Yesterday I met Njabulo Mkhwanazi.
We were on our way to the People's Park at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where the Mandela Burial was being shown on big screens.
Njabulo was carrying a huge canvas, and asked us to sign it. The canvas was of Mandela, made from pieces of black and white plastic, glued to the canvas. He was asking everyone to sign his artwork, with messages about Mandela. It is an incredible piece of work.
Njabulo told us that he is an artist. His works are centred around Mandela. He pointed to the Tshirts himself and his friend was wearing, and said he had painted them. He also said he did other works of art.
We were on our way to the People's Park at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where the Mandela Burial was being shown on big screens.
Njabulo was carrying a huge canvas, and asked us to sign it. The canvas was of Mandela, made from pieces of black and white plastic, glued to the canvas. He was asking everyone to sign his artwork, with messages about Mandela. It is an incredible piece of work.
Njabulo told us that he is an artist. His works are centred around Mandela. He pointed to the Tshirts himself and his friend was wearing, and said he had painted them. He also said he did other works of art.
Njabulo Mkhwanzi explains further, via his Facebook page: "My neighbour gave a big canvas(approximatelyi 1.6 by 1.2) to do something with it, so its stayed a year without me doing anything with it. So Madiba started getting really sick around June this year then I strarted this art work to hounor Madiba's legacy as I've been doing it on t-shirt paintings(I remember my 2004 brand called 'No.1 Slave' which had a black shaded Mandela's picture coming out fro...m prison with his fist up as a logo) . Then I wanted to do something different from what I do(painting),so my 2013 Durban business fair theme was to work with plastics from grocery plastic bags *hence* last year I used newspapers and that theme idea came last year after I did it big. I had to come up with something different pushing the same character for 2013 of taking more time to do something without using money and which can be done by any who. I joined and cut pieces of plastics to create a picture of Madiba visiting the prison wearing the same shirt he wore on the 27 of April 1994 which I do not know if it was the same day I still have to find out. So Mandela left before his work was finished *hence* our country no offence it is just my poetical opinion, then I decided to take this art work to Mabhida yesterday the 15 Mandela 2013 his burial day to ask people that feel the same way as I am to help me finish it with their massages and condolences of love/life. I am not going to sell it,its belong to the public(heritage sites) and I made shore that everybody who wrote knew excatly what he/her was doing. I am 27, could have been an engineer somewhere as a child who was in 1986, but I choose this life. Our art is finished,touching and creating new leaders/humanity(ubuntu)."
Njabulo Mkhwanazi, Afropetic/urbanculture
Njabulo Mkhwanazi, Afropetic/urbanculture
The finished work of art, with messages and signatures covering every inch.
Examples of Njabulo's Tshirt artwork:
I found Njabulo's passion and creativity inspiring. On a day that was a mixture of mourning and opportunism, here was someone who genuinely wanted to share his art with everyone, and have us all be part of the whole experience. He says he isn't selling this artwork, instead keeping it as a memorial to Mandela.
The artwork was excellent too - expertly crafted, and all made out of strips of plastic.
It made me think about what I do as a photographer. I take photos, and record the moment, and for the most part create art. But I don't usually give of my work in such a selfless and genuinely giving manner. My work is a personal experience. Njabulo's enthusiasm was infectious, and inspiring.
When we saw him later on in the day, he was standing under a tree with his huge canvas. Most of the empty spots had been filled, and he was beaming.
Good luck, Njabulo in your future endeavours.
The artwork was excellent too - expertly crafted, and all made out of strips of plastic.
It made me think about what I do as a photographer. I take photos, and record the moment, and for the most part create art. But I don't usually give of my work in such a selfless and genuinely giving manner. My work is a personal experience. Njabulo's enthusiasm was infectious, and inspiring.
When we saw him later on in the day, he was standing under a tree with his huge canvas. Most of the empty spots had been filled, and he was beaming.
Good luck, Njabulo in your future endeavours.
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