Artist–Gallery Dispute Escalates as Mbongeni Buthelezi Alleges Unpaid Sales, Unreturned Artworks; Uniquity Art Gallery Cites Lawsuit

(One of the artworks by Mbongeni Buthelezi. The artist alleges that some works consigned to Uniquity Art Gallery in June 2025 remain unreturned, while payment for at least one allegedly sold work remains outstanding. Uniquity Art Gallery disputes the allegations and says it is pursuing legal action against the artist.)

A dispute between South African artist Mbongeni Buthelezi and Cape Town-based Uniquity Art Gallery has intensified after the artist publicly accused the gallery of failing to pay for at least one artwork allegedly sold and of not returning the remainder of 11 works consigned to the gallery. In response, the gallery says it is pursuing legal action against the artist.

In a statement shared publicly, Buthelezi said he decided to speak out only after exhausting what he described as private discussions and legal avenues over the past year.

According to the artist, he consigned 11 artworks to Uniquity Art Gallery in June 2025 for exhibition. He alleges that at least one artwork was sold without payment and that repeated requests to return the remaining works have been unsuccessful, leaving him unable to verify their whereabouts or condition.

Buthelezi further claimed that some of his artworks were taken to art fairs in Atlanta and Seattle, United States. He said he was later informed that several pieces had been placed in storage because of unpaid gallery fees, a situation he maintains was beyond his control.

The artist also said that repeated phone calls, messages, and formal Letters of Demand issued by law firms in Cape Town and Johannesburg have failed to resolve the dispute.

In his public statement, Buthelezi stressed that his intention was not to attack the gallery but to encourage transparency and caution among fellow artists when consigning works to galleries.

Gallery responds

Uniquity Art Gallery logo. Source: Uniquity Art Gallery (Instagram).

Following an inquiry from Arts and Culture Place, Larissa Pironi, curator of Uniquity Art Gallery, rejected the allegations and said the gallery is taking legal action against Buthelezi.

In an email response, Pironi wrote: “Thank you. I am abroad exhibiting in the US at the moment but we are involved in a lawsuit against Buthelezi for fraud and defamation. I will ask my lawyer to respond. He has tried to defraud collectors abroad and has gone too far now.”

Pironi did not directly address Buthelezi's specific allegations regarding payment for the artwork, the return or whereabouts of the remaining works, or his claim that previous legal demands had gone unresolved. She indicated that the gallery's lawyer would provide a formal response.

At the time of publication, Arts and Culture Place had not received the lawyer’s response.

The dispute therefore remains unresolved, with both parties making serious allegations against one another. Arts and Culture Place will continue to monitor developments and update this story as additional information or legal filings become available.

Editor's Note: This report is based on public statements by Mbongeni Buthelezi and a direct email response from Larissa Pironi of Uniquity Art Gallery. The allegations and counter-allegations reported here have not been determined by a court, and the publication takes no position on their merits.

By Udemma Chukwuma