Kalashnikovv Gallery in Braamfontein presents the first solo exhibition of canvas, handmade sculptures and screenprints by Joburg-based Mozambican artist Isaac Zavale.

The title ‘Joni ya milenge’ is a phrase used by Shangaan speaking people from Mozambique to describe Joburg as a city of hustlers, and the exhibition looks at everyday life in downtown Joburg, as experienced by those 'hustlers' who have moved here to make a better life for themselves. In particular Zavale highlights the constant striving of the city's informal economy, from the taxi drivers and the informal recyclers to the weavers and beaders who all find a place on the busy downtown streets.

Speaking to the constant struggles and the long legacies of colonialism that are not only prevalent in Joburg but across the continent, Zavale says of the exhibition that; "in this story, the bantu people are the protagonists, even though many are still in the same struggles today as they were 25 years ago, a struggle which is not only economic but which is also a highly political struggle for all children of Africa".

The exhibition launches on Sat Sep 19 from 10:00 and runs until Thu Oct 8.