Triennale - In Conversation with Simphiwe Buthelezi

41 Avenue Podcast and The Stellenbosch Triennale have partnered to bring you the series, In Conversations With. In this series we sit down with some of the renowned artists whose work is currently on show at The Stellenbosch Triennale. Join us for these illuminating conversations where we talk with the artists about their works and process as well as what inspired them. “Simphiwe Buthelezi is a South African installation artist and sculptor, who utilises traditional Zulu ‘icansi’ (hand-woven reed mats), glass beads and ‘tankrali’ (Zulu seed beads) to engage with the existential undertaking of “ukubuyela e masisweni” or “returning to the source”. Reed mats, leather, beads, metal compounds and cotton canvas are endlessly reworked, reconsidered and reshaped through her meticulous craftsmanship and the repetitive processes of cutting, folding, sewing and bonding. While the established conceptual threads of Buthelezi’s oeuvre begin in cultural dynamics and African Spirituality, her practice is grounded in a relentless exploration of materiality and form. For Buthelezi, these multifaceted, intergenerational objects are a continuation of what came before, and her practice of mending, reshaping and nurturing ‘icansi’ & ‘tankrali’ acts as not only a practical exploration but also a spiritual interrogation of material and form.” – Stellenbosch Triennale 2025 Host/s: Izak Buys Guest/s: Simphiwe Buthelezi Film & Audio Production: Sihle James Film & Audio Production Assistant: Themba Mazibuko Animator: Nico Jardim Producers: Sizwe Taele, Pyda Nyariri, Kate Hilson & Jordyn Dreyer