In Sepekere – The Nail that Refused to Break, Mmutla Mashishi turns the rusted nail into a hard-won symbol of survival. Mashishi places delicate materials like tissue paper alongside hardware and recycled plastic, creating works that reflect the everyday wear and tear of life and the changes it wroughts upon us. Mashishi weaves in generational memory, using familiar shapes like pots to point back to inherited wisdom, alongside coded markings that speak to a history of silenced but unbroken resistance.
Sepekere is right at home in Johannesburg, where we are all too familiar with the cycle of breaking down and starting over. However, Mashishi directs our attention to the textured, material reality of what survives these changes, and reminding us of the latent beauty within this. Running alongside Mncedi Madolo’s Kuomboka: Trust the Water, Asisebenze Art Gallery is an essential stop for anyone wanting to see the artists pushing Joburg's art scene in new directions. Both exhibitions open on Sat, May 9, 2026 from 10:30 – 15:30.
Exhibition details: Sepekere by Mmutla Mashishi
Dates: Sat, May 9 – Sat, Jun 13, 2026Times: Mon – Fri from 09:00 – 17:00, Sat from 10:00 – 15:30
Tickets: Free admission
Venue: Asisebenze Art Gallery (Aegis Building, 34 Loveday St, Marshalltown)
