You’ve got to wonder what Msaki cannot do? As her legions of fans will tell you, she’s one of South Africa’s hottest musical talents, acclaimed for her powerful, immersive songwriting and transcending vocals. But the award-winning musician also recently introduced a Joburg audience to the manifold dimensions of her artistry with her multidisciplinary exhibition, Kuti Mandithethe: Of Art and Justice, curated by Standard Bank’s Same Mdluli.
Given that the young muso was Standard Bank’s 2022 Young Artist of the Year for Music, it makes sense that this exhibition is on at the bank’s gallery in Marshalltown, Joburg. What is a surprise, though, is how the institutional space has been transformed into a sacred, spiritual place of healing and community, each corner offering a glimpse of Msaki’s life and creativity.
Asanda Lusaseni Mvana, known professionally as Msaki, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in advocating for social issues while embracing the beauty of her Xhosa heritage and ancestry. Every month, 500,000 listeners on Spotify and Apple Music engage with her creativity. Her attention to language, words and sounds as instruments evokes feelings or experiences, and even changes perspectives. It’s what makes her one of the finest artists of today, expanding the wealth and diversity of South African music.
Though her sound is categorised as indie folk, Msaki continues to blend and fuse genres, refusing to be boxed in. To that end, she’s worked with artists and producers from various backgrounds, including Black Coffee, Sun-El Musician, Tresor and Muney. “I’m just a person who has stories and I think, for me, music, instruments and sounds bear a means to share that story and my essence, and [they’re] a way to stay connected,” she says.
The intersection of sound and image
“Kuthi Mandithethe” is an isiXhosa phrase that refers to the urge to speak or say something, or of feeling compelled to do so. Through paintings, installations and film, the exhibition offers a multisensory experience of Msaki herself, from games she played during her childhood to abstract self-portraits in different colours and frames.
The exhibition opens with church pews at the centre of the space, gated by wooden planks and barbed wire, with roses surrounding the gates and a traditional handmade grass mat and soil ikhokho flooring.
On the show’s opening night, and accompanied by a string quartet, Msaki serenades the crowd from here, offering each guest a rose. Using warm, ambient lighting, the live music and the intimate space, she affirms that this is a safe space and encourages her audience to be vulnerable and free. Leading her audience to the main stage, she sings acoustic versions from her earlier works like Tiram and Blood Guns and Revolutions while paying tribute to iconic Xhosa musician Latozi Mpahleni Madosini. The exhibition is a homage to her culture, with ancient Xhosa instruments, artifacts and regalia.
“The aim was to offer a space where people can feel as though they’re not just observing the work but stepping inside it – experiencing the intersection of sound and image as Msaki does when she often composes her music,” says Standard Bank’s Mdluli.
Art and activism
An active advocate for justice and truth, Msaki worked on mixed-media exhibitions before Kuti Mandithethe that address recurring social issues. She had a residency at the Nirox Foundation, where she created Platinumb Heart. That exhibition addressed gender-based violence, corruption and love in protest through drawings, paintings, film and installations. She also presented Delakufa – an exhibition that explored memory, trauma, and healing – at the National Arts Festival.
The Standard Bank exhibition comes after the release of her second collaborative album, Synthetic Hearts Part II, made with African folk artist Tubatsi Mpho Moloi. Jam-packed with instant classics like Green to Gold, Time Against the World and Imini Yesithembiso, it is a continuation of the duo’s sonic journey – following on from 2023’s Synthetic Hearts – opening a portal of healing and love, while experimenting with new tones. The album, produced by cellist Clément Petit and Frédéric Soulard, maintains Msaki’s declaration to be a vessel of music.
Kuthi Mandithethe comes as a warm-up to Msaki’s upcoming musical celebration, Camagu in Symphony. It takes place at the SunBet Arena at Tshwane’s Time Square on December 12, and will be an opportunity for the dynamo to show gratitude for 10 years in the South African music industry. In true collaborative style, she’ll be performing alongside a star-studded lineup of local musicians too.
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