​Contemporary South African Art

Siko, Solomon

Born, 1965 in Sakkieskamp, Wellington.
Siko's artistic consciousness was formed in the aftermath of the Soweto uprising in 1976. He participated in the first free and democratic elections in 1994. In these years, Siko underwent an intense self-examination as he searched for a viable way to be South African and also a part of the world.
This is a excerpt from the 2005 Cape Gallery Solomon Siko invitation, written by Gail Dorje:
Siko's vibrant paintings on heavily textured and engraved board are the theatre for a richly imaginative portrayal of 'Street Life'. Siko loves to sketch the world around him.

He combines these sketches in his larger studio pieces. The integration of his different sketches requires that he be fully articulate

in the visual language he chooses. Humour

is a positive force in our multicultural society: Siko, with his real gift for caricature, is still gentle in his application.
Solomon Siko studied Art at C.A.P. (Community Arts Project) in Woodstock, Cape Town from 1987 to 1989. Siko has displayed his work at The Cape Gallery since 1992.
Siko, as Peter Clarke says, was born with

a powerful creative drive. He is a man of integrity and one who does not take his impressive talent for granted. He walks a difficult path in redefining values with care.

He upholds the precept of 'Ubuntu' - that is a mutual respect for another's culture. Siko,

as a respected member of his community, has also become a cultural envoy for South Africa, with his works owned by people nationally as well as internationally.