Yebo Art & Design – Aleta, Bhekani & Future is Young

Founded in 2010, Yebo! Art Gallery is a contemporary art and design studio based in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The gallery is dedicated to nurturing the country’s creative economy by collaborating with both established and emerging artists from Eswatini and across Southern Africa.

Through a combination of in-person exhibitions, online showcases, artist collaborations, and community-driven workshops, Yebo! has become a vibrant hub for creativity and innovation. The gallery also partners with artists and designers on the development of contemporary products, helping transform local artistry into sustainable livelihoods.

At Yebo!, textile printing serves as a core creative medium — a meeting point between imagination and craftsmanship. Each piece begins as a blank fabric that evolves through layers of color, texture, and expression. Designs are applied by hand or through digital precision, then fixed through heat and finished with intention. Every print captures a unique dialogue between art, material, and maker — a story told in color and form.

Aleta Armstrong, Yebo art gallery

ALETA ARMSTRONG

Aleta Armstrong, founder of Yebo! Art Gallery, is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and cultural advocate whose practice explores social, environmental, and spiritual themes. Her vivid paintings and intricate drawings often merge surreal and dreamlike imagery with her signature depictions of human and animal figures — embodying messages of empathy, harmony, and creative freedom.

Aleta’s work reflects a deep respect for the interconnectedness of people and nature. Over the years, she has developed a cast of recurring, anthropomorphic characters that serve as visual storytellers — each expressing ideas of peace, resilience, and transformation.

Beyond her own art practice, Aleta has illustrated for international organizations and brands, curated over 60 exhibitions, and continues to champion artists across Eswatini through her curatorial work. Her designs appear on a range of creative products — from T-shirts and notebooks to wall hangings — available through Yebo!’s retail outlets.

Lino prints by The Youth

The Future is Young Collective

THE FUTURE IS YOUNG COLLECTIVE

The Future is Young is a collaborative project initiated by Yebo! Art Gallery to empower youth through creative and economic opportunity. Launched with support from the Swiss Embassy in Pretoria and in partnership with Ezulwini Municipality, the program engages ten young people from the Ezulwini peri-urban area: Latifah and Aminah Ndayajemvo, Philani Dlamini, Ntando Thusi, Mayenziwe Dlamini, Tebogo Dlamini, Sekwanele Dlamini, Samkelisiwe Dlamini, Vuyo Nxumalo, and Majaha Vilakati.

Through hands-on workshops in design, product development, lino printing, and screen printing, participants have gained valuable artistic and entrepreneurial skills. Yebo! continues to provide incubation space and retail opportunities for the group in its shops, helping the artists develop creative products and establish sustainable income streams.

The project also pays tribute to Austin Hleza, a pioneering Swazi artist whose legacy continues to inspire. Hleza’s innovative use of clay and lino printmaking elevated local art into a vehicle for storytelling and cultural pride. His courage and creativity remain a guiding light for the next generation of artists.

Yebo! Art Gallery in Ezulwini, Eswatini