Johannesburg’s Bag Factory Artist’s Studio was thrilled to showcase Nyakallo Maleke’s first-ever exhibition, titled “Making Sense of the Same Story.” The exhibition, curated by Boitumelo Makousu, walked deep into the essence of drawing as a powerful form of communication that passes language barriers, both in physical and fictional realms.
The exhibition aimed to guide visitors through a multi-layered journey, exploring the processes of creating a drawing. Drawing, in this context, served as an alternative approach to understanding, processing, and conveying information.
Through the lens of abstract expressionism and materiality, the exhibition space facilitated an interactive encounter, connecting the practice of drawing to personal, social, and collective experiences within space and movement.
Nyakallo’s work communicated vulnerability through the transformative language of materials, emotions, and actions. The exhibition encouraged individuals to articulate their ideas, emotions, and observations through drawing, mark-making, reading, and play, recognizing these as powerful means for self-discovery and connection with the world.
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Nyakallo’s mark-making actions revealed a concept and the physical act of using various tools such as pencils, charcoal, paintbrushes, and needles. Each stroke, line, and splash of colour corresponded with the artist’s innermost feelings, defying predefined forms and celebrating the raw and authentic connection between the artist and the canvas.
It became a dialogue between the hand and the heart, showcasing the artist’s willingness to experiment with techniques, vivid yet arbitrary colours, reshaping forms, and defying conventional three-dimensional perspectives.
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Nyakallo’s work challenged attendees to step outside their comfort zones, bridging the gap between information and restoring the intuitive acts of drawing, painting, and mark-making.
The exhibition provoked thought, evoked emotions, and created a space for contemplation, deepening the connection with oneself and strengthening the shared human experience.
