Local StoriesAugust 12, 2026

Check Out Bekezela N Mabena’s Story

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bekezela.

Hi Bekezela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
MY STORY BEGINS WITH THE MOVEMENT FROM ZIMBABWE TO SOUTH AFRICA, THAT JOURNEY OF CROSSING THE LIMPOPO RIVER AND GOING TO A SCHOOL THAT HAS ART CLASSES AND HAD TWO WONDERFUL MENTORS THAT SHOWED ME GALLERY SPACES, AND I WAS FASCINATED AND INTRIGUED, AND SINCE THEN I’VE BEEN LEARNING TO LEARN EVERY DAY

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
WELL, FIRSTLY, I DON’T COME FROM A FINANCIALLY STABLE BACKGROUND, SO THAT ITSELF GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF IF I WANT SOMETHING, I HAVE TO STAND UP AND GET IT. COURSE NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE ME AND THAT HAS BEEN THE MORTIVATION AND JUST THAT WHO EVER IS COMING THEY WILL FIND ME RUNNING

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
“My work is rooted in what I call Patterns of Migration, a reflection of my own journey from Zimbabwe to South Africa and the
questions of identity and belonging that continue to shape me. I work primarily in printmaking and painting because their layered
nature mirrors the complexity of lived experience.
Each artwork begins with a ritual: I wash the canvas as a symbolic cleansing, clearing what was and making space for what is still
forming. I expose the surface to natural forces like sun and rain, allowing the elements to collaborate with me and alter the texture in
unpredictable, meaningful ways.
Through these layered processes, I build imagined landscapes where natural and constructed forms meet in a delicate tension. This
has become my visual language, one that feels spiritual, introspective, and deeply connected to movement, memory, and place.
Ultimately, my work invites viewers to pause and reflect on their own sense of belonging: to land, to history, and to the shifting
journey of being human.

What matters most to you?
LIFE, MOVEMENT, TIME AND SPACE

Contact Info:

Instagram: MABENAART

Abstract watercolor painting with various colors and shapes, including red, blue, yellow, and black, on a white background.

Abstract watercolor painting with red, black, blue, and gray splashes and lines on a white background.

Watercolor painting of a small arched bridge with a person walking underneath, surrounded by abstract blue and gray shapes.

Rainy view through a window with reflections, showing a room with cabinets and a chair, and a green plant in the foreground.

Colorful abstract painting with various shapes and textures, predominantly blue, green, and white, with some pink and yellow elements.

Abstract painting with yellow, blue, brown, and red colors, featuring textured brushstrokes and layered paint.

Abstract watercolor painting with blue, green, and brown hues, and a faint clock face with white markings.

Abstract painting with green, yellow, blue, and brown colors, featuring various brushstrokes and textures.

Abstract painting with green, blue, black, and orange colors, featuring grid-like lines and textured brushstrokes.

Person with long hair and a beard smiling in front of colorful abstract mural, arms crossed, wearing a beige shirt.

Abstract painting with swirling blue, green, and yellow shapes and patterns.

Suggest a Story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.