Siyazamazama – Berlin
Opening Friday, August 8th, 16:00- 21:00
HVW8 Gallery Berlin
Linienstraße 161, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Artist Statement
“Siyazamazama,” is a Zulu word meaning “we are trying” or “we are struggling,” is the emotional core of this exhibition. Born in Mozambique, raised in Johannesburg, and now based in Berlin, I live between geographies, cultures, and emotional realities. My work is rooted in this layered identity and in the ongoing negotiation of self within global systems often indifferent—or even hostile—to African existence.
Working primarily in acrylic on canvas, I draw aesthetic inspiration from the bold lettering and vibrant visuals of Johannesburg’s barbershop signage. The fluid strokes and gestural figures in my work echo the communal energy of these spaces, while fragments of Joburg’s CBD and urban textures ground the paintings in the landscape of my youth.
This collection reflects on what it means to be African in a world that demands our participation but rarely offers equal footing. Whether on the continent or abroad, we are expected to keep pace with Western ideals, economies, and narratives—while carrying the inherited weight of struggle, displacement, and resilience. Siyazamazama is a response to that tension: we are not just trying—we are fighting to remain whole.
My visual language combines layered surfaces, inner-city landscapes, and stylized figures to reflect the push-pull between survival and visibility. These works hold both the fatigue and the fire of trying—always trying—to be heard, to be seen, to belong.
Siyazamazama is not a cry of defeat. It is a declaration of persistence. Of dignity. Of the everyday labor of living while Black, African, and diasporic in a world that often refuses to fully recognize us. It is a tribute to those who carry on—not because it is easy, but because stopping is not an option.
Isaac Zavale – Biography
Isaac Zavale is a Mozambican fine and street artist, born in 1988 in Maputo. He currently lives and works between Johannesburg and Berlin. A graduate of the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg (2012), Zavale co-founded the printmaking studio Prints on Paper (POP) and launched the Alphabet Zoo zine and workshop series alongside longtime collaborator Minenkulu Ngoyi.
His practice centers on the social and political realities of Southern Africa, filtered through the lens of his experience as a Mozambican immigrant. Drawing from a background in mural painting and signwriting, Zavale’s recent works often depict inner-city scenes and textures of Johannesburg, focusing on how urban spaces are creatively inhabited, repurposed, and claimed by diverse African communities.
Zavale’s work has been exhibited locally and internationally, including solo and group exhibitions across South Africa, Germany, France, Latvia, and the UK. Notable exhibitions include If Yesterday Was Tomorrow What Is Today (BODE Projects, Berlin, 2020–21), Joni Ya Milenge (Kalashnikovv Gallery, Johannesburg, 2020), and Love Letters to the City (Urban Nation Museum, Berlin, 2024). He has also participated in major art fairs including 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, AKAA Paris, and the Investec Cape Town Art Fair.
His commissioned work includes illustration and design for Apple Music, The Elder Statesman, and Tigra Tigra, and his work has been featured in publications such as PHAIDON’s Vitamin Txt: Words in Contemporary Art (2024).
Through layered, expressive surfaces and a deep engagement with city life, Zavale’s work foregrounds the dignity, defiance, and creativity of everyday African life.
featured image: Ejozi kwamazenzela , 120cmX150cm, acrylic on canvas, 2023
