The right royal revolt of Swaziland’s artists

Prison warden Mesuli Mamba ­collects scraps lying along the red-dirt roads of Mbabane in Swaziland. “My friends thought I was crazy making ­collages,” he says, “until I sold my first.”

Mamba stands in his cluttered tenement bedroom — one foot on a stack of torn sketches, the other on Beautiful Brides magazines — looking surprised. “I’ve made hundreds, but there’s something happening in Swaziland and now people want to buy them.”

He is right. Once a sanctuary for South African struggle artists who put on exhibitions at Mbabane’s ­Indingilizi Gallery, Swaziland’s art scene then went through an identity crisis (think hippo sculptures and sunset paintings). But this is changing. Emerging today is ambitious, political and decidedly modern art from a fresh crop of young artists and savvy curators.

It is happening against all odds — art is not taught in schools and Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, is famous for its difficult political climate, censorship and state-controlled media. In response to human-rights violations, South Africa has imposed a cultural boycott since May.

Asking the questions
“It’s both the best and worst time to start a gallery,” says Aleta Armstrong, who opened Yebo Art & Design in February. “We’ve been hoping for 20 years for an art scene and now I think it’s finally happening.”

Yebo’s latest show, Swaziland NOW, is overtly political. A sculpted hand, I’m Asking 2?400?000?000, reaches out from the wall.

“People are asking more questions,” says Armstrong, who travels the country tracking down artists, often supplying their materials.

“We are very careful. We have to see every month where we stand. But business is surprisingly good.”

Yebo showcases a broad range of artists at a new, often controversial show each month. It also runs a free studio space.

In the shanty neighbourhood of Lobamba, Lucky Mlotsa runs Stik in Mud, a strange but lovely one-room gallery. Raw and often difficult, the work is a window into the lives of the rural poor.

Sticks and stones

Small galleries and studios are impacting the Swazi art scene, providing training and support for artists as well as a place for their work to be seen and sold. These alternative art spaces have become important parts of their communities and are seen as safe places to raise issues and share ideas.

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“Intellectual poverty is worse than economic poverty,” says Mlotsa. He paints, curates and leads art classes for local children every Saturday. His brothers died young from “alcohol poisoning” — a ­common euphemism for HIV/Aids — so he raises their children, surviving on art supplies from non-governmental organisations and commissions to do projects such as HIV-awareness paintings.

Artistic rebellion
One wall of the gallery is covered with his students’ paintings — traditional Swazi scenes but also funerals, drunks, hospitals — done disarmingly in watercolours. “As much as we can dismay,” says Mlotsa, “we can revolt intellectually.”

Even the government has noticed the emerging market — and political capital — of the art scene. In the heart of Mbabane is the new Gallery.com, which is owned by the politically powerful Archie Magwaza and his royal wife. Like a clubhouse with art and coffee, the unofficial royal gallery showcases contemporary art that reflect traditional themes. Photography — or being a writer — will mean an invitation to step outside, which only increases its appeal.

For more on Swaziland’s art scene, see our special report.