SIBUSISO GUMEDE AND THEMBA KHUMALO

Artists sharing African Art Centre Artist of the Year award present joint exhibition.

Each year, the African Art Centre in Durban presents an artist with the Artist of the Year Award. The 2010 award is being shared by two of KwaZulu-Natal’s most accomplished wood carvers: Sibusiso Gumede and Themba Khumalo, second and third place winners of the Craft Ya Rona competition, a national competition hosted in each of the provinces as a way of stimulating the crafts by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Sibusiso Gumede and Themba Khumalo have both artists participated in exhibitions in South Africa and in London and in honour of their award, the African Art Centre is mounting a diverse and unique collection of their art. The award and exhibition at the African Art Centre is sponsored by the WK Kellogg Foundation.

Sibusiso Zenzele Gumede was born in 1979 in Manguzi in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. He started carving spoons and sticks at the early age of eight. As a young artist, he was greatly inspired by his neighbour and friend, master wood carver Timothy Mlambo who introduced him to the technique of decorating carved animals using the burnt wood technique. Each piece produced by Sibusiso is individually designed, superbly handcrafted and unique. His subject matter is mostly animals and he generally uses Mpengende wood, which is a soft in texture and light in colour. He uses the traditional burnt wood method for emphasizing certain characteristics of his subject matter. Sibusiso is celebrated as a wood carver whose work is rich in expression and of a very high quality.

Themba Khumalo, the older of the two recipients, was born in the Simon Area of Ingwavuma in KwaZulu-Natal. He was introduced to and skilled in wood carving by his brother Timothy Mlambo. Themba is a full-time sculptor who carves animals and insects in wood and paints them in bright colours. His carved animals are bold and vibrant and often animated and narrative in style, giving them a personal twist. His work ranges in size from miniatures to large mobiles.

The award and exhibition at the African Art Centre is sponsored by the WK Kellogg Foundation. African Art Centre, 94 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban. For additional information contact the Director, Sharon Crampton at 031 312 3805 or email africanartcentre@afri-art.co.za