Sam Nhlengethwa, Models Rehearsing, Acrylic, oil and Collage on Canvas, 2023

From the Art Meets Fashion Series

Sam Nhlengethwa (b. 1955, Payneville, Springs) is a leading South African artist whose paintings, collages, and prints chronicle the sociopolitical history and everyday life of the country, with a particular focus on Johannesburg’s evolving street life, interiors, jazz culture, and fashion. Over his career he has held acclaimed solo exhibitions internationally, including at Goodman Gallery (London, 2021), Wits Art Museum (Johannesburg, 2019), the University of Michigan Museum (2017), and the SCAD Museum of Art (Savannah, 2014). His work has featured in major group exhibitions such as South Africa: The Art of a Nation at the British Museum (2017), the Venice Biennale (2013), and the Havana Biennale (2003). Nhlengethwa’s art forms part of prominent collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the World Bank, Washington D.C.; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; and the Johannesburg Art Gallery.