combination of being grounded in land, nurtured by community, and shaped by shared ritual.

At the heart of these works lies the spirit of ubuntu. The self, Mabote suggests, finds its rhythm in relation to others: through the movements of dance, the harmonies of music, and the shared joy of togetherness. His vivid depictions of communal gatherings resonate as a visual chorus, revealing the self as a social composition, strung tenderly together by chords of kinship.