Artist Biography — Nqobile Hlela
Hlela was born in 1995 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. During his high school years, he attended art classes at the Tatham Art Gallery, facilitated by Thulani Makhaya. In 2014, he moved to Durban to study Fine Art at the Durban University of Technology. He is currently based in Pietermaritzburg and became a member of the Amasosha Art Movement in 2024.
Hlela has participated in several notable exhibitions, His dedication to his practice earned him recognition as a finalist in the Sasol New Signatures competition in both 2021 and 2023. He also participated in the Vulamehlo Art Residency (VAR), hosted by the Rebirth Art Project Space (RAPS) in 2023–2024. In 2025, he was appointed by the eThekwini Municipality’s Department of Architecture to design murals as part of the Corridors of Excellence public art project. Izihlahla Ziyokhuluma art exhibition, Amasosha Art Movement at the KZNSA Gallery, 2025.
Hlela’s practice primarily involves painting and drawing, with a strong focus on portraiture and figurative imagery. His distinctive use of green and natural symbolism explores themes of healing, rebirth, and renewal. Juxtapose Afrofuturism and Spiritually associated with restoration, the colour green is central to his visual language, often expressed in deep, layered tones of acrylic paint on canvas. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences, his community, African culture and history, as well as popular culture and spirituality, Hlela’s work serves as both documentation and dialogue. His paintings reflect on contemporary African identity and storytelling, aiming to inspire new generations while preserving a sense of cultural memory and spiritual introspection.
