Painter, print artist and muralist Isaac Zavale was born in 1988 in Maputo, Mozambique, where his family lived before escaping to Johannesburg during the civil war. In South Africa, Zavale launched his artistic career and co-founded the printmaking studio Prints On Paper (POP).

“My art invites you to immerse yourself in the heart of African culture, to reflect on the resilience of people and to consider the profound impact of informal trade on society.”

His work is focused on social and political issues in South Africa, observed from the perspective of a Mozambican immigrant. Zavale’s paintings and prints often feature inner-city street scenes. The work Abeo’s Barbershop has two themes: first, the barbershop as a cultural hub and social gathering point that is deeply linked to African identity according to Zavale. Second, the painting is about informal trading—a necessary means of surviving for many people excluded from the formal labor market. Here, people give proof of their resilience, ingenuity, and adaptability to the modern world.

On loan courtesy of the Gewobag collection.