Billy Mandindi
Encyclopedia
Buysile "Billy" Mandindi (1967-2005) was a black South Africa
n activist-artist who participated in a landmark protest in Cape Town
in 1989, the so-called Purple Rain Protest
. Later, still covered with the purple dye that riot police sprayed on protesters, Mandindi created a lino cut celebrating the spirit of freedom.
of the University of Cape Town for one year (1987-1988). He also regularly attended the Visual Arts Group workshops between 1988 and 1989.http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm
Mandindi was associated with Hardground Printmakershttp://www.hardgroundprintmakers.com/general_view.asp?pg=history.asp for 4 years, which produced his prints and portfolios of linocut.http://www.artshost.org/greatmore/residentartists/resartcurr/billymandindi.htm He also drew, painted, and sculptured.
During the 1980s and 1990s Mandindi participated in group and solo exhibitions in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Stellenbosch. Mandindi's work featured in a Museum of Modern Art Exhibition in London (1990) and in the South African National Gallery in Cape Town (1994) http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm.
The Belgian curators of the 1995 Africus Biennalehttp://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_n9_v83/ai_17502875 in Johannesburg invited him to show his work. In 1996 Mandindi was invited to Denmark, Copenhagen as part of the “Container 96-Art Across the Oceans” exhibition.http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_n12_v84/ai_18967383/pg_3 He collaborated with Gavin Youngehttp://web.uct.ac.za/org/cama/CAMA/countries/southafr/Makers/gyounge/HTML/index.htm on "Umkrweli/House," which referred to issues of housing and access to land.http://www.iziko.org.za/ac/pub/pre1997/bn96a-fr.htm Mandindi next participated in the “Fault Lines” exhibition at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town by invitation. The exhibition commemorated the uprising of black students in 1976 against the implementation of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in black schools.http://www.artshost.org/greatmore/residentartists/resartcurr/billymandindi.htm http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/Mandindi-bp.htm
Mandindi's art combined warm colours and comic figures with serious political issues to create unsettling results http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm . One of the best examples is "The Death of Township Art" http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html(1989), in which two demonic angels hold a burning a tire around a giraffe's neck. Mandindi refers here to the method used by township vigilantes to kill suspected collaborators by means of the so-called 'necklace
.' http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/Mandindi-bp.htm
He continued to use warm colours in his later, non-political work, such as the geometrically-shaped series "Matters Arising" http://www.bagfactoryart.org.za/html/resident/residents/Billy/Billy.htm.
Renowned South African artist and curator David Koloane
http://www.joburg.org.za/people/koloane.stm hailed Mandindi as one of South Africa's most
versatile multi-media practitioners http://www.bagfactoryart.org.za/html/resident/residents/Billy/Billy.htm. For example, he used tin, paint, wire and wood for "Fire Games" (1985) http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html. Mandindi also worked with more traditional media, such as oil pastels (for example, in "The Death of Township Art") http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html, and his use or charcoal (in a self-portrait, for instance) http://www.capegallery.co.za/images/billy_mandindi02_300.jpg.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n activist-artist who participated in a landmark protest in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in 1989, the so-called Purple Rain Protest
Purple Rain Protest
The Purple Rain Protest, Purple Rain Revolt or Purple Rain Riot was an anti-apartheid protest held in Cape Town on September 2, 1989, four days before South Africa's racially segregated parliament held its elections...
. Later, still covered with the purple dye that riot police sprayed on protesters, Mandindi created a lino cut celebrating the spirit of freedom.
History
Born in Cape Town on 24 February 1967, Billy Mandindi (photo) was educated in King William’s Town, in the Ciskei region of the Eastern Province. Mandindi mostly taught himself art, although he did take classes at the Community Arts Project (1985–1986), and at the Michaelis School of Fine ArtMichaelis School of Fine Art
Michaelis School of Fine Art was founded in 1925, and is the Fine Arts department of the University of Cape Town, also housing the Michaelis Collection named for Sir Max Michaelis who in 1920 endowed the chair of Fine Art at the University. It is located at 31-37 Orange Street in Cape Town on...
of the University of Cape Town for one year (1987-1988). He also regularly attended the Visual Arts Group workshops between 1988 and 1989.http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm
Mandindi was associated with Hardground Printmakershttp://www.hardgroundprintmakers.com/general_view.asp?pg=history.asp for 4 years, which produced his prints and portfolios of linocut.http://www.artshost.org/greatmore/residentartists/resartcurr/billymandindi.htm He also drew, painted, and sculptured.
During the 1980s and 1990s Mandindi participated in group and solo exhibitions in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Stellenbosch. Mandindi's work featured in a Museum of Modern Art Exhibition in London (1990) and in the South African National Gallery in Cape Town (1994) http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm.
The Belgian curators of the 1995 Africus Biennalehttp://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_n9_v83/ai_17502875 in Johannesburg invited him to show his work. In 1996 Mandindi was invited to Denmark, Copenhagen as part of the “Container 96-Art Across the Oceans” exhibition.http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_n12_v84/ai_18967383/pg_3 He collaborated with Gavin Youngehttp://web.uct.ac.za/org/cama/CAMA/countries/southafr/Makers/gyounge/HTML/index.htm on "Umkrweli/House," which referred to issues of housing and access to land.http://www.iziko.org.za/ac/pub/pre1997/bn96a-fr.htm Mandindi next participated in the “Fault Lines” exhibition at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town by invitation. The exhibition commemorated the uprising of black students in 1976 against the implementation of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in black schools.http://www.artshost.org/greatmore/residentartists/resartcurr/billymandindi.htm http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/Mandindi-bp.htm
Art
Mandindi's earlier art reflected the struggle for political liberation. For example, in the print tiptych "Prophecy" (1985) and again in the oil painting "African Madonna"http://www.artthrob.co.za/05nov/reviews/sang.html (1986) Mandindi reinterpreted the fateful Xhosa prophetess Nonqawuse in relation to the experience of economic exploitation of migrant labourers under apartheid http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/Mandindi-bp.htm http://www.artthrob.co.za/05nov/reviews/sang.html. In 1988 Mandindi participated in the "Palette of Oppression" group exhibition with Rodger Meintjies and Fuad Adams.Mandindi's art combined warm colours and comic figures with serious political issues to create unsettling results http://www.capegallery.co.za/billy_mandindi_cv.htm . One of the best examples is "The Death of Township Art" http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html(1989), in which two demonic angels hold a burning a tire around a giraffe's neck. Mandindi refers here to the method used by township vigilantes to kill suspected collaborators by means of the so-called 'necklace
Necklacing
Necklacing is the practice of summary execution and torture carried out by forcing a rubber tyre, filled with petrol, around a victim's chest and arms, and setting it on fire...
.' http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/bios/Mandindi-bp.htm
He continued to use warm colours in his later, non-political work, such as the geometrically-shaped series "Matters Arising" http://www.bagfactoryart.org.za/html/resident/residents/Billy/Billy.htm.
Renowned South African artist and curator David Koloane
David Koloane
The artist David Nthubu Koloane was born on June 5, 1938 in the township of Alexandra, a suburb of Johannesburg in South Africa. In his drawings, paintings and collages he explores actual questions about political injustice and human rights...
http://www.joburg.org.za/people/koloane.stm hailed Mandindi as one of South Africa's most
versatile multi-media practitioners http://www.bagfactoryart.org.za/html/resident/residents/Billy/Billy.htm. For example, he used tin, paint, wire and wood for "Fire Games" (1985) http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html. Mandindi also worked with more traditional media, such as oil pastels (for example, in "The Death of Township Art") http://www.artthrob.co.za/05oct/news/mandindi.html, and his use or charcoal (in a self-portrait, for instance) http://www.capegallery.co.za/images/billy_mandindi02_300.jpg.
Public collections which includes Mandindi's art
- Caltex Collection
- South African National Gallery, Cape Town
- Truworths Collection
- University of South Africa, Pretoria
- University of Stellenbosch
- University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg