The 10 best living artists in South Africa

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The 10 best living artists in South Africa. 10

By Andries Loots 21 May 2000

This week artist Johannes Segogela is featured.

Johannes Segogela
( 1936 - )

Born in 1936 in Sekukuniland, North West Province

An artist from a very strong tribal background and who started his career relatively late in life without any formal training. In 1995 he was the Guest Artist at the Standard Bank National Arts Festival and was honoured with an exhibition of his work from the past decade.

He became a full time artist in 1980.

Studies :
A self-taught sculptor of figures and animals. Works mainly in wood which he combines with different other media. Without any formal education or training, he began carving and painting wooden sculptures based on the two main themes: Christianity and the ANC.

He carves angels some with video cameras, devils eating the fat people of Apartheid, groups of people at funerals or other Biblical events. Each work manifests his love for humanity bringing light and hope. Johannes portrays them with compassion, wit and visionary force of his imagination.

" Satan's Meat Market "

Exhibitions :
Since 1985 he has participated in many group exhibitions in South Africa, mainly with Linda Givon at the Goodman Gallery. He also exhibited extensively at the Basle Art Fair, the Venice Biennale, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and in London where he showed at the Serpentine Gallery.

1988 - Two man show at the Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
1988 - Basle Art Fair, Switzerland
1989 - 89 Neglected Tradition Exhibition, Johannesburg
1989 - Images in Wood exhibition, Johannesburg Art Gallery
1995 - Africus Johannesburg Biennale
1995 - 'Devils, Angels and Other Things', Standard Bank National Arts Festival, Grahamstown
1999 - Christmas Exhibition Cork Street, London
1999 - Artery, Mark Coetzee Gallery, Cape Town

" The Twelve Apostles "

Profile :
His work is naive, pure and from the heart. Trained as a boiler-maker he was never happy in his job and he felt the urge to sculpt and to create. He started late in life as a full time artist but yet in this short period of time became one of our best contemporary sculptors.

" Segogela has made an important contribution to crossover culture in the new South Africa " - Linda Givon, Goodman Gallery

Represented :
Many private collections in South Africa and abroad
South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Standard Bank Collection, South Africa
Durban Art Gallery
University of Fort Hare Collection
South African National Gallery, Cape Town
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

The Dictionary of South African Painters and Sculptors, Grania Oglivie, Published Everard Read Gallery, ISBN, 0 620 12663 9
Art and Artists of South Africa, Esme Berman, ISBN 1 86812 345 6
Resistance Art in South Africa, Sue Williamson, ISBN 1 85287 061 3
Revue Noir, South Africa, Art and Literature, 11 Des 1993 - Feb 1994
Images of Man, E.J. De Jager, University of Fort Hare, ISBN 1-86810-015-4