​Contemporary South African Art

The son of a medicine man, Lucky Sibiya was born in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal in 1942.  He was introduced to the mysteries of Africa since childhood and this always influenced his art.  When he was 11, the family moved to Sophiatown and was then forced to move to Soweto.  He was sent to St. Peter's Seminary School in hammanskraal, north-east of Tshwane (Pretoria).  He studied here in the 1960s for seven years.  During this period he drew a lot and started carving decorative patterns like images of machine parts with a pen knife on calabashes, which he sold as lampshades.

 

While still a teenager, the artist Ainslie introduced him to Skotnes, who accepted him as a private pupil.  Sknotnes was carving and painting on wood panels and Sibiya also started to work in this medium. He learnt to engrave imageson wood, colouring them by rubbing powdered paint onto the surface.  He said that the red colours brought out the heat, dust and blood of Africa.

 

Sibiya also made assemblages, artworks put together from found objects such as pieces of metal, bones, leather and cloth.  He had his first solo exhibition in 1971, followed by several exhibitions.  He visited Europe and the USA in 1974. The next year, he produced 15 hand-printed woodcuts inspired by the theatre and Welcom Msomi's play, UmaBatha.  It is based on Macbeth but showed Zulu figures form the time of Shaka.  This series was exhibited in London and Israel and widely in South Africa.

 

Sibiya held many exhibitions in South Africa and abroad and his artworks became sought after.  Although he lived in Hammanskraal where he had a big studio and house, he always liked to walk in the veld to find pieces of wood which he would use for sculptures.  His work is represented in many public art collections, art museums and numerous private collections in this country and all over the world.  He often depicted birds and animals like cattle and the rhinoceros, but mostly human figures from Africa.

 

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

 

 

 

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Born: 1942 Vryheid, Natal

A painter using themes from Zulu mythology, traditions and customs.  Works in oil and powdered pigment on carved wood panels, paper or canvas.

 A sculptor creating free standing sculptures in wood, bone and metal.  A graphic artist, making serigraphs and woodcuts. 

Studies: Some guidance from Cecil Skotnes

and Bill Ainslie, but mainly self taught.

Profile: 1975 produced 15 hand painted woodcuts entitled “Umabatha”, based on the play by Welcome Msomi, which were exhibited in London and Tel Aviv.  From 1953 he has lived in the Transvaal, initially in Sophiatown, then in Soweto and presently in Hammanskraal.  1974 visited Europe and the USA.

Exhibitions: He has participated in numerous group exhibitions held throughout SA and in Swaziland, the UK, Australia, Botswana, France and the USA; 1971 Gallery 101, Johannesburg, first of many solo exhibitions; 1979 Contemporary African Art in SA, touring; 1981 Standard Bank, Soweto, Black Art Today Exhibition; 1985 Tributaries, touring SA

and West Germany.  

Represented: Arts Association SWA/Namibia Collection; Durban Art Gallery; Sandton Municipal Collection; SA National Gallery, Cape Town;

University of Fort Hare; University of the Witwatersrand; William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.

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References: E J de Jager, African Art, 1979, Cape Town; SSAP; 3Cs; AASA; Echoes of African Art; Artlook June 1973; Habitat no 17, 1975; SA Panorama July 1982 & June 1983; Southern Africa Today May 1988.