Jan
Building better men
Wezile Mgibe Is Manbox Man Crush Monday
Wezile Mgibe was born in Port Elizabeth. He is an Award-Winning Art Practitioner using interdisciplinary practice encompassing performance, visuals and installation as a tool for social change, and who exercise strong movement improvisation technique in doing so.
Love and Healing are two concepts that are imperative to Wezile Mgibe’s artistic practice; he emphasises his own body in his work and considers his ability to be loved and offer love, which to him is integral to the process of internal healing. His work confronts prejudices and advocates against social inequality and creates a platform for critical self-reflexivity within unwelcoming spaces. Mgibe’s public and site-specific performances interrogate the dynamics of site, place and culture.
How do you introduce yourself?
I introduce myself as Wezile Mgibe. Full name, usually I have to say my name twice and emphasise it on the second time because I can be easily mistaken with Fezile.
What do you think makes you a “better man”?
My ability to give and receive love unconditionally.
Tell us more about your upcoming exhibition and your art.
I have a showing towards on 30 January at Greatmore Studios, Cape Town. It is part of my residency, I developed my body of work using various mediums like sound, visual and installation. Primarily I work with performance, but this time I wanted to bring a new element to my work. Residencies for me are a space to leave the familiar behind and completely lose yourself in spontaneous and unexpected ways. That’s how you learn and discover new things about you. More information regarding my showing will be in social networks, follow Greatmore Studios page on Facebook and Instagram, however, I will also share some information.
What’s your winning formula?
Trusting yourself, trust the process. I believe everything has it’s own time and you need to be true to yourself.
What’s next for you?
I am going to Zimbabwe to finish my research “The Politics of Displacement” and right after that, I have to prepare for my residency in Ghana. I am looking forward to that.
What’s your career highlights?
Oh well, I have a couple of them. My short film was part of the international performance art festival in Ukraine, and winning some couple of awards including David Koloane Award, Fruits of Democracy Award and recently nominated for Arts & Culture Trust ImpACT Award. Mostly my highlight is the awesome people I have met along the way, they have so much advice and love and that’s my highlight.
What’s next for you?
I am going to Zimbabwe to finish my research “The Politics of Displacement” and right after that, I have to prepare for my residency in Ghana. I am looking forward to that.
What’s your grooming routine?
Drink lots of water, apparently, it works. I try and have my sleep (it’s hard to do as an artist) I cut my hair every two weeks and once in a while I go to a spa for a treat.
Grand, grand what do you think Manbox is?
A platform for MEN to be seen and heard, mostly to exist in every possible angle they feel best to represent them.
Wezile Mgibe is a Manbox member. Click here to become part of our #BetterMen tribe.
Salute
Anele@MANBOX
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