Viwe Ntsingila: Painting Chaos, Memories, and Echoes of the Future.

In the textured sprawl of Ga-Rankuwa, Tshwane, a distinct voice is emerging—one not carried through words, but through brushstrokes, charcoal, and visual chaos that somehow makes more sense than silence. That voice belongs to Viwe Ntsingila: a visual artist, producer, and sometimes designer whose work doesn’t just reflect his world—it rips it open and invites you to sit with the pieces.

“To take to worlds of my bothered mind,” Ntsingila says, describing the motivation behind his art. There’s a rawness in the way he approaches his practice, a vulnerability that is neither staged nor polished, but wholly lived. Visual art, for him, began as a form of escape—a way to quiet the incessant hum of thought. “But over time, it became my way of life,” he shares. “It was never really a choice. It was just there for me.”

It’s this unfiltered connection to the craft that echoes through his body of work, where each piece feels less like a product and more like a journal entry. Figures in Chaos 4, Umdlalo we Mfene 3, and an unnamed current work still in progress (which, with a wink, he hints you should stick around for), don’t just aim to impress—they challenge. “These pieces are more like journals of real-life events close to my heart,” he explains. They are emotional timestamps, both deeply personal and universally resonant.

His influences reflect a broad, curated palette of inspiration: Francis Bacon, whom he credits as the “first person to show me how to put pain on a canvas.” Bacon’s tormented figuration seems to seep into Ntsingila’s chaotic forms, but it’s never imitation—it's transformation. From Thabang Nale, he borrows myth and mysticism, crafting dreamscapes rooted in African cosmologies. And in the stark, soulful strokes of Thoephelus Rikhotso, particularly the charcoal renderings of Tsonga villages, Ntsingila finds a reverence for culture and community that lingers.

But even with this constellation of references, Viwe Ntsingila’s work is its own galaxy. It challenges, interrogates, and sometimes confuses. “My work will make people question more about their state of being—and if not, then they’ll probably question mine,” he says with characteristic bluntness. Still, there’s no doubt in his mind that what he creates is beautiful.

In an age of distraction, his mission remains clear: create or crumble. “If you’re not creating, what are you doing?” he asks—a question that lingers long after the interview ends, echoing like a challenge in a world too often numb to beauty.

And for those watching, one thing is certain: Viwe Ntsingila is not just documenting chaos. He’s making meaning of it.

Follow Viwe Ntsingila online to keep up with his latest work, thoughts, and upcoming exhibitions.