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19 August 2020 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Supplied

 

Art in itself is a journey of self-exploration; with a global pandemic raging, art lovers can now explore this journey virtually. The Johannes Stegmann Gallery at the University of the Free State (UFS) is happy to announce the (second) virtual exhibition of Leeto: a Sam Nhlengethwa Print Retrospective until 4 September 2020. 

 


Sam Nhlengethwa, Tribute to Lemmy 'Special' Mabaso, 2002, Seven colour lithograph, 76 x 106 cm, 
Artwork courtesy of the artist and the Goodman Gallery. 


The exhibition features a collection of Sam Nhlengethwa’s print work to be interrogated, his artistic evolution to be mapped out, and his personal aesthetics to be interpreted, while surveying this renowned artist’s print work from 1978 to 2018.  The underlying theme of the exhibition is jazz, an early influence in Nhlengethwa’s works from the underground jazz community of the townships. His brother was a jazz musician and he started collecting jazz records from the early age of 17.

Leeto is a Setswana/Sesotho word for ‘journey’ and, as the word suggests, the exhibition explores the ongoing artistic footsteps of the artist. The collection was curated by Boitumelo Tlhoaele, a doctoral fellow in the Africa Open Institute for Music, Research, and Innovation at Stellenbosch University.

 Dedicated to Victor Ndlazilwana, 1994, Colour lithograph, 40 x 60 cm

 
Dedicated to Victor Ndlazilwana, 1994, Colour lithograph, 40 x 60 cm
Artwork courtesy of the artist and the Goodman Gallery.




About the artist: 

Nhlengethwa began his career in 1976 during one of South Africa’s most tumultuous socio-political eras. In 1978, he completed a two-year diploma at the Evangelical Lutheran Church Art and Craft Centre, Rorke’s Drift, KwaZulu-Natal, where printmaking was a prominent feature of the centre’s activities. Nhlengethwa’s work spans a variety of mediums, from painting, drawing to collage, and some of his works have been translated into tapestries. One of his big cityscape works was translated into a mosaic. In addition to all the afore-mentioned mediums, Nhlengethwa also produced an impressive and sizeable body of printmaking works. 

He has collaborated with several South African printmaking studios, such as The Artists’ Press, Artist Proof Studio, David Krut Print Workshop, LL Editions Fine Art Lithography Studio, MK and Artist Print Workshop, Mo Editions Printmaking Studio, and Sguzu Printmaker’s Workshop. Since 1994, he has produced 163 prints in collaboration with The Artists’ Press, making it his longest and most productive affiliation. 


 

News Archive

Kovsie trailblazing track runner sets South African 200 m record
2015-07-16

Photo: IAAF

Wayde van Niekerk became the only South African, and the fourth athlete in the world, to clock sub-20-seconds in a 200 m race on Tuesday 14 July 2015. With this winning time, he became the fourth member of the prestigious quartet, consisting of Michael Johnson, LaShawn Merritt, Isaac Makwala and himself.

The Kovsie gold medallist’s ground-breaking performance saw him beat world-class 200 m specialist and last year's Diamond League race winner, Alonso Edward of Panama.  Van Niekerk crossed the finish line half a metre ahead of Edward, who was followed by Fujmitsu Kenji of Japan in the third place.

Van Niekerk's 19.94-time at the Diamond League meeting in Lucerne (Switzerland) set a national record, and improved on his personal best. In 2010, he claimed the World Junior Championship title in Moncton, Canada, by covering 200 m in 21.02 seconds.

Recently, he made history by defeating the London 2012 Olympic Games champion, Kirani James, of Grenada in the Caribbean.

On 4 July 2015, he surged 0.79 seconds ahead of Kirani in his number five lane, becoming the first African to cover 400m in less than 44 seconds. The Kovsie student won the race at 43.96, occupying 10th place on the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League all-time list.

Kovsies were still celebrating the gold medalist’s South African record-setting time of 44.24 on 13 June 2015 when he dominated the Diamond League meeting. At the previous race in New York, Van Niekerk improved on his own national record of 44.38. With an impressive dash to the finish line at that particular event, he surpassed Christopher Brown’s 400 m record.

In addition to the country’s record, Van Niekerk made his name as one of the continent’s record-breakers. On 7 June 2015, he broke the 1986 African 300 m record. Van Niekerk replaced Ivorian Gabriel Tiacoh’s best time of 31.74 with a 31.63 championship win at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting.  Simultaneously, he bettered Morné Nagel’s 2006 South African national record.

Following his outstanding performance, he was positioned in 10th place on the world list in the men’s 300 m.

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