| Johan Mhlanga is a deeply
spiritual man and active member of the Jericho Church. AVAILABLE: An excellent selection of sculptures in different sizes, sculpted out of Lead wood, Kiaat, Jacaranda and Watsa Watsa, Mountain Bottle Brush, Sildenhaus, etc. Mhlanga's work is dream inspired, mysterious and quite unlike the work of any other artist. Often in totem form they depict male/female figures, children and sometimes animals. His typical, haunting faces have large noses with wide lips, detailed eyes and small ears set at the back of the head. Strong hands are also typical. PERSONAL DETAILS: Born in 1930, orphaned at an early age. He became a sculptor after having a vision, sometime in 1970/71 wherein his Emadhloti (spirit ancestors) told him that he should become a sculptor. He was encouraged and tutored by fellow artists Ray Berman and Pitika Ntuli and completed two years training at the National Handicraft Training Centre. On 24th September, 1982, an official First-Day postal cover was issued by UNICEF in his honour, depicting the sculpture "Sangoma and Child'. In 1986 Mhlanga participated in the EXPO '86 International Woodcarver's Exchange programme hosted by Island '86. Mhlanga is the subject of a Ph.D. thesis by Cornelia Palmer for her Masters of Arts degree in History of Art, selected by the WA of Graduate Schools as the 1991/2 winner of the Distinguished Thesis Award for her 'Johan Mhlanga, A Swazi Wood Sculptor'. COLLECTIONS: Mhlanga's work is in private collections in Germany, U.S.A., Canada, Switzerland, Holland, Israel, U.K. and South Africa. EXHIBITIONS: Market Theatre, Johannesburg. Total Gallery, Johannesburg. Indingilizi Gallery, Mbabane. Swaziland Arts Society. University of Zululand. |
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