Mandlenkosi Mavengere is a Zimbabwean-born artist whose work explores themes of migration, identity, and economic disparity through a distinctive combination of printmaking and painting. Born in 1992 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Mavengere moved to South Africa after completing his O’level education, where he began his artistic journey at the renowned Artist Proof Studio, completing a three-year printmaking program.

At the core of Mandlenkosi Mavengere’s practice is the conceptual use of currency, particularly his fictional “Gondruala” banknotes, which symbolize the pursuit of wealth as a driver of migration and critique the socio-economic systems that shape migrant identities. His linocuts and etchings, often printed on canvas or fabric, feature directional lines that represent displacement, repeated patterns that mirror systemic constraints, and portraits with occupational headgear that reflect the transformation migrants undergo to assimilate.

Mavengere’s art is deeply personal, born from his own experiences navigating the complexities of migration. “You are forced to let go of your values and culture to blend in,” he reflects. His work addresses not only the individual cost of migration but also larger questions around Africa’s place in the global economy, highlighting the exploitation of the continent’s natural wealth and the economic imbalances that persist in a globalised world.

In 2017, Mandlenkosi Mavengere was selected for a mentorship at the William Kentridge Studio, which expanded his conceptual scope into sculpture and advanced print techniques. Since then, he has exhibited at leading platforms including the Turbine Art Fair, AKAA Art Fair (Paris), Cape Town Art Fair, Absa Gallery, and Strauss & Co, with works held in notable collections such as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the Minerals Council South Africa.

In 2025, his solo exhibition, “Currency, Culture & Migration: The Mandla Mavengere Print & Etchings Collection”, is presented at MCA Gallery – Madlozi Contemporary Art, further solidifying his role as a key voice in contemporary African art.

Through layered symbolism and powerful visuals, Mandlenkosi Mavengere’s art invites reflection on the cost of migration, the construction of identity, and the endurance of those in search of a better future.

He is currently represented in Cape Town by The Artists Gallery, and his work continues to tour internationally with The Travelling Art Gallery.