​Contemporary South African Art

​Ndinisa carves his woodblocks from masonite, and before painting the woodcut in brilliant, Ndebele influenced colours, he pulls woodcuts from the block in black and white. His works on paper carry political messages, depicting imprisonment and other aspects of the struggle for democracy

Roy Ndinisa
Roy Ndinisa was born in 1954 in Swaziland.
As a young man, Ndinisa joined PAMBA an arts organization in Pretoria which taught its members an appreciation of art, music and dance. It was here that Ndinisa met artist Walter Battiss and attended classes given by him. Ndinisa played the drums while his mother, an Ndebele sangoma, consulted with her patients and he has a love for music. He has worked in the Lighting Department at Sun City and behind the scenes with Pact’s Opera section. He is involved in teaching art to others.
His works on paper carry political messages, depicting imprisonment and other aspects of the struggle for democracy. In 1993 his detailed watercolour and pen and ink portrait, entitled The Black President, expressed his hopes that Mandela would be elected.

This work is on view on the Mandela @ 90 exhibition.

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Ndinisa also carves woodblocks from masonite, and before painting the block in brilliant primary colours, he pulls woodcut prints in black and white .His woodcuts are created with highly stylized figures, and decorative patterns.

His two major themes include his concern for the preservation of tribal, traditional life and his fear that assimilation is taking place in the urbanized African living a Westernised lifestyle in the townships.