Working with various found objects and materials—leather, rubber, bronze, ribbons, copper and brass—Nicholas Hlobo considers his artistic practice to be a kind of autobiography through which he articulates a sense of self. Through an obscured grammar within a language of abstraction, Hlobo explores his psychological, emotional and spiritual journey. “My work is about my journey, how I relate to myself and to the outside world. I’m very curious about the invisible, intangible and incomprehensible aspects of that journey and there is always a slipperiness to the process of figuring it out,” says Hlobo.

'Ivulandlela,' which can be translated as “the pioneer” is about finding a path for others to follow. It is a way of paying tribute to those who come before and carving a path for others to follow. Hlobo uses materials that have resonance to his personal memories; he explains: “Materials are found and used as a way to add more layers to the narrative. And how they are intervened with forms a part of becoming a language that tells the story. Found objects have their own stories with various patinas depending on where they come from.”