Mozambique N’txuva meets Donato at Mafalala Museum exhibition

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Mozambique N’txuva meets Donato at Mafalala Museum exhibition

10:18 CAT | 01 Apr 2025

Photo: Museu da Mafalala

Renowned Mozambican ceramist João Donato has opened ‘Strategic Alternatives: A Brief Manual for the Initiated in N’txuva’ at the Mafalala Museum, in Maputo city.

The exhibition features 24 ceramic pieces inspired by the N’txuva game, also known as the ‘African chess’.

Played for centuries on the east coast of Africa, N’txuva represents the cultural diversity and exchanges in the region. Donato, passionate about Mozambican culture, transforms his memories and experiences into pieces that speak to the imagination of local communities.

Curated by Ivan Laranjeira with the participation of poet Mauro Brito, the exhibition promises to be a journey through Mozambican culture, exploring themes such as identity, memory and tradition.

The symbiosis between ceramics and poetry is another highlight of the exhibition. Guest poet Mauro Brito adds a literary layer to the pieces, creating a dialogue between forms and words. The curatorship by Ivan Laranjeira ensures a cohesive narrative that highlights the importance of N’txuva as a cultural and strategic element.

This is the 17th solo exhibition by João Donato, an artist with a consolidated international career.

Born in Maputo, Donato began his journey in ceramic arts in 2002, in Brazil, where he studied with master Cecy Sato. In 2005, he moved to London, deepening his knowledge at City and Islington College, under the tutelage of Daphne Carnegy. He worked as a ceramics technician in the British capital until 2011, the year he returned to Mozambique, where he currently lives and works.

“Strategic Alternatives: A Brief Manual for the Initiated in N’txuva” will be on display at the Mafalala Museum until April 21, offering the public a unique opportunity to explore the intersection between art, tradition and African identity.