FRATPACKER WORLD.

THE MASONWABE NTLOKO STORY

When people say fine art and especially into regards with the painting community, the images of black faces is not the first image or thought that comes to mind for most people. We usually here of stories about black artists either being blackballed, stolen from or shunned from these communities and spaces. The beauty of social media has been the access to discovering such artists and not having the usual barriers such as access to infrastructures like galleries and museums for people to showcase their work. Now, we can support and circulate the work within each other as our own community and build our own fanbases but at the end of the day traditional and physical keypoints still help. One artist who has been able to imprint black faces into the art world, our minds & hearts, online and within galleries and museums is South African artist, Masonwabe Ntloko.

Masonwabe Ntloko was born 1996 in Ngwane, Willowvale. Inspired by the culture and people of the place he grew up in he decided to study Textile Design at Nelson Mandela University, graduating in 2018, and through his studies he has been able to build a distinct visual language that aims to preserve isiXhosa language and heritage. Right after graduating he wasted no time putting his skills and passion right to work. He entered a Yogi-Sip competition in 2019 that he won and through that he was able to start his own studio and so the Masonwabe Ntloko Studio came to life. The competition was the country’s introduction to Masonwabe and his work with there being four bottles printed with his designs that were sold nationwide in 2020. The partnerships didn’t end there with Masonwabe. In 2021 he collaborated with Markham by TFG [The Foschini Group] on a capsule collection that was well received nationally. Later that year he partnered with Airloom Decor to create the rug collection titled ILIFA LETHU which took South Africa by storm. After three drops the partnership ended. Through this experience and seeing the reception of his art and collections, Masonwabe decided to end his run of partnerships and focus on building his own independent brand to create his own community and fanbase of loyal buyers and collectors to sell to.

Masonwabe’s last collaboration came in 2022 with Warner Music Africa by rebranding the entire company. He has since released a knitwear collection in 2023 titled AMEVA AYABANGULANA and continues his beloved ILIFA LETHU rug collection with the latest drop in 2025. He also hosted a sold-out solo exhibition independently of his paintings in 2023 titled ILISO LOMOYA. He’s been featured on magazines such as GQ for his work as well.

At the end of 2025 Masonwabe unveiled a capsule clothing collection and has released several limited editions print collection along the way. Through his multidisciplinary practice Masonwabe Ntloko continues to explore the intersection of culture, identity, and design establishing a body of work that is personal, innovative, and deeply rooted in the heritage of his upbringing. Masonwabe has also showcase in group exhibition with galleries such as Origin Art Gallery, BNAP Foundation, World Art Gallery, he has also shown some of his work at the Latitudes Art Fair 2025, with some of his work currently in the University of Pretoria Museums. Masonwabe has also had an opportunity to showcase some of his work in Brussels with Limani Gallery at the Belfius Bank. Masonwabe works in mediums: digitally (for designing), fine liner and acrylic on paper for paintings but we now that we have the canvas that is Masonwabe Ntloko, I’ll be the brush as he paints the self-portrait of his background.

INTERVIEW WITH MASONWABE NTLOKO

What colour would you paint the town?

Why does the town need to be painted? I am fine with the picture. I think we are so self-obsessed with our value because we think people should share the values we have. I’m not the president, the only people that should suffer for my consequences are my kids. Everyone else I should not be making decision for people.

You paint portraits are these real figures or just people you envision?

It’s a bit of both. I paint sometimes. How I started drawing was because when I was younger, we knew you could draw f you could draw a person so that’s the base I judge myself on. Reference is a big thing drawing celebrities and soccer players. I started drawing people from the internet but I started wanting a certain look and certain feel, so I started shooting images so that it became real and professional work. It’s everyday people and sometimes I add imagination into it if I want certain details or features changed. Few time it’s off the dome.

What’s the self-portrait you would paint for people to get to know you?

If I just draw me in my everyday clothing with my style that’s me. My work is a true reflection of who I am. The work itself is me. Even if I’m drawing the most urban person because the style lends its self to tradition and culture you’re still going to look at it as blackness and Africanness. It would just be me wear what I wear on a daily basis using my style.

Why did started you on the path of illustration and painting?

I think, I’ve always known this is what I wanted to be but were I grew up we didn’t access to the information and knowledge to these things. From when I knew I could draw I knew I wanted to this for the rest of my life. You get to varsity and the one question you have to ask yourself is what do you want to be remembered for. I wanted to be someone who can say that my people could see themselves in but could also access and that birthed the style and identity of the artists that you see and experience today. Also I released that I came from a very rich background in knowledge on blackness, culture, isiXhosa. When I started meeting people I realised people didn’t have these same experiences as me but still wanted a space where they felt they belong so I’m an entry point to understanding the blackness and culture from an artistic lens.

What is your relationship with hip-hop?

I say that the two things that are the reason I am who I am today in the creative space is hip-hop and Dragon Ball Z. The first time I saw people drawing was cartoons with weird spikey hair, first time I saw myself in an artform is hip-hop. I’ve been listening to hip-hop since 2007 I was eleven. My older brother [cousin] left a white cd with gang hip-hop music and he loved Eminem, but I didn’t really feel it like that. In this CD there was The Game’s Doctor’s Advocate, Rick Ross – Port of Miami, Jay-Z – American Gangster, Kanye West – Graduation, Eminem- Eminem Show, G-Unit Beg For Mercy. I started listening to the CD he left behind and once I got into the Kanye West album and Bittersweet took me away and at the same Stronger music video comes out and how the background of the video and song came together. I hear about the Atira movie and hip-hop opens this weird world where I’m exposed to knowledge because every time a rapper does a reference I want to know about it and that increased my love for research. Where example they say Micheal Jordan game seven, but what does it mean? I wanted to involve myself in the conversation but with understanding. It became something I could see myself in. There was a look, a sound, a feel and all the touch points that it had were the ones to which I could relate. I could see a future me in this artform even though not being a rapper but the self-confidence rappers had is something I could see in myself and encourage me to be the black king I am.

How does hip-hop influence your work?

It influences my work but not in the way you think it does. My rollouts are based on music. The beauty of not hearing an album before the day drops is how I present my work. So, a lot of my rollouts I can always tell you whhc album inspired it. I operate just like artists would, but I tweaked it because as much pre-roll out is important so is post-roll out. I noticed a lot of musicians fall in that area where the goal is to purchase the music but what about the following after? Hip-Hop taught me taste because a lot of the references are high-end fashion and art just like Pharell would reference Nigo or Kany makes an album cover art by Josh Jundo or Clipse’s makes an album and the cover is made by KAWS. You know about Jerry Lorenzo because of what he did next to Kanye West, so a lot of my understanding and taste of the world came from hip-hop. I make this joke that you cannot be a great graphic designer if you do not listen to hip-hop because of the taste, it teaches you. You need to know culture, and you will be able to see it through the work. Our understanding of fashion comes from what Roc Marciano is going to wear, even in terms of smell. Hip-hop taught me a lot about presentation because hip-hop artists took rollouts and album covers seriously and made references that made us want to know more about the world of art beyond the music.

What are the hip-hop album covers that you worked on that people don’t know about?

I worked on Zoocci Coke Dope’s – Anxiety the first one, I shoot that on my iPhone 6S. I did his Anxiety Plus as well. I did 25K’s- Pheli Makaveli, the whole rollout. I did Zulu Mecca, two EPs Fable & Wept, and some singles on the EPs. I am trying to remember now because it was so long that I struggle to remember and don’t really think about it PH-Raw – Sense, Experience & Eqiouto. Cassper – Good for That. Cassper – Amademoni. Then I have some jazz and house ones. Simphiwe Dana – Bamakho, Jimmy Dluldu- History in a Frame, De Mthuda – The Landlord. Songs that became hits, De Mthuda – Emlanjeni, Njelic – Wamuhle, Every DJ Stokie album until Soke S’bone.

As someone who’s work is heavily influenced by their culture what do you think of South African Hip-Hop and its infusion or lack of our cultures?

I can speak from a fan’s perspective, but when I speak form a fan’s perspective it’s not to push people to do things a way. So, my opinion is not how people should do things, but I do think what hindered it’s growth was its falling back of adding its blackness to it. A lot of our success stories are very much based on people being unapologetic themselves. What people need to start realising that music is really universal so language and inspiration is not much of a barrier as you think it is. When you listen to Afro beats you can tell what influenced but you made it your own. So, I think what’s happening right now is that what became the mainstream. I would love to ask Cassper of him wearing Mr.Price was intentional because it made a lot of people feel relatable to him. AKA rapped in English, but the music sounded South African. Lord Kez AWE is a good example because it’s R&B but with South African influenced in it. This is something Sjava does well and why he’s so big. Do what’s right for you but from a fans perspective I want to see a lot of me in the art and where I come from.

If aliens had to come and see our world what is the picture you would paint for them?

Interesting question. I think I would make sure that the subjects in the world is black. I believe a lot of what’s great with the world is rooted in blackness. I would want them to know how great and amazing black people and culture is. It would be heavily influenced by myself and a lot of the lifestyle I live. I wouldn’t be trying to teach them everything but what they would be able to take away from the artwork I the love and passion I have for my people and might not be great lesson to teach to aliens but hey it’s MY artwork at the end of the day.

As a real life X-Man which X-Men would you describe a yourself as?
MY favourtie has always been Wolverine for obvious reasons. The reason I’ve always seen myself as Wolverine is because the ability to fight every day for weather what you believe in, what you stand for, the life you want for yourself is something I’ve found admirable. Also, the ability to find yourself to live through all eras because he is like hundreds of years old and it’s such a beautiful thing because you experienced the world. His inkani [hard-headedness] of looking at a situation and knowing you not going to win but you still fight and find a way to win is admirable. I know it sounds like a safe answer but I am not Mystique I do not blend in and I’m not trying to. I’m not Jean Grey I’m not gifted from birth, a lot I had to work on and I didn’t tart out the best but as much as you try with heart, passion and putting in a lot of work you become the best and create the things you’ve always wanted to see come into real life.

THE END.