(Work by Isaac Sithole)
KZNSA
and The BAT Centre have partnered to celebrate the legacy of one of KZN's most
prolific artists, Isaac Sithole.
Isaac Sithole: A Retrospective will open in the BAT Centre and KZNSA
and galleries on February 7 and 8 respectively.
Both
venues will host exhibitions of his work in February 2018, with pieces from
Sithole's family collection, and original woodcut blocks on display.
Sithole
was born in 1974 in Maputo, Mozambique. He was raised in a family with no
artistic background and sought out other artists to observe and learn from. At
the age of 12, he was taught wood carving by an artist in Maputo. In 1990, aged
16, he moved to South Africa with a friend and immediately linked up with other
young artists in the community.
Shortly
after arriving in Durban, Sithole joined the BAT Centre where he worked as a
professional, fulltime woodcarver. A dynamic member of The BAT Centre residency
programme, he had no formal training and produced work using the knowledge he
gained observing other artists.
His
initial focus was on sculptural wood carving but here he encountered woodcut
and lino printmaking techniques. Sithole claimed his experience as a sculptor
advanced his affinity and love of working with woodblock printing. In
approximately 1998, Sithole started exploring the technique of colour reduction
woodcut techniques; cutting away at the woodblock each time a new colour is
printed.
Sithole's
work is filled with glowing and vibrant colour combinations depicting daily
scenes and cultural activities in villages in South Africa and Mozambique. His
early work references cultural and historical events in Mozambique. Themes he
explored later in his distinctive, abstract style include decorative landscapes
of African fauna and flora and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
During
his lifetime, Sithole exhibited in numerous South African galleries and is
represented in private and corporate collections, including the Tatham Art
Gallery, the Durban Art Gallery and the Killie Campbell Museum. He is
responsible for the artwork that adorns the central food court at the Liberty
Midlands Mall in Pietermaritzburg.
Isaac Sithole: A Retrospective marks six years since his passing
on February 7, 2012, age 44.
The
KZNSA exhibition opens on February 8 at 17h30 and runs until February 25, 2018.
The BAT Centre dates are February 7 to 28. Members of the artist’s family will
be in attendance at both openings.
The
KZNSA Gallery is situated at 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, in Durban. More
information on 031 277 1705, fax 031 201 8051 or cell 082 220 0368 or visit www.kznsa.co.za
The BAT
Centre is situated at 45 Maritime Place in the Small Craft Harbour in Durban.
For more information contact 031 332 0451 or visit http://www.batcentre.co.za
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