Artist Biography

Born in Cape Town in 2008 and raised in Dunoon, with family roots in Engcobo in the Eastern Cape, Sibulelo Nocwanya is an emerging South African artist whose work explores stillness, emotion and the quieter aspects of human experience.

Largely self-taught, Sibu began pursuing art seriously in Grade 9, developing his skills through independent practice before receiving guidance in charcoal drawing from artist Eben Beukes. Initially working in pencil and charcoal, his practice has expanded to include pastel pencil and digital art, while retaining the remarkable attention to detail that characterises his hyper-realistic approach.

At the centre of Sibu’s developing visual language is an interest in the emotions that often remain unspoken. His subjects are frequently presented in moments of stillness, where expression, posture and atmosphere reveal something more intimate beneath the surface.

This is particularly evident in his ongoing Pyjama People series, which features gorillas, monkeys and baboons placed in unexpectedly familiar, human settings. Dressed in pyjamas, these powerful animals become both characters and mirrors. Their strength remains visible, yet it is balanced by tenderness, vulnerability and quiet contemplation.

The series has increasingly become a way for Sibu to explore the emotional struggles many men experience and the difficulty of expressing vulnerability. Through the gaze of his subjects, he considers the possibility that strength and tenderness are not opposites, and that being seen and heard can itself become part of healing.

His Moonlight Reflection series extends this exploration through human figures and reflective moments, transforming everyday scenes into studies of emotion, solitude and connection.

Sibu’s artistic journey has been shaped by persistence and a belief that failure is part of growth. His involvement with Kunye Colab has further developed his technical ability and encouraged him to build cohesive bodies of work with their own narratives and visual identities.

Still at the beginning of his career, Sibu continues to refine both his traditional and digital practice, with the ambition of expanding Pyjama People and Moonlight Reflection and sharing these bodies of work with audiences locally and internationally.

Artist Statement

My work centres on stillness and human emotion. I am interested in those quiet moments when people are most honest with themselves, and in the emotions that can exist without being spoken.

Through Pyjama People and Moonlight Reflection, I explore vulnerability, reflection and emotional expression. My subjects may be human, gorilla, monkey or baboon, but I use them to communicate emotions and experiences that are deeply human.

Pyjama People allows me to place powerful animals in calm, intimate and familiar situations. The contrast interests me. We recognise their strength, but through their expressions and surroundings we can also see tenderness, loneliness, thoughtfulness and care.

An important part of my work is the struggle many men have in expressing how they feel. I want the work to create space for emotional honesty and to remind people that strength does not mean hiding pain or vulnerability.

My own journey has taught me that failure is part of growth. Every setback can bring us closer to understanding ourselves and getting things right.

I hope that when people encounter my work, they experience a moment of peace and reflection. More than anything, I want them to feel seen and understood, and perhaps recognise something of themselves in the eyes looking back at them.

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