Developed in collaboration with the Tromsø Mandela Committee and an interdisciplinary curatorial and advisory team, the monument serves as a lasting expression of cultural exchange between South Africa and Norway. “It has been a great inspiration to contribute to something that reminds us of Mandela's spirit,” says curator Marit Ellisiv Landsend. “That has been my guiding star throughout.”

From the outset, the committee hoped to work with a South African artist capable of translating these ideals into a contemporary visual language. After considering a number of artists, the team quickly recognised Dyalvane's practice as uniquely aligned with the emotional and spiritual resonance they hoped the monument would carry.

iNkundla – the isiXhosa word meaning “place of gathering” – draws on communal spaces traditionally created within homesteads for ceremony and dialogue. Rather than functioning solely as a commemorative monument, it is conceived as a space for encounter and connection. The installation incorporates sculptural seating and symbolic bronze elements that encourage interaction, contemplation, and conversation. Drawing together references from both Southern African and Nordic cultural traditions, the design acknowledges the histories, knowledge systems, and communities that shape the site.

In December 2024, Dyalvane travelled to Tromsø with his long-time collaborator and partner Nkuthazo Alexis Dyalvane, for the initial site visit as well as consultations with municipal representatives, members of the Tromsø Mandela Committee, and custodians of Sami cultural knowledge. The visit included a gathering at the Arctic University of Norway's Árdna Centre for Sami Studies, where shared traditions of storytelling, sound, and community exchange informed the evolving vision for the work.

He then returned to Norway in February 2025 to create the original clay forms. While the artistic direction remained entirely his own, the fabrication was realised through a multidisciplinary process involving ceramic specialists, bronze foundry artisans, architects, landscape architects, municipal cultural advisors, and fabricators. Landsend, herself a ceramicist, assisted Dyalvane throughout production, while the wider team included architects, a municipal art advisor, a representative of the Tromsø Mandela Committee, and junior curator Sophie Berenika Broch. Together, they contributed to the creation of a new public landmark in the Arctic North, dedicated to gathering and remembrance.

Broch describes the undertaking as both a professional milestone and a deeply personal experience. “This marks my first public art project as a junior curator, and it has been incredibly meaningful to be part of,” she says. “As a ceramic artist myself, it has also been inspiring to witness its intention take shape through Andile's remarkable artistry and craftsmanship. His sensitivity to form and handling of clay has been beautifully preserved in bronze, making the work accessible for everyone to encounter and experience through touch.”

Reflecting on the significance of iNkundla, Dyalvane says: “We are deeply honoured to contribute to a space that encourages human-to-human dialogue. It is ultimately about gathering, listening, and creating opportunities for truth, reconciliation, and shared understanding across communities.” Landsend adds: “Now there is a new meridian drawn from pole to pole, from South to North. We can call it the Peace Meridian.”

As a permanent public installation, iNkundla reflects Dyalvane's ongoing engagement with healing, ancestral knowledge, and collective memory. More than a monument, it offers a place for gathering, reflection, and human connection.

The monument will be unveiled during the Mandela Festival running between 9 and 13 June 2026.


All images courtesy of A & S Lysak