Greatjoy Ndlovu is a visual artist born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
His current body of work renders its focus on the portrayal of masculinity, identity, and the abstract representation of the nature of thought conceptions, particularly in light of a generational mindset as expressed in his series, “Conversations of a Man” (2019).
Ndlovu’s style most notably displays expressionistic and representational ideas with figurative drawings, while retaining an enthralling tinge of abstraction that is frequently showcased in his works. Also featured, are mind-piercing forms of portraiture which seek to decipher internal truths and meanings with a lightness of detail, avoiding the common trappings of semblances of superficiality. His work begins with light, experimental sketches that soon develop into large-scale detailed works or series, without losing experimental elements that so characterizes his oeuvre.
Ndlovu’s work is strongly influenced by challenges incurred by men in society. It often aims to table talk and to inspire men and the greater society, to raise and tackle these challenges with an elevated degree of importance, moving towards the need to help socialize and educate young boys, differently. These notions are carved out from personal, lived experiences and are contained and well referenced in his autobiographical art book, “The Path to Greatjoy“ (2018).
Ndlovu is a philanthropist, working alongside non-profit organizations such as the SOS Children’s Village and Operation smile. He believes charity, work ethic, education, and creativity serve as key catalysts to the development of our communities. Ndlovu studied art at Cyrene Mission in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, and has been featured in exhibitions at various national art fairs and galleries. Ndlovu was a recipient of a three-month European based international artist residence award by the Southern African Foundation For Contemporary Art (SAFFCA) in Knysna, Western Cape (2019) with French artist, Luc Detot, and has participated in commercial campaigns, as well as panels on a host of social justice issues.
His work is included in the troves of various art collectors, including South African comedian and U.S. television host, Trevor Noah, American filmmaker, Ava Duvernay, as well as ABSA Bank, South African Horizons, Envisionit Capital Solutions, Vision Capital Management, GAPP Architects, and Urban Designers.