Meshack Raphalalani

Biography

Meshack Raphalalani was born in 1950 and lives at Tshakuma, Venda. His sculptures depict the works of a man who has had many years of experience. Meshack is a highly skilled artist.

He focuses on the carving of human figures, which he depicts in various themes, exuding a deep knowledge of his subject matter. Meshack mainly produces large works of one metre and up.

Exhibitions

Fore Hare 1972 and 1978
Venda Sun 1985
South African Association of Arts
Johannesburg Art Gallery
Bozz Art Foundation
Den Haag
De Beers Centenary Art Gallery
Sasol

HIS WORLD

At the foot of Tshamukalanga Mountain, next to the road near Tshakuma Market, lies one of Tshakuma’s oldest and most beautiful residential areas, Luvhalani. Here, with his wife Salphina and their three children, Humbu, Livhu and Luvhimbi, lives one of South Africa’s best-known and honored artists – Meshack Matamela Raphalalani

HIS YOUTH

Meshack was born on 3rd March 1947 at Tshakuma in Venda. His parents, Philemon and Monica, farmed at Muhovhoya, one of Tshakuma’s suburbs, and this was home to the artist until he was thirty-two years old. Although the family struggled to make a living, they were a loving and supportive family to Meshack, who showed an interest in drawing and clay modelling from and early age. He used to sketch the surrounding landscape and human and animal figures with pencil and paper.

Meshack attended Tshakuma Lower Primary School, and enjoyed drawing pictures and made illustrations in his schoolbooks. He and other children at the school also used the locally available clay and soft stones to make small clay models, especially of animals. As well as this, the children made windmills and human figures out of mielie cobs.
He then moved on to the higher primary classes at Madzangani Practical School. During that time, through his father’s close contact with the missionaries at Tshakuma, Meshack was exposed to the imagery of the Christian belief. This became the basis for his early subject matter.

Meschack attended secondary school at Venda Land Institution, presently known as Tshisimani College of Education. The years in high school proved particularly boring to the young artist since art was not offered as a subject.

HIS CAREER

After completing his secondary school education, Meshack was educated at Venda Land Traning Institution, thereafter becoming a teacher (H. P. T. C.). It was during this time that one of his lecturers; an art teacher named Ria Fouche, became aware of his talent and, through the college, arranged for him to attend an art method course at Ndaleni Educational Training Centre in Natal. (At this stage, Ndaleni was the only institution that accepted black people who wished to train as art teachers).

During 1972, Meshack was taught art at Ndaleni under Lorna Peison of Richmond. After his training, he returned to Venda where he taught art at Mashamba Primary School. The art advisor, Mr. Louw of Pretoria, wanted to transfer Meshack from Mashamba Primary to Raluombe Secondary School at Mashamba.

However, this never materialized as Venda became independent in 1979. Since independence, he worked for the Venda Department of Education where he is still currently employed. He also filled the position of State Herald and art archivist in Venda. As a herald he draws emblems for the different departments, schools and institutions.

INFLUENCES

His lessons at the University of South Africa (UNISA)
Ria Fouche, Venda Land Training Institution (used his work as an example to the students and teachers)
His teacher, Lorna Peison at Ndaleni (had a great spiritual influence on him)

In general, he says that his art was further influenced by this exposure to the works of artists such as Michelangelo, Vince van Gogh and by South African sculptors, Michael Zondi and Nelson Mukhuba.

As a sculptor, Raphalalani continues his work in the Venda tradition, working primarily in wood, which is readily available. He records and reflects his environment, both past and present, using human figures as vehicles to express his personal vision. His dream is to see his work cast in bronze.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS WORK

Raphalalani uses mostly dry, hard wood as a medium.

Tambotia (Muonze)
Lead Wood (Mudzwiri)
Zebra Wood (Muuluri)
Red Ivory (Munii)
Boekenhout (Mutango)
Iron Wood (Musimbiri)
All fruit bearing trees

He looks for wood with interesting shapes and unusual textures and grains. He then carves the wood to create the forms that he envisages. He concentrates on contrasting textures and, on completion of his work polishes it (occasionally deliberately leaving certain areas rough to focus attention on a specific part of the sculpture).

Meshack also likes to stress movement and rhythm in his work; emphasizing this dynamic aspect by deliberately choosing pieces of wood that display fascinating, natural twists and bends.

SUBJECT MATTER

Meshack Raphalalani’s work reflects and records a whole range of subject matter, from his immediate material and his physical and mental environment. These include historical events transmitted through the oral tradition of story telling.

CARVING TOOLS

Straight chisel
Corner chisel
Bent chisel
Straight gouge
Fluter
Bent gouge
Salmon bend
V-tool
Fish tail
Long taper

HIS WORKS

KHULU MUBVUMBU (The Big Bird) - Khulu Mubvumbu is a mythical bird that came to villages where people lived, to collect meat dried out by the sun and the meat obtained from the totem (forbidden) animals (used as emblems of other tribes). The bird would carry the meat away as punishment and throw it in the water (rivers and lakes) as punishment. And according to Meshack “…that’s why in South Africa, big animals were not killed, particularly among the blacks”.

MOTHER AFRICA - This sculpture depicts war, famine, floods and incurable diseases such as Aids, striking the African continent. The cry came by radio, television, newspapers and individuals visiting our country.

MAN THROWING STONE - This sculpture depicts the struggle in South Africa from 1976 to the day of liberation. According to Meshack “…people used stones to fight, in order to achieve democracy in this country…”.