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Art in Mozambique:
Malangatana Valente Ngwenya (1936-2011)
Dossier MZ-0039
Malangatana is probably Mozambique’s best-known artist. He was a nationalist, and a poet too. He was born in Matalana, near Lourenço Marques, into a peasant family and educated at the Swiss Mission as well as a Catholic school. He later worked as a domestic servant and a ball boy at the tennis club.
In the mid-1950s he met the painter Augusto Cabral, who introduced him to the Núcleo de Arte, an association of painters and artists, and he started to spend time with the painter Zé (José) Júlio, learning artistic technique. In 1959 some of his work was exhibited in a group show, and his first solo exhibition took place in 1961. Malangatana’s poetry was published in Black Orpheus and reprinted in the 1963 Penguin anthology Modern Poetry from Africa.
In 1964 he was arrested by PIDE and spent a year and a half in prison. In 1978, as a former political prisoner, he was compelled to take part in a lengthy meeting with the Frelimo leadership in which each participant was required to testify about his or her experience. Afterward he was sent for political training, together with prominent urban intellectuals.
From the mid-1980s, his international reputation grew, and he produced many major canvases and murals and exhibited all over the world. He received awards and decorations, as well as being named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 1997. On his death in January 2011 the Mozambican government announced two days of official mourning and gave him a state funeral. A book of his poetry, illustrated with line drawings, Vinte e Quatro Poemas, was published in 1996.
Above: The cover of the Portuguese edition of Júlio Navarro’s book on Malangataba, published by Caminho in Portugal. An English edition was published in Tanzania as Malangatana (Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota, 2003), 223 pages.
MHN Resources on Malangatana, 1962-2011
◊ No date
Malangatana: um mesmo caminho percorrido de vários modos. Domingo, date unknown. Consists of nine annotated illustrations of Malangatana’s work dating between 1959 and 1985. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 1962
Julian Beinart. Malangatana. Black Orpheus no.10 (1962), pp. 22 ff. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 26 May 1982
Paolo Soares. Artes plásticos e movimento nacionalista: contribuição para uma reflexão dos anos 50-60 em Moçambique. Mimeo, 3 pages. An early draft of the paper that was eventually co-authored with Malangatana and presented at the Oficina de História, Centro de Estudos Africanos in October 1982 (see below). To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 31 May 1982
Paolo Soares, Malangatana Ngwenya. Artes plásticos e movimento nacionalista: contribuição para uma reflexão dos anos 50-60 em Moçambique. Mimeo, 35 pages. Note: pages 5, 9 and 29 are missing from the MHN copy. A second draft, now with Malangatana’s participation, of this research was presented at the Oficina de História in October 1982 (see below). To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 July 1983
Malangatana é membro da Academia de Artes da RDA. Notícias, 5 July 1983. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 27 October 1982
Malangatana Ngwenya; Paulo Soares. Artes plásticas e movimento nacionalista em Moçambique. Maputo: UEM, 1982. 16 pages. This important text was presented to a session of the Oficina de História in the Centro de Estudos Africanos on 15 October 1982. It has subsequently been published by Mário Pereira in the journal Portuguese Literary and Cultural Studies, no.30/31 (2017), pp. 125-149, available for download here, with an introduction. Pereira apparently discovered the text in the archive of Mário Pinto de Andrade. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ November 1983
Guiomar Belo Marques. Malangatana Valente: o artista é sensível ao que o rodeia, Cadernos do Terceiro Mundo no. 58, Novembro de 1983, pp. 74-76. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ November 1983
Rui Mário Gonçalves. Um olhar sobre Malangatana: traços biográficos e a obra do pintor moçambicano na opinião de um crítico de arte, Cadernos do Terceiro Mundo no. 58, November 1983, pp. 77-78. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 17 February 1984
A convite de Indira Gandhi, Malangatana e Chissano expõem obras na Índia. Notícias, 17 February 1984. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 11 July 1984
Malangatana, o pintor e o homem: a minha raiva transponho-a para meus quadros. Domingo, 11 July 1984, p. 16, To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 August 1984
Mário de Lourdes Torcato. Retrospectiva de Malangatana e ensino das artes, visto por Sá Nogueira, pintor português. Domingo, 5 August 1984, pp.6-7. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 February 1986
Museu de Arte organiza exposição de Malangatana. Notícias, 5 February 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 11 February 1986
Exposição de Malangatana: Maputo vai ser centro cultural. Notícias, 11 February 1986, p.2. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 23 February 1986
Augusto de Jesus. Malangatana aos 50 anos: a figura e a obra em julgamento público. Notícias, 23 February 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 March 1986
De Malangatana: vídeo sobre arte “naife” será projectado em Maputo. Trabalho está inserido no programa preparativo da exposição-retrospectiva. Notícias, 5 March 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 9 March 1986
Hilário Matusse. Malangatana: o homem e o artista. Tempo no. 804, 9 March 1986, pp. 47-54. Interview with photographs by Naita Ussene. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 24 April 1986
Retrospectiva Malangatana: sessão sobre Picasso no Núcleo de Arte. Notícias, 24 April 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 4 May 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. I. Apesar de ser um principiante já é um dos primeiros pintores de África afirmo Pancho em 1961. Tempo no.812, 4 May 1986, pp. 52-53. First of a series of seven articles, signed "JN". To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 May 1986
Na emissão C da RM, Malangatana no Cultura Viva. Notícias, 5 May 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 11 May 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. II. Uma visão apocalíptica grandioso, monstruoso e magnificente. Tempo no.813, 11 May 1986, pp. 52-54. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 18 May 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. III. Mensageiro de coisas e factos do seu povo. Tempo no.814, 18 May 1986, pp. 48-50. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 19 May 1986
Na Noreste «1», Malangatana homenageado por cerca de 300 crianças. Notícias, 19 May 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 25 May 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. IV. Portugal e Europa consagração sem compromisso. Tempo no.815, 25 May 1986, pp. 48-50.To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 30 May 1986
M’Saho dedicado a Malangatana. Notícias, 30 May 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 1 June 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. V. O horror das visões não saiu apenas dos contos populares. Tempo no.816, 1 June 1986, pp. 46-47. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 1 June 1986
Itinerário de um artista. (1) Descobrir a cidade e a arte. Domingo, 1 June 1986, p. 3. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 3 June 1986
De Malangatana, está para breve exposição-retrospectiva. Notícias, 3 June 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 4 June 1986
Guerra Manuel. Por ocasião dos seus 50 anos, uma singela homenagem a Malangatana Valente: um esboço do seu percurso artístico-cultural. Notícias, 4 June 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 June 1986
Pelo seu 50.º aniversário, Malangatana homenageado por artistas búlgaros. Notícias, 5 June 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 8 June 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. VI. Um trabalho de consistência cada vez maior. Tempo no.817, 8 June 1986, pp. 50-51. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 8 June 1986
Itinerário de um artista. (2) A arte não é só uma arte. Domingo, 8 June 1986, p. 3. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 15 June 1986
[Júlio Navarro]. As várias fases da obra de Malangatana. VII. Contribuir para a cultura de Moçambique. Tempo no.818, 15 June 1986, pp. 52-53. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 29 June 1986
História do povo valorizada. Domingo, 29 June 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 29 June 1986
Malangatana no Museu de Arte. Domingo, 29 June 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 29 June 1986
Arlindo Lopes. Retrospectiva de Malangatana é formidável: Betty Schneider, especialista de arte africana ao Domingp. Domingo, 29 June 1986. With three drawings. Schneider published a pioneering article about Malagatana in 1972 – “Malangatana of Mozambique,” African Arts, vol. 5 no. 2. (Winter, 1972), pp. 40-45 (click here, requires subscription); and later “Malangatana, artist of the revolution,” African Arts, vol. 21 no. 3 (May 1988), p.58-63, 88 (click here, requires subscription), To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 2 July 1986
Retrospectiva de Malangatana: Tanzaniano fala sobre pintura africana. Notícias, 2 July 1986. The speaker was Prof. Elias Jengo, himself an artist, who founded the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1969. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 3 July 1986
Vida e obra de Malangatana em palestra. Notícias, 3 July 1986. The speaker was the Zairean sculptor Liyolo. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 5 July 1986
Exposição de Malangatana: escultor zairota fala da arte africana. Notícias, 5 July 1986. The sculptor was Liyolo Limbe M’Puanga, sometimes known as Alfred Liyolo (1943-2019). To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 15 July 1986
Retrospectiva de Malangatana: Roda Viva e Pintores Moçambicanos no Núcleo de Arte. Notícias, 15 July 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 20 July 1986
Paulo Sérgio. A arte de Malangatana na opinião de críticos estrangeiros. Tempo no.823, 20 July 1986, pp. 50-51. The critics include Elias Jengo, Albert Reck, and Rui Mário Gonçalves. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 11 August 1986
Paulo Soares. Há evolução em Malangatana. Domingo, 11 August 1986, p.3.To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 22 August 1986.
Obras de Malangatana na Europa e América. Notícias, 22 August 1986. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ March 1987
Painting in the service of anti-apartheid. Africa Now, London, March 1987, p.42. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 20 March 1987
Galardão búlgaro para Malangatana. Notícias, 20 March 1987. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 23 October 1987
In the teeth of an artist’s anger. Guardian, London, 23 October 1987. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 14 December 1987
Concurso das LAM: Malangatana e Neto ganham prémios especiais, primeiros prémios não foram atribuídos. Notícias, 14 December 1987. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 19 June 1988
Malangatana esteve no festival de Wembley. . Domingo, 19 June 1988. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 27 November 1988
Paulo Sérgio. Leilão de tapecaria apoia projectos da OMM. Tempo, no.946, 27 November 1988, pp. 48-50. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ December 1988
[ECASAAMA short biography of Malangatana]. December 1988. 1 p. In the form of a timeline. ECASAAMA was the European Campaign Against South African Aggression on Mozambique and Angola, and an archive of its documentation is kept at Yale University in the United States, (Box 29, Folder 427, call no. MS 1500, Series VIII, click here for more details. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 1 March 1989
Artes plásticas: Malangatana expõe em Portugal. Notícias, 1 March 1989, p. 2. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ January 1991
Ruth Ayisi. Home is where the art is. Africa Events, January 1991, pp. 50-51. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 26 July 1993
M. P. 21 desenhos de Malangatana. Notícias, 26 July 1993. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 28 January-3 February 1994
Justin Pearce. The still life in wartime. Weekly Mail and Guardian, Johannesburg, 28 January-3 February 1994, p. 43. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 25 December 1994
Júlio Navarro. Foi a primeira exposição de África no Chile, conta-nos Malangatana. Domingo, 25 December 1994, pp. 16-17. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ 7 September 2007
Ngwenya, o crocodilo. Savana, 7 September 2007, p.7. Article about Isabel Noronha’s film on Malangatana. To view or download the file, click here.
◊ April-June 2011
Frederico Jamisse. Malangatana para além das artes. Tempo, no.0 [sic], April-June 2011, pp.49-52, To view or download the file, click here.
◊ July-September 2011
Sara Vale. A italiana de Malangatana. Tempo, no.1, July-September 2011. To view or download the file, click here.
Three Line Drawings Published in October 1988
These three works were published in Tempo on 23 October 1988. The caption to the third drawing reads: "The drawings that we are publishing on pages 54, 55 and 56 are by the painter Malangatana Valente Ngwenya and are part of a series which the artist created on the occasion of the crash of the presidential aircraft at Mbuzini in 1986".
Malangayana's Mural at in the University Library,
University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
Above and below: Details from the mural «Love Song for Samora» in the University Library at the University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa. This work, measuring 1.8 by 5.2 metres, was painted when Colin Darch was University Librarian; at a ceremony to mark its completion in 1994, Albie Sachs spoke about Mozambican art and Abdullah Ibrahim performed. Some of Sachs’ collection of Mozambican art is on permanent display on level four of the Library.
Consolidated Downloadable Zipped Files
Click on the yellow folder image below to download an unsorted zipped archive of documents and press clippings in PDF format. Note: it is possible that materials have been added to this archive that are not individually listed above.
Above: A tapestry by Malangatana, 1988. Note that it was announced on 9 January 2025 that "The Malangatana family intends to open a Digital Interpretation Centre in 2026 to immortalize the man who was from 1936 to 2011 one of the greatest protagonists in the history of visual arts in the country. The inauguration of the centre would coincide with the celebration of Malangatana’s 90th birthday, were he still alive. The centre will make works, archives and other material available in electronic format to make the artistic contribution of the Mozambican artist, with an emphasis on painting and sculpture, known to a wide audience. The initiative was recently announced by artist’s son, Mutxhini Ngwenya, who said the collection of material that will make up the historical and bibliographic collection of the essential icon of Mozambican culture had already begun." See Club of Mozambique, "Mozambique: Malangatana Digital underway".