Collen Maswanganyi
Artist Biography
Collen was born in 17 January 1977 in a rural village called Noblehoek near Giyani Limpopo Province, South Africa. He comes from an artistic family. His father is a well-known sculptor.
His father, Johannes Maswanganyi, has participated in a number of exhibitions locally and internationally. He has two wives, his mother Annah makes beadworks, his other wife, Esther Maswanganyi, makes beads, clay-pots and embroidery and has exhibited in a number of exhibitions. His younger sister's and brothers are learning the skills mentioned above. His father was taught by his father, Piet Maswanganyi.
He started school at Haaka primary school in 1983. He passed his matric at two different schools namely Ndengeza high school in 1995 and N'wamavimbi high school in 1996. He did a Fine Arts Diploma at the Technicon Witwatersrand from 1996 to 1999.
After obtaining his diploma he worked as an full-time artist.
Just like his father, he works with wood. He paints most of his sculptures. He sometimes make life size sculptures. "My art is about the old and the new. I look at life generally where I make sculptures dressed in African and modern ways. I look at technological development. My mostly popular works involve people or couples speaking on phones or people dressed modestly."
His works are collected by private people, corporates, museums and galleries. His aim is to exhibit internationally just like his father and other sculptors from his region like Jackson Hlungwani, Noria Mabase and others.
Artist Statement
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Maswanganyi's art incorporated issues relating to both the African traditions that he has been raised with and the modern world he lives in, While he also depicts the life of traditional Africans - their dressing, lifestyles and customs - he also contrasts this with Africans participating in the modern, hi-tech world. His work represents hardworking African people in the corporate sector. He also acknowledges the advantages of modern inventions and how they can impact on rural life in a positive way.
'Modern Man' and 'Modern Woman' tell the story of a modern African couple combining traditional African with modern living.
The mobile phone is used to represent the easiness of communication that can now be attained through this technology. Mobile phones have created a way of working miles from home but still being able to keep in touch with loved ones in the rural areas.
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