Cementing his name on the South African entertainment scene as more than the “funeral artist” he started off as, Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje has added celebrity portraits to his repertoire and the latest he's honoured is actor Vusi Thanda.
Posting on Instagram, Rasta shared snaps of himself painting at a book launch. The family of actor Maxwell Mlilo launched his book where Vusi, who worked with Maxwell on Emzini Wezinsizwa, made a special appearance and Rasta was invited as a special guest.
At the event, Rasta painted and presented Vusi with a portrait. Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Rasta said he met Vusi in the 1990s and has always been inspired by his resilience and his story.
The painter said he liked the idea of honouring “OG”, as he calls Vusi as well as Maxwell.
“At Thate restaurant in Alexandra, Nhlanhla and Boniswa Mlilo, daughters of Maxwell Mlilo, who played Ngconde on Emzini Wezinsizwa, we planned this [event] to honour our OGs in style. Vusi Thanda honoured the invite and blessed us with his presence. I did his portrait live; he liked it and thanked me. Vusi commented on my journey too, as an artist, saying I was an artist being taken for granted as I do the most exciting work that one day will cost $1m.”
Rasta said he is pleased he gets to meet people he considers legends and to give them their flowers while they can still smell them.
“Our mission is to applaud them while they are still alive, so Dr Vusi Thanda was pleased to be painted while he is still alive and said I'm now a legend. That was an award to him from me. He is a Dr in comedy art like Sdumo, the late Joe Mafela. I'm motivated by his love for his art. As far as I'm concerned he liked he portrait ... I will frame it and give [it to] him as I'm still in interviews with it.”
The veteran actor made headlines when his financial woes made national news.
Check out the Vusi Thanda portrait below:
'As far as I'm concerned he liked the portrait' — Rasta pays tribute to Vusi Thanda
Image: Via Facebook
Cementing his name on the South African entertainment scene as more than the “funeral artist” he started off as, Lebani “Rasta” Sirenje has added celebrity portraits to his repertoire and the latest he's honoured is actor Vusi Thanda.
Posting on Instagram, Rasta shared snaps of himself painting at a book launch. The family of actor Maxwell Mlilo launched his book where Vusi, who worked with Maxwell on Emzini Wezinsizwa, made a special appearance and Rasta was invited as a special guest.
At the event, Rasta painted and presented Vusi with a portrait. Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Rasta said he met Vusi in the 1990s and has always been inspired by his resilience and his story.
The painter said he liked the idea of honouring “OG”, as he calls Vusi as well as Maxwell.
“At Thate restaurant in Alexandra, Nhlanhla and Boniswa Mlilo, daughters of Maxwell Mlilo, who played Ngconde on Emzini Wezinsizwa, we planned this [event] to honour our OGs in style. Vusi Thanda honoured the invite and blessed us with his presence. I did his portrait live; he liked it and thanked me. Vusi commented on my journey too, as an artist, saying I was an artist being taken for granted as I do the most exciting work that one day will cost $1m.”
Rasta said he is pleased he gets to meet people he considers legends and to give them their flowers while they can still smell them.
“Our mission is to applaud them while they are still alive, so Dr Vusi Thanda was pleased to be painted while he is still alive and said I'm now a legend. That was an award to him from me. He is a Dr in comedy art like Sdumo, the late Joe Mafela. I'm motivated by his love for his art. As far as I'm concerned he liked he portrait ... I will frame it and give [it to] him as I'm still in interviews with it.”
The veteran actor made headlines when his financial woes made national news.
Check out the Vusi Thanda portrait below:
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