Absa L’Atelier Winner Lusanda Ndita Unveils First Solo Exhibition in Johannesburg

Absa L’Atelier Winner Lusanda Ndita Unveils First Solo Exhibition in Johannesburg. Visual artist Lusanda Ndita, recipient of the 2024 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award, is set to present his debut solo exhibition, Indlela ibomvu, at Gallery MOMO in Johannesburg, marking a significant milestone in his artistic career.

The exhibition opens to the public on 13 June 2026 and runs until 11 July 2026. Presented through a partnership between Absa, SANAVA, IFAS and Gallery MOMO, the exhibition forms part of Absa’s 2026 Pan African exhibition programme, which aims to showcase emerging and established African artistic talent across the continent.

For Ndita, the exhibition represents the culmination of a period of artistic development that included a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. The residency formed part of the opportunities awarded through the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award and was facilitated in partnership with SANAVA and IFAS.

Indlela ibomvu explores themes of memory, migration, identity and inheritance. Drawing on personal narratives, oral histories and domestic archives, Ndita examines how family histories and generational experiences influence contemporary understandings of belonging and selfhood.

Working across photography, printmaking and collage, the artist creates layered visual narratives that reflect the ways memory is preserved, interpreted and passed from one generation to the next. Through the exhibition, visitors are invited to engage with stories that explore both presence and absence within family histories.

Ndita said the exhibition was shaped by an interest in understanding how memories and personal histories continue to influence people over time.

“Through this body of work, I wanted to explore how memory is carried across generations and how family histories continue to shape who we become,” he said.

Based in South Africa, Ndita’s artistic practice centres on photography, identity, oral histories and archival materials. He is a graduate of the Market Photo Workshop’s Advanced Programme in Photography and has previously exhibited his work in various exhibitions across the country.

The exhibition also highlights the role of the Absa L’Atelier programme, which has supported emerging African artists for nearly four decades through mentorship, professional development opportunities, exhibitions and international exposure.

Dr Paul Bayliss, Senior Specialist: Art and Museum Curator at Absa Group, described the exhibition as an important moment in Ndita’s artistic journey and a reflection of the programme’s impact on nurturing creative talent.

The exhibition is free to attend and will be hosted at Gallery MOMO in Johannesburg.

Exhibition details:

• Exhibition: Indlela ibomvu
• Artist: Lusanda Ndita
• Venue: Gallery MOMO, Johannesburg
• Opening Date: 13 June 2026
• Exhibition Dates: 13 June to 11 July 2026
• Entry: Free