Samanthole Arts Foundation

When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting is a global exhibition which opened in November 2022 in Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and will run through the 3rd of September 2023 at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). It is a 'Primer For Blacks' and, suffice to say, everyone who cares about the humanity will enjoy the exhibition. In her poem titled Primer For Blacks, Gwendolyn Brooks - the first African American poet to win a Pulitzer Prize - asserts:  Blackness is a title; is a preoccupation is a commitment Blacks are to comprehend; — and in which you are to perceive your Glory. Zandile Tshabalala, Two Reclining Women, 2020. Acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of Zeitz MOCAA What do we see when we look at ourselves in the mirror? What do we see when we see ourselves in the paintings by people of our creed? Do we see ourselves mirrored in them? Do we feel seen or valued or cherished? These complex questions have answers residing in

 The five-time Grammy Award-winning acapella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo was  founded by the late Joseph Bhekizizwe Shabalala in 1959. He initially named it Ezimnyama (The Black Ones) and later christened it Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Ladysmith for his hometown, Black for the local black oxen that were the strongest in the area, and Mambazo, the Zulu word for axe, as a metaphor for the group’s sharpness. The band is still going strong 63 years after its formation. The band is the epitome of black excellence and proof that legacy and family tradition can  stand the test of time. When Shabalala senior retired in 2014, four of his sons: Thulani Shabalala, Thamsanqa Shabalala, Sibongiseni Shabalala, and Msizi Shabalala remained in the band alongside the oldest band veteran, Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko, who has been with the band since its inception. The other four members are Abednego Mazibuko, Sabelo Mthembu, Mfanafuthi Dlamini, and Pius Shezi. With their agile bodies and mesmerizing voices

April has been a fantastic month for the South African visual arts sector, with two significant events snagging my attention. The University of Johannesburg bestowed a well-deserved Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Design on one of the most accomplished sculptors, Dr. Noria Muelelwa Mabasa. Meanwhile, Senzeni Marasela, a visual artist who works across different media, combining performance, photography, video, prints and textiles, won the K2 Global Art Award in Germany. These two incredible women are the pride of the African contemporary art landscape. I admire and salute them for their dedication, commitment, and contributions to the visual arts sector. Their accomplishments serve as an inspiration to future generations of creative artists on the continent and around the world. World-renowned sculptor Dr Noria Muelelwa Mabasa 📷 From UJ Facebook  I must, however, voice my discontent about the manner in which Mme Mabasa’s accomplishment has been communicated in both mass medi