The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum presents #UMBHACO in partnership with aBantu Development Agency's project, Ingqungquthela (the conference).
The exhibition will open on Saturday, 27 September 2025 at 14:00 with a performance by the critically acclaimed musician, Indwe who will set the mood through her powerful music that combines traditional indigenous acoustic instruments like the uhadi bow with modern music.
The aBantu Development Agency brought together a group of nine creatives from East London, Gqeberha and Komani in the Eastern Cape. The groups were led by young Designers working with two beadwork practitioners each. The creative collaborative teams were challenged to make new contemporay products that utilized traditional beadwork as a point of departure for new contemporay fashion and design.
At its heart, Ingqungquthela, a project uniting young creatives and beadwork practitioners to reimagine indigenous fashion and design.
Over the past 40 years, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum has invested in traditional beadwork as an important artform of the Eastern Cape. The beadwork collection now boasts over 2000 unique pieces representing the various styles and traditions from across the Eastern Cape.
In recent years, the Art Museum, has collaborated with the Red Location Art Gallery on a project to promote Master Beaders in Nelson Mandela Bay. Contemporary pieces from these projects were purchased to reflect the development of traditional fashion on contemporary design.
The Art Museum's collection also includes a selection of works of MaXhosa by Laduma which is a luxury clothing label founded by Laduma Ngxokolo. Laduma visited the collection of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum during the development of his knitwear.
The Art Museum's collection also includes beadwork that the NPO, The Friends of the Art Museum has donated to the Art Museum. A few of these works will also be on display in this exhibition.
A selection of traditional beadwork, contemporary pieces and Maxhosa works that the Art Museum has purchased will be on show.
Beadwork and textiles from the Art Museum's permanent collection will be on display alongside the young creatives designs.
RSVP by calling 079 490 0690 or you may send a WhatsApp
or on Email : artmuseum@mandelametro.gov.za or nmm.artmuseum1956@gmail.com