Nando’s Artwork

We don’t like to brag, but The Sidings is becoming one of the best places in London to find art – ok, we do like to brag a little!

Over the last six months, we’ve had an intriguing 8-week exhibition that showcased 43 eclectic artists called On The Side, the inspiring Bold Exhibit created by the Pink Ribbon Foundation. There was ‘Beautiful!’ that celebrated womanhood and Mason Newman, one of the most exciting street artists in the country.

The great thing is, it’s not just big art exhibitions where we stand out, even our restaurants are leading the fight for art. Most probably don’t realise, but Nando’s has long been a supporter of the art industry and right here at Nando’s in The Sidings you’ll find a lot of original and amazing artwork.

Art and Nando’s – A Shared History
Nando’s has been working with emerging South African artists since 2002, giving them an opportunity to both display and sell their work, helping them to develop their skills as artists. They entered into working with Spier Arts Trust so they could give these artists the chance to work full-time and develop their art.

The art they buy from these relationships is the basis of their restaurant decoration around the country, including here at The Sidings. If you go into any Nando’s around the world you will see a massive collection of art on the walls, but most people don’t realise it’s all 100% original art, from aspiring South African artists.

As part of the Spier Arts Academy, artists are given the chance to work with established artists and hone their craft through a three-year employment-based apprenticeship.

‘Nando’s Chicken Run’ is not a bad food/Aardman Animation pun, but the name given to a monthly event where the curatorial team jump into a car and visit artists in their own studios. They scout out remarkable “hot-off-the-brush” contemporary artworks, making offers on the spot for the highest quality work and getting them showcased in Nando’s restaurants around the world.

Some Artists at Nando’s Waterloo – The Sidings
Some of this great art that Nando’s has been buying is now hanging here in its restaurant at The Sidings, so we thought we would highlight a few of our favourite artists.

Liza Grobler
Liza Grobler is a contemporary artist whose work explores the tangible qualities of materials and the connections between people, artworks and the world around us. Her work, largely
process-driven, blurs the traditions of craft and fine art. The viewer is encouraged to travel with her into an imaginary world where fact and fiction become one, everything is in flux, and anything is possible.

In 2016, she was a recipient of the Africa Centre Award and IZIKO Museum commissioned her to create a site-specific work for the National Gallery.

Ricky Ayanda Dyaloyi
Ricky Dyaloyi paints in a sophisticated, restrained palette. His images are more than simple snapshots of township life as they explore the various predicaments of contemporary African society, specifically as he observes it in his community. Using materials that often reflect and
echo his surroundings, he is fond of working on rough, untreated canvas, occasionally mixing his paint with sand and dust.

Ludumo Maqabuka
Contemporary street art meets daily life in urban Africa. Ludumo ‘Toto’ Maqabuka’s art intends to educate his audience while celebrating his culture and heritage. Influenced by the socio-political landscape of South Africa, he is fascinated by the contrasts in his past rural life to his present urban lifestyle.

Maqabuka tends to paint portraits with a style reminiscent of Pop Art. Detailed mark-making, vibrant solid colours, homemade stencils, spray paint, fabric and the influence of hip-hop are used to bring character to the faces and create the overall mood of the work. The artist’s spontaneous processed surfaces create a unique
graffiti type of abstract expressionism.

Khaya Sineyile
Khaya Sineyile’s subject matter ranges from township scenes to more introspective themes referencing childhood games and observations on religious hypocrisy, faction-fighting, and witchcraft. More recently he turned his attention to the effects of social inequality, specifically relating to the South African structure.

His confident brush marks and considered palette convey a rawness which he contrasts with cartoon-like outlines – a device which removes the figures from their ground and introduces elements of playfulness, wit, and humour to the often-loaded subject matter.

Eric Rantisi
Lehlohonolo Eric Rantisi grew up interested in images of his township surroundings, drawing to capture their likeness and often drawing portraits of neighbours. His artworks take a critical view of social, political and cultural issues and how they shape our psyches. He often references history, current affairs and mass media to produce artworks that explore the politics of representation and identity.

So, next time you’re tucking into your fresh flame grilled PERi-PERi you can soak up the art and tell your friends all about it! Hang out with us over on social @sidingswaterloo to keep up with the exciting new pop ups making their way into The Sidings very soon!