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About The Artist
Artist Biography
Colbert Mashile is a young artist from Johannesburg whose work deals with tradition,
customs and rituals as well as attitudes prevalent in society. As a young boy, Mashile
had to undergo certain circumcision rites that left him with a lot of
emotional trauma and psychological confusion.
Born in 1972 in Bushbuckridge (Northern Province), he comes from a place which is
shrouded by powerful cultural norms and customs. At the age of 10 he had to undergo initiation rituals. The ritual in the Bushbuckridge area is not based on issues of transforming boys into men as such, but to reinforce tradition. Like many individuals exposed to the ritual tradition of circumcision, he has struggled
to comprehend the historical nature of the traumatic process and his immediate response to the horror and trauma of the
experience was suppressed until a later stage when he realised that he found it difficult to look at gaping wounds of injured people, especially the wounds that were inflicted
for ceremonial purposes.
Through the restorative process of creating art, Mashile expresses his emotions and experiences of the past through his artworks. The associated
imagery in Mashile’s work includes psychological associations to the circumcision ceremony as well as references to childhood memories and to his childhood home. Driven by the turmoil from within, Mashile’s technique is quick and loose in style,
allowing the direction of his image to be the result of his intuitive response. He makes use of psychological images in an attempt to replace horrific scenes, sights
and sounds of the initiation ritual. The titles of Colbert’s work are in Sotho and are directly derived from descriptions of the imagery found in each work.
Having completed a BA (FA) from the University of the Witwatersrand
in 2000, he had experience with printmaking, but a true comprehension of the process did
not evolve until he was allowed to work and experiment at David Krut Print Workshop. An ongoing collaboration
began in 2003 and has allowed Mashile to work with various established printers such as Tim Foulds, Zhane Warren and visiting Master Printer Randy Hemminghaus of New York. Mashile has created various monoprints and limited drypoint editions as well as several large, bright monotypes and a series of delicate, monochromatic linocuts.
Photograph courtesy of Nirox Projects
Artist CV
Education and Training
University of the Witwatersrand
Certificate: Internship Course (June, 2002)
Master of Arts in Heritage Studies (2001-)
Majors:
Tourism and Developmental Studies
Environmental Studies
Public Culture Studies
Research Report
University of the Witwatersrand
Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts (1996-2000)
Special Awards:
Certificate of Merit: Outstanding Results in Drawing & Design III (1998)
Certificate of First Class: Painting IV (1999)
Johannesburg Art Foundation
Certificate in Art Foundation Course (1992-1994)
Tladishi High School
Matric (1989)
Summary
My academic experience has equipped me with analytical skills that I rely
upon for systematic and logical probelm solving. This is coupled with clear
conceptual and visual literacy.
My artistic background has also equipped me with necessary exhibition
skills and comprehensive gallery management understanding. Most of the
experience came through art exhibitions I was involved in since the past
eight years.
The innovative design skills I possess have enabled me to win prestigious awards including the ABSA Atelier Merit Prize (2000)
Solo Exhibitions
2015 - Beast of Burden (Solo Show) - NIROXprojects, Johannesburg, March 2015
2015 - S'Ka Motho (Just Like Man) (Solo Show) - SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, March 2015
2013 - Messages from our Ancestors (Solo Show) - Art Eye Gallery, Sandton, Johannesburg, September 2013
2006 - Mmawaka-Montedi (Solo Show) - AVA, Cape Town, 16 October - 10 November 2006
2004 - Tsa Bagale (Solo Show) - Gallery On The Square, Sandton, 6 - 31 October 2004
Group Exhibitions
2006
Les arts de la Coexistence? (Group Show) - Alliance Francaise, Paris, France, January 2006
Les arts de la Coexistence? (Group Show) - Musee des Arts Derniers, Paris, France, February 2006
New Painting (Group Show) - KZNSA Gallery, Durban, 30 March - 23 April 2006
New Painting (Group Show) - Unisa Art Gallery, Pretoria, 9 May - 2 June 2006
DAK' ART, Senegal, 1 - 10 May 2006
New Painting (Group Show) - Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, 23 July - 3 September 2006
2005
Brett Kebble Awards Exhibition 2005
ABSA L' Atelier Competition Exhibition, Absa Gallery, Johannesburg
Sasol New Signatures Competition Exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum
Les arts de la Coexistence? (Group Show) - Migrations Culturelles, Bordeaux , France, September 2005
Les arts de la Coexistence? (Group Show) - Médiathèque, Biarritz, France, November 2005
Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy, 3 - 11 December 2005
2004
ABSA L'Atelier Competition Exhibition - Absa Gallery, Johannesburg
Brett Kebble Awards Exhibition 2004
Boston, Smithsonian, Gibbs Museum, Detroit - United States (Traveling Show):
"A Decade of Democracy: Witnessing South Africa": 2004 - 2005 (Group Show); "The ID of South African Artists" - Amsterdam, Holland: 2004 - 2005 (Group Show)
A Decade of Democracy: South African Art 1994 - 2004
from the Permanent Collection (Group Show) - South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Making Waves (A selection of works from the SABC art collection) (Group Show) - Johannesburg Art Gallery, November 2004 - February 2005
Negotiated Identities, Black Bodies (Group Show) - Johannesburg Art Gallery, 24 October 2004 - 2 January 2005
2003
Circumcised/Circumscribed (Group Show) - Axis Gallery, New York, January 2003
Art Space, Johannesburg, January 2003 (Group Show)
Show Me Home (Group Show) - Johannesburg Art Gallery, 5 April - 25 May 2003
A New Collection (Group Show) - Gallery On The Square, Sandton, 28 June - 12 July 2003
2002
Art On Paper Gallery (April and August)
Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudshoorn
Gallery On The Square, Sandton
2001
Museum Africa Gallery, Johannesburg
The Art Space Gallery
2000
ABSA Gallery, Johannesburg
UNISA Art Gallery, Pretoria
Malangatana in South Africa, Sandton Civic Gallery
Bill Ainslie Art Gallery
Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudshoorn
1998 & 1999 - Martienssen, University of the Witwatersrand
1994 - JHB Art Foundation
Collections
University of the Witwatersrand
SASOL Limited
NEDCOR Bank
MTN Corporation
BHP Billiton (Gencor)
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
Johannesburg Art Gallery
E. Oppenheimer & Sons
Stanlib
The Mandela Foundation
De Beers
The South African National Gallery
Durban Art Gallery
YSA
IBM
3M
African Life
Daniel Erasmus Attorneys
Employment
Constitution Hill Project
August 2002-present
Key Responsibilities:
To conduct research about the Constitution Hill's feasibility as a sustainable Heritage site.
To interview selected focus groups are at the site periodically.
To liaise with other Gauteng museums and government structures, and use them as case studies.
Internship Program
MTN Art Institute
March-June, 2002
Key Responsibilities:
To research and compile the database of the MTN Art collection.
To assist in the facilitation of the Rorke's Drift Retrospective Exhibition being implemented by the MTN Foundation. This includes locating artworks and interviewing participating artists.
To deal with the display and exhibition of artworks in MTN corporate offices.
To conduct walkabouts and educate community members and school learners about diverse heritage values represented in the artworks.
Highlights:
Gaining insight and knowledge of database structure.
Liaising in a corporate organisation and being involved in Corporate Citizenship exercises.
Improving on my presentation skills.
Understanding partnerships and values in the Heritage Industry.
Fieldwork and interviewing experience
Apartheid Museum Project:
Feb 2001 - Apr 2001
Key Responsibilities:
To locate and collect artifacts from diverse communities that are authentically suited to the criteria of the museum.
To interview community members and record oral tradition.
Highlights:
To manage and work within the allocated budget.
Canvassing large communities and winning their trust to donate valuable objects for heritage purposes.
Artist Residencies
Cavershim Press, KZN, South Africa, 2004
McColl Center for Visual Arts: Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.A. January - March 2005
Cavershim Press, KZN, South Africa. September - October
Awards
2000 ABSA l'Atelier Merit Prize
1999 Martinssen Prize, University of the Witwatersrand
Certificate of First Class in Painting IV, University of Wiwatersrand
1998 Martinssen Prize, University of Witwatersrand
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