Poignant or colourful, a feast of African art

THE 10th Black Like Us art exhibition is the perfect place to buy your first piece of African art, or add to your collection.

Opening at 11am today at Norscot Manor Recreation Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, the exhibition of just fewer than 200 artworks by 76 artists is the brainchild of Herman Mashaba, founder of hair and beauty products Black Like Me. It is a platform for emerging African artists to display their works.

Since its inception, the exhibition has led to the discovery of artists such as Thomas Ngulube, who has opened his own gallery, Thomarts, in Rivonia, Johannesburg; Abe Mathabe, whose miniature art has been displayed in Australia and the Netherlands; and Edward Selematsela, who founded Little Artist School 18 years ago.

It is now housed at Barnato High School in Berea, Johannesburg, where it teaches art, mostly to rehabilitated street children living in shelters.

This year's Black Like Us crop includes painting, sculpture, charcoal and beadwork "paintings" by Sinalo Ntuli. As you would expect, all the works have a distinctly African feel, conveying the continent's landscapes and emotions in ways that are sometimes colourful, sometimes dark, and often poignant.

"I'm a social commentary artist," said Vusi Mfupi, who is exhibiting his collage portrait of Mashaba having his head shaved by his wife. "There's no politics in my art. Wherever I go, whatever I see and touch, that's where I get my inspiration from."

Mpho Makhubo, who is exhibiting several precise portraits and cityscapes in charcoal, said he looked for simplicity in everything, including the materials he uses. "I like it when people work with whatever materials are available to them."

The works are displayed in several rooms at the recreation centre and priced from R3500 upwards.

With African art on the rise, the exhibition is a great opportunity to snatch one or two works from any artist whose work moves you - and who may be the next Gerard Sekoto.

"I really like it when people appreciate my art," said Zimbabwe-born Chenjerai Kadzinga, whose Heavy Rain painting is a vivid depiction of people caught in the rain, their coats and umbrellas flailing in the wind.

For his work Mining, Patrick Rapal spent time in the mines. The result is a painting of two miners drilling into rock, their effort and the darkness and heat of the mine palpable. Rapal mixed paint with tile cement and wood glue to achieve the texture of rocks on the canvas.

Whether you decide to buy anything or not, your merely popping into the gallery to browse the artworks is enough for 67-year-old artist Elias Sewape.

"As long as a man judges my art and thinks that it is very wonderful, it doesn't matter if he doesn't buy it," he said.

The Black Like Us exhibition runs until September 7. For more information contact 0114657934