​Contemporary South African Art

Born in Makapanstad, north of Tshwane (Pretoria) in 1950.  His parents could not offer him any educational opportunities and because there was little money, Ranko was sent to relatives where he earned money, herding cattle.  He learned woodwork form his grandfather, who was a carpenter.  In the early 1960s, the Pudi family moved to Lady Selborne. Like many other families, they were moved to Ga-Rankuwa as a result of the government resettlement scheme in what was then called Bophuthatswana.

 

Initially Pudi had very little schooling and was a gang leader.  After the move to Ga-Rankuwa and becoming a Christian, he went back to school to complete his Grade Eight. He was then 21 uears old.  He had done woodcarving since the age of 15, encouraged by his woodwork teacher.  After leaving school, Pudi met the artists Nkoana, Zondi, Wa Nthodi, and Mmutle, who helped him with his drawings and sculptures.  Pudi used ink, pencil, charcoal, watercolour and woodcut as medium.  For his sculptures he used different South African woods such as African teak, which is also known as kiaat or moroto, and marula.  These two trees are found in the north-east of the country.  He also used wild olive, known as mohlware, which is found in most parts of the country.  Pine wood is not expensive but it is not from South Africa.

 

Other influences in Pudi's work were the 20th century European artist Pablo Picasso and local artist Battiss.  Both Picasso and Battiss used elements of African art in their painting.  since his first group exhibition at the Australian Embassy in 1975, Pudi has participated in several exhibitions.  At an exhibition of his sculptures held at the St Alban's Cathedral Hall in 1977, his work was described by a journalist as strong and rich in imagination.  He was awarded the second prize in the New Signatures competition held at the Association of Arts in Pretoria in 1979.

 

Pudi's drawings and woodcuts are forceful and expressive.  Like many black fellow artists, he prefers man and his environment as subjects. He is very aware of his African heritage but he sees himself as a modern man.  In some of his works he touches on topics such as the return from city life to the traditional tribal way of life - this relects the artists difficulty in coming to terms with both traditional African rural life and a modern westernized lifestyle.

 

Ref:  Walking Tall, Without Fear - 24 South African Artists from the Struggle Era by Ifa Lethu & Dirkie Offringa