Neo Matloga (South Africa 1993-)
Dancers

oil, charcoal, pastel, fabric and thread on paper

Artwork date: 2016
Signature details: signed and dated bottom left

(1)

150 x 140 cm; framed size: 165.5 x 155.5 x 8.5 cm

Provenance:

Private collection, Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Neo Matloga is best known for his depictions of what he calls “socially confirmed scenes”[1] – people dancing, sitting together, talking, sharing a drink, or smoking. He elaborates, “I chose to make work that reflects on daily dramas, love affairs, gatherings, and conversations,” and “seek to offer insights into human nature and everyday living.”[2]

Growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, Matloga’s childhood was shaped by the country’s evolving cultural and social landscape. Immersed in music, literature, and visual arts from an early age, he developed a practice that meditates on the healing power of family and home – capturing fleeting moments of joy and connection.

Drawing inspiration from family photo albums, South African soap operas, and theatre, Matloga crafts scenes that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. While rooted in his own experience, his work reflects a broader narrative of South African culture and the wider Black diaspora. “I hope the audience will see their emotions, their experiences, their spirits living on my canvases,” he says.[3]

This early work, completed in 2016 as part of the series of works titled, Moo re tswang gona, which were shown at Christopher Moller Gallery at the FNB Johannesburg Art Fair, offers an intriguing glimpse into Matloga’s artistic evolution. The series’ title, translated from Sepedi as Where we come from, speaks to a sense of origin and belonging. Already, we see Matloga pushing beyond the surface of the image – engaging with paper as more than just a substrate but as an integral part of the work’s materiality. Most notably, this marks the beginning of his signature collage practice. Printed fabrics, likely a nod to home and heritage, introduce another dimension to his figures, foreshadowing the dynamic experimentation that would define his later work. His depictions of people dancing, a recurring theme in his practice, can already be seen in this early work – capturing movement, rhythm, and the communal joy that remains central to his artistic vision.

^{[1] Oberholzer, S. (2020). Neo Matloga’s art is all about connection. Sowetan Live. [Online]. Available: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/s-mag/2020-07-23-neo-matlogas-art-is-all-about-connection/}

^{[2] Ibid}

^{[3] Avant Arte. (2025). [Online]. Available: https://avantarte.com/artists/neo-image-matloga?tab=about}

COLLECTIONS:

The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the South African Embassy, Washington DC.; ABN AMRO Foundation, Netherlands; City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng; Chazen Museum of Art, Wisconsin; Thami Mnyele Foundation, Netherlands; Fries Museum, Netherlands; SMAK, the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Gent; The Swizz Beatz art collection and Dordrechts Museum, Netherlands.