Mmakgabo Mmapula Mmangankato Helen Sebidi

Place: Marapyane (Skilpadfontein) Near Hammanskraal

Born: 1943

Biography:

Mmakgabo Mmapula Mmangankato Helen Sebidi is a renowned South African artist, born in 1943 in Marapyane (Skilpadfontein) near Hammanskraal, Pretoria. She is known for her vibrant paintings and striking clay sculptures that depict abstracted African subjects in bright colors and a rich palette. Mmakgabo Mmapula Mmangankato Helen Sebidi has been recognized internationally and locally for her contributions to the art world.

Early Life and Career

Sebidi's early life was marked by her grandmother's influence, who taught her various crafts such as murals, knitting, and sewing. Her name, "Mmakgabo", means "keeper of the flame", reflecting her grandmother's work ethic and emphasis on vocational labor. Sebidi's mother was a domestic worker in Johannesburg, and she was raised by her grandmother in the countryside. As a teenager, Sebidi became a domestic worker herself but continued to pursue her art in her free time. Sebidi took classes at Dorkay House, where she met Jonathan Koenakeefe Mohl, who became her mentor. She studied drawing with him, progressing from plants to landscapes to local architecture. After her grandmother's death in the early 1980s, Sebidi returned to her hometown and began creating art about her lineage.

Artistic Style and Recognition

Sebidi's work represents a mode of African modernist painting and sculpture, characterized by abstracted African subjects in bright colors and a rich palette. Her portraits often depict realist and quasi-expressionist styles, showcasing life in both rural and urban South Africa. Sebidi has been recognized with several awards, including the Standard Bank Young Artist award in 1989, making her the first black woman to receive this honor. In 2004, President Thabo Mbeki awarded her the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, the highest honor given to those considered a "national treasure". In 2011, she received the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) Lifetime Achievement Award for Visual Art. Sebidi's work has been represented in private and public collections, including at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington and New York, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, New York, and the World Bank.

Notable Works and Exhibitions

Some of Sebidi's notable works include Men with the Firewood, a painting that showcases her unique style and technique. Her work has been exhibited at various museums, including the University of Pretoria Museums. For more information about Sebidi's artwork, visit https://Wikioo.org/@@/D736PH-Mmakgabo-Mmapula-Mmangankato-Helen-Sebidi-Men-with-the-Firewood.

• Sebidi's work can be found in the collections of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington and New York.
• Her artwork has been exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, New York.
• Sebidi's paintings and sculptures are also represented in the collection of the World Bank.

For more information about Helen Sebidi, visit her page on https://Wikioo.org/@/Mmakgabo-Mmapula-Mmangankato-Helen-Sebidi or her Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Sebidi.