Fhatuwani Mukheli has an air of unbridled joy about him – infectiously positive and determined, as a national treasure and indelible influencer who continues to drive the possibilities of his life beyond further and further. His life’s work has been channeled through varying roles as a photographer, creative director, film-maker and co-founder of varying spaces; and still, he has added another layer of transformation to his creative arsenal; Fhatuwani as an artist – the culmination of all these roles before him. This term, descript in its essence of conveying creativity, is traditional in this context for Fhatuwani’s growth; this new frontier is as a fine-artist: the summit of all Fhatuwani has learned and achieved thus far in his career, While this may appear “new” to his followers and community, in fact, Fhatuwani’s entry into art is a return to his inner-child; in which drawing and painting formed an intrinsic part of his childhood from 7 years old. Encouraged by his twin brother, Justice Mukheli, and his closest friends, to seize this metamorphosis fully – Fhatuwani’s entry into being an artist is his entry into a space of vulnerability, a space that has been carefully nurtured since lockdown 2020 – and now, Fhatuwani is ready to share it with the world at large. In collaboration with Kindred Gallery and Gorgeous George Hotel, Fhatuwani’s first residency will culminate in his first solo show – Double Exxposure. 

Samantha Whittaker, Jana Hamman and Koos Groenewald joined Kindred Gallery and its owner Ryan Brüssow to co-curate and bring this show to its fruition; a project that has come to be a successful study in intentional collaboration and synergy of their shared vision. In conversation with Fhatuwani at the iconic Gigi’s rooftop, we discuss this precious moment for Fhatuwani – delving into the heart of the theme of Double Exxposure, artistic expression as the center from which Fhatuwani has always expressed himself – and that all before this has been preparation for Fhatuwani’s emergence as a critically important South African fine artist.

“I had moved into my new apartment and then the lockdown hit, and I couldn’t leave – like all of us. I was bored, but with that came this time of introspection; I found myself asking, who am I? What do I really enjoy? When there’s no one around me, what is it that I feel? Art and drawing is my first love. Justice and I started doing art when we were 7 years old; we saw our dad draw a portrait of us on cassette tape paper, and he was playing jazz and smoking cigarettes. That portrait that he drew, of the three of us, was our first experience of ourselves as artistic or creative; it opened up a curiosity that continues to this day, and that has guided both Justice and I through everything. I was feeling a  bit anxious or low during lockdown – and between my two loves of art and gymnastics – art seemed to be the most accessible at that moment. I couldn’t do a backflip in my apartment at that time, so art was what I knew could bring a sense of healing and therapy.” Fhatuwani’s admission of this contrast between gymnastics and art as his central passion are concise and sincere in describing his yearning for balance in both body and mind. Fhatuwani is focused on movement – whether it’s in his unfolding career, or challenging his physical body – or guiding his hands to spill forth his inner world. “I started drawing on paper, and it was so therapeutic. It got me back in touch with my inner child – and I felt like that kid who was drawing and getting better at it. It’s the pure excitement of drawing a face a bit better each time. I shared what I was doing with Justice, and invited him to paint and draw, and just chill, like we used to. I think that’s why this experience has evolved into something so special; because it has come from the innocence of my inner-child and curiosity about people and the world.” Fhatuwani shares openly with his community of 77k followers – conveying the aspirational aspects of his life like traveling around the world, brand partnerships – but also of himself, too. Fhatuwani is as delighting offline as he is online – so when he shared his drawings on Instagram during lockdown, it piqued the interest of a woman in the US. The first drawing he sold was to her – and this set his artistic expression in full motion, beyond the privacy of his own therapeutic healing. Although this led money to be quite motivating – particularly during the onset of the pandemic, in which everyone was hit financially – Fhatuwani had to re-establish his intentions for sharing his art, on this he says “I started making more, and after selling some and then hitting a quiet spot where no one was interested – I started feeling weird again, or self-conscious. You need to just do it for you – I had to remind myself – money will come, and it does add value, but I have to remember that this is for my therapy and health. It’s for centering myself, everything else is such a bonus and blessing.”

Fhatuwani has since moved his practice to a studio at 44 Stanley in Johannesburg – a growing hub that supports the creative and entrepreneurial spirit that is brimming in the city. He shares the space with Justice, and has never looked back; “I am living my dream, now. I have for a long time, but being able to feel and be a professional artist is a full circle moment for me. It’s a letter to my younger self. The universe is showing me that I can do it. My work is healing me, too. What more could I ever want? I am having that conversation with my younger self, and I’m having my second childhood. I also think this time is about sharing the complexities of who I am – you know, I am about positivity, and Justice and I focus on sharing that spirit with everyone – but we have had hardships and trauma, and there are times when I feel low or am dealing with things that are complicated. Having a broken family when our dad left us, sparked a problem-solving way of life for Justice and I – but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t hurt. My art is a way of showing that side of myself, too; the whole of Fhatuwani. In doing that, I hope we can create space for the full truth of who people are and what we all have to experience in this life.” 

Fhatuwani’s upcoming showcase at the new Pink Room at Gorgeous George Hotel delves into the duality and double meanings in life; the contrast and similarities, the clarity and mystery, of being a twin – an influencer – and of being a photographer and now an artist – and it deals with Fhatuwani’s innate viewpoint of people and memories; translating his exceptional grasp of form behind the lens, to mixed medium depictions of his inner-world. Co-curator Koos Groenewald comments on the richness of this subject, “Double Exxposure is a photographic term, but it’s quite nice to claim it as an artistic term in this context. The great thing about a strong concept is that it reveals itself to you as the process unfolds; funnily, when we first started talking, someone mentioned that “oh, yes because they’re twins!” and we were blown away – we hadn’t even thought of it. I think it speaks to Fhatuwani’s individuation from being a twin, or a co-founder – and into a space that is his own, but inevitably brings all of that with him as the foundation for what he creates.” Samantha Whittaker, who along with Ryan Brüssow, Jana and Koos – all found themselves effortlessly diving into this process with Fhatuwani; in which, their intentionality is so aligned, that the process has been a breeze; a collaboration between friends bring visions into being. On this Samantha says, “One of the most interesting things has been the warmth of the Gorgeous George team. All of our motivations are so pure, so there has been this incredible energy of support and generosity. It’s been a beautiful practice in letting art just happen; we can facilitate it, but together and with the alignment we all have; it’s turning into something very special.”

Regarding Fhatuwani’s medium and stylistic development, what began as a journey with charcoal – has now seen him venture into acrylics and varying mediums- weaving in his own references of graffiti, and the graphic design he learned in advertising. Fhatuwani is driven by what he wants to see in the world; not what the world expects of him; and in so doing, the story of his life has opened up another chapter. This testimony to us all that anything is possible, and Fhatuwani Mukheli has always been an artist; in some way, this is just our invitation to join him as he goes further and further into living beyond his wildest dreams. 

Double Exxposure will be taking place at Gorgeous George’s Pink Room on Saturday 30 July from 15h00

RSVP to [email protected] to attend