Sam Nhlengethwa

Sam Nhlengethwa, born in 1955 in Springs, South Africa, has established a profound connection between his art and his lifelong passion for jazz, deeply rooted in his family's love for the genre. Living and working in Johannesburg, Nhlengethwa's work is a vibrant homage to the world of jazz, influenced by the musical heritage carried by his family, particularly his jazz musician brother.

Nhlengethwa's artistic process is intrinsically linked to jazz music, with the genre's rhythms and improvisations playing a pivotal role in his creative expression. He views painting jazz as a means to visually articulate the music's dynamic essence, from its rhythmic complexities to its unique vocal styles and tonal distortions. Through his jazz-themed collages, Nhlengethwa seeks to capture the genre's spontaneity and interpretative nature, employing distorted patterns to mirror jazz's distinctive tonal qualities.

As a collagist and painter, Nhlengethwa cherishes the freedom his medium affords him, enabling him to explore and express the rich tapestry of jazz music visually. While acknowledging the influence of predecessors like Gerard Sekoto, Romare Bearden, and Henri Matisse, who also ventured into jazz-themed art, Nhlengethwa contributes his unique voice to this artistic tradition, celebrating jazz not only as a musical form but as a vibrant source of inspiration for visual art.

‍