Across Africa, contemporary artists are increasingly turning personal histories into powerful reflections on shared human experiences. For South African visual artist Kutlwano Monyai, grief is not an ending but the beginning of a conversation about healing, resilience and the possibility of joy.
That conversation unfolds in Dakalo – The Ultimate Gift, Monyai’s debut solo exhibition, presented at Gallery MOMO in partnership with Absa and SANAVA following her recognition as the winner of the 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Award. Officially opened on 17 July 2026 in Johannesburg, the exhibition represents a defining moment in the artist’s career while highlighting the role that arts development initiatives continue to play in supporting emerging creative voices across the continent.
The exhibition’s title comes from the Tshivenda word Dakalo, meaning “joy” or “happiness.” Yet Monyai’s interpretation reaches beyond the conventional understanding of happiness. Instead, she presents joy as something cultivated through lived experience; a conscious return to gratitude, hope and human connection despite the realities of loss.
Working with polyethylene, concrete, wood and crocheted materials, Monyai constructs sculptural works that examine how memory, pain and resilience become intertwined within individuals and communities. Everyday materials are transformed into layered narratives that speak not only to South African experiences but also to broader African stories of remembrance, recovery and collective strength.
Speaking at the exhibition, Monyai reflected on the response to her work, saying, “It is great to see people relate to the work.” She added that she wanted people to know that “what is at the heart of this work are the experiences of grief and healing and joy and what that looks like from a point of home in our communities.”
Her work traces an emotional journey that begins with grief before gradually unfolding into hope. Through fractured forms, woven structures and reconstructed domestic materials, the exhibition reflects on how communities inherit, carry and ultimately reshape histories of trauma. Rather than offering definitive answers, the artworks invite viewers to recognise themselves within shared experiences of vulnerability and renewal.
The exhibition also speaks to a growing movement within African contemporary art, where artists are increasingly exploring themes of identity, belonging and emotional wellbeing through innovative materials and deeply personal storytelling. In doing so, Monyai contributes to conversations that resonate far beyond South Africa’s borders.
For Dr Paul Bayliss, Senior Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, the exhibition demonstrates the transformative power of art to help audiences navigate difficult emotions.
“Monyai’s work courageously examines the coexistence of grief and joy, demonstrating that healing is rarely linear. Kutlwano has transformed everyday materials into powerful sculptural narratives that offer insight into the human experience; she explores memory, community, and interconnectedness with remarkable sensitivity. Through ‘Dakalo’, Kutlwano demonstrates that joy is often discovered not in the absence of suffering and pain but through our capacity to rebuild, reconnect, and imagine new possibilities together through an experience we all can recognise,” said Dr Bayliss.
Beyond celebrating one artist’s achievement, Dakalo – The Ultimate Gift also reflects the wider impact of the Absa L’Atelier Art programme, one of Africa’s longest-running visual arts development initiatives. For four decades, the programme has provided emerging artists with opportunities for mentorship, residencies, exhibitions and professional development, helping to elevate African creative talent on local and international stages.
Reflecting on the programme’s significance, Dr Bayliss said, “Absa L’Atelier Art continues to invest in artists by helping them fast-track their careers. Absa L’Atelier Art’s aim is to create opportunities that are meaningful to artistic growth, professional development, and international visibility. Kutlwano’s debut solo exhibition as an Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador is a powerful example of how the initiative’s pillars support developing bold, intellectually rigorous, and socially relevant artists who contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s contemporary art landscape.”
Born in 1996, Monyai is an artist, scholar and independent curator based in Johannesburg. After completing a postgraduate diploma in Fine and Applied Arts at the Tshwane University of Technology, she has steadily built a reputation through exhibitions at the Pretoria Art Museum, Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, Turbine Art Fair, Modern Arts Projects South Africa and a range of collaborative projects exploring memory, identity and materiality.
Her selection as one of the 2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassadors marked another milestone in a career characterised by thoughtful experimentation and critical engagement with contemporary social issues. With Dakalo – The Ultimate Gift, Monyai demonstrates how deeply personal narratives can become universal reflections on healing, resilience and hope.
As African contemporary art continues to gain global recognition, exhibitions such as Dakalo remind audiences that some of the continent’s most compelling stories emerge not only from moments of celebration but also from the courage to confront loss, rebuild community and imagine new futures together.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Dakalo – The Ultimate Gift
Artist: Kutlwano Monyai (2024 Absa L’Atelier Art Ambassador Award Winner)
Venue: Gallery MOMO, Rosebank, Johannesburg
Dates: 18 July – 29 August 2026
Admission: Free
