Sari Stroll Festival on Durban Beach Revived with Emphasis on Unity and Heritage

Among the new bright figures in the South African art scene, sculptor Nwabisa Ntlokwana is attracting the attention of curators, collectors, and cultural institutions. Her works are characterized by tactility and represent powerful reflections on motherhood, heritage, and self-awareness.

Recognition and Awards

Ntlokwana's profile is growing after she won the first Artist Prize from DLO Energy Resources Group at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair in May. This new award, based on acquisitions, aims to support African artists and foster the development of the continent's creative economy.

Personal Experience and Creativity

Born in Durban in 1988, Ntlokwana's practice is deeply personal. She draws inspiration from her own experience of motherhood and the influence of her late mother, who was a photographer and first introduced her to art. Through this, she creates sculptures that serve as vessels for memories, resilience, and transformations.

Working primarily with leather, wood, and found materials, Ntlokwana explores how women pass down memory through generations and constantly redefine themselves through cycles of care, inheritance, and renewal. Through layered surfaces and material experimentation, her art investigates the connection between body, memory, and identity, touching upon broader issues of belonging and cultural continuity.

Motherwood Series

Her current series of works, titled Motherwood, focuses on the interconnectedness of wood and leather as materials reflecting the life cycles of motherhood, strength, endurance, and change. Within this ongoing series, she reflects on the multifaceted nature of maternal identity and how memory, body, and material intersect.

This year marked an important milestone in her career: she was selected to participate in the INDEX 2026: The Contours of Return project, which was presented at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair in partnership with the South African National Arts Council. It was participation in the Fair that led to her receiving the first Artist Prize from DLO Energy Resources Group.

Significance of the Recognition

Commenting on this recognition, Ntlokwana notes that it is highly significant to her as it validates work rooted in personal history, memory, and the experiences of women. She emphasizes that her creativity is shaped by her mother's legacy and her own journey through motherhood. The ability to see resonance with these stories in others encourages her to continue expanding her practice and exploring how material can carry memory, transformation, and care.

Thanks to her growing exhibition history, increased institutional recognition, and a unique artistic language that resonates with contemporary discussions on identity, care, and memory, Nwabisa Ntlokwana is becoming one of the most promising young sculptors in South Africa today. Her career, focused on creating monumental sculptures, deserves close attention.

As part of the 'Day in the Museum' program, the 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban organized an enriching educational experience for participants aged eight to sixteen, introducing young visitors to the general history of South Africa.

Program and Exhibits

Visitors, including accompanying adults, explored the exhibits at the 1860 Heritage Centre, which is a museum agency of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. The program combined learning, culture, and practical experience, taking history beyond textbooks.

During the tour, students studied exhibits dedicated to the Indian contract, the historical role of the Curry Fountain, and the significant contribution of women to the struggle for liberation. Special galleries commemorating Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Chief Albert Luthuli were also visited. Through original artifacts, photographs, and historical displays, the youth deepened their understanding of figures who influenced modern South Africa.

Cultural and Culinary Events

The cultural aspect of the day was enhanced by a performance by Professor Suri Govender, who demonstrated the Asimbonanga dance. She conducted a workshop based on the expressive movements of this iconic performance, which she previously presented at Nelson Mandela's inauguration ceremony in 1994. This allowed the young guests to see how music and dance can preserve history.

The day concluded with a traditional cooking masterclass, where children learned to prepare roti and bhaji—simple dishes that formed an important part of the diet of indentured Indian workers. Selvan Naidu, Director of the 1860 Heritage Centre, noted that these traditional foods carry deep memories passed down through generations.

Naidu emphasized: 'Bhaji and roti were part of the staple diet of Indian indentured workers, a simple yet nutritious dish that sustained our people for generations.' He added that the goal is for the youth to remember the love with which these traditional dishes were prepared during the hardships of the contract era and to understand why they remain popular today.

Through the combination of historical exhibitions, cultural performances, and traditional cooking, the museum created an engaging educational process that encourages young people to find meaningful connections with their heritage.