Monika Amunyela
What began as a practical act of reusing disposed material in 2024 evolved into the creation of a deeply personal and political series for local renowned visual artist Ndako Nghipandulwa’s latest work.
For his latest work, Nghipandulwa, who is best known for his surreal nail-and-string artworks, used discarded road signs to tell stories often overlooked, honouring those with everyday, ordinary jobs. This series, titled ‘Job is Job’, he said, focuses on construction workers.
“This series was created as a reminder that there is nothing wrong with living a regular life,” he said.
The artwork pushes against the modern pressure culture that people experience daily.
“In a world that moves at a relentless pace, Job is Job celebrates the dignity and value of everyday work and the beauty of simplicity. I have a background of working in the construction industry, and these signs are old signs from road projects that were going to be thrown away,” Nghipandulwa explained.
“Most of the reference photos are pictures that I took of people working on sites that I was working on as well.”
One of his controversial works, Job is Job: 40, carries layered meaning.
He explained, “Drivers sometimes ignore road signs, and I thought if I put an image like that on it, it would definitely grab their attention.”
The artwork shows a woman carrying a red flag while the man works; the flag she holds tells him to slow down.
The artworks are currently split between private and public spaces.
In total, the series consists of 12 works, of which 8 are sold, and 4 are still available “Two of them are in my home studio, and two are currently on display at The Project Room,” Nghipandulwa shared, making parts of the series accessible to the public.
Legality
Responding to questions about the legality of altering road signs, Marceline Murapo, Superintendent and spokesperson of the Windhoek City Police in Windhoek, said artists are not legally permitted to create or alter artwork on public road signs. She cited the Road Traffic and Transportation Act (Act 22 of 99) and municipal by-laws, which prohibit damaging or interfering with council property.
She added that permission cannot be granted, as road signs regulate, warn and guide road users to maintain safety. “No approvals have ever been issued for altering official signage, and violators may face fines, court summons or arrest. The works in this series were created from recycled signs that were already being discarded and were not in active use. Other artists should not attempt to replicate this using road signs that are still in use, as doing so would result in legal consequences,” she cautioned.