The Art Limitless programme within the BE OPEN Art online gallery has announced Mncobi Mndzebele as the April 2026 monthly winner, recognising his evocative portrait works that explore African identity, culture, and womanhood through unconventional materials.
Mndzebele is a self-taught contemporary artist from Eswatini known for his distinctive technique using everyday materials such as ballpoint pen and coffee stains. His creative process involves saturating paper with coffee to produce rich, sepia-toned backgrounds, upon which he renders intricate and expressive portraits. Sustainability in his practice is expressed through the use of accessible, low-impact materials and a focus on cultural storytelling.
Throughout 2026, BE OPEN continues to highlight artists whose work reflects sustainable approaches to artistic practice. Each month, a winning artist is selected and featured in the online gallery, and at the end of the year, three artists will be chosen from the monthly winners by members of the BE OPEN community to receive monetary awards and increased international visibility from the BE OPEN Foundation.