Jan Maanda Tshikhuthula
Jan Maanda Tshikhuthula was born in Tzaneen, but he spent school holidays in Venda when he was young. Most mornings he would wake up early to go and collect water. This was an activity that brought him a lot of joy. The journey to the water took him and his family through the forest and the richness and beauty of the landscape was exciting to him as a boy. Too young to be able to think about the people who lived there permanently - he had no way of knowing what a struggle fetching water was for them. For him, the young child, fetching water was such a common part of the life he knew then he couldn’t see anything unusual about it.
Now, living as an adult in Johannesburg, water is a big issue. People across the country cry about water shortages, and we know there are more shortages coming, reminding him of the people back in Limpopo. Their struggle with water today is the same as it has always been, since before he was born. In those areas, people have been crying about water, and facing the struggle of water, all their lives.
The windmills in this body of work depict the movement of people in the Venda and Limpopo areas when they go to collect water. The work shows the physical effort and struggle of the distances involved, but it also offers a sweet and kind mood. This is a reflection of the happy water memories of his youth.
The water journeys of his memories are not reality. In reality, people in these areas really struggle with water. This struggle is depicted in his work, in one way or another. Some pieces, for example, show old water tanks in the process of physically breaking down. These images reflect a reality in rural areas where traditional water transport systems are breaking, and have been breaking for years, while little concern or pity is shown by society.
The loss is real and it doesn’t only concern the water and the people. The the work calls for all South Africans to work harder to protect the water resources we still have. We need to protect what we have right now because we have already lost too much.
EXHIBITIONS
2020: Lufuno solo exhibition, Lizamore & Associates
2019: Venda solo exhibition, Lizamore & Associates
2018: Everard Reed Franschoek group exhibition
2017: Knysna Fine Arts 20 year celebration (Cape Town)
2017: 35 Years Exhibition, Lizamore & Associates (Johannesburg)
2017: Turbine Art fair (Johannesburg)
2017: Rotary Art fair (Johannesburg)
2017: Muta solo exhibition, Lizamore & Associates
2016: Rotary Art fair (Johannesburg)
2016: Turbine Artfair (Johannesburg)
2015: Gibbs Print Fair (Johannesburg)
2015: The Power of the Paper (50 years of printmaking in Australia, Canada and South Africa Group Show)
2015: Madi a Thavha Wood Sculpture Group exhibition (Venda)
2014: I remember my grandfather (Gallery 2 Johannesburg)
2013: ABSA L’sAtelier Finalists’ (ABSA Gallery)
2013: Freedom (Two man show with Carla Frank, Johannesburg)
2012: David Brow Gallery (Johannesburg)
2011: Landscapes Revisited (Two-man show with Mongezi Mcaphaii)
2011: Unity Gallery (collaboration with Senzo Shabangu)
2010: Artist’s Open Studio (Drill Hall, Johannesburg)
2010: Artist Proof Studio 3rd year Exhibition (Johannesburg)
2010: Kate Miller Photography Gallery (Johannesburg)
2009: Craft Yarano sculpture (Pretoria)
2009: Artist Proof Studio Gallery with Pony Pedro (Johannesburg)
2007: Fried Contemporary Art Gallery (Pretoria)
AWARDS
2013: ABSA L,Atelier Finalists’ Top 10
2010: Artist Proof Studio, Student of the year
2006 / 2007: Vembe District Art Awards (1st & 2nd place)
2005: Mapungubwe Building Up Art competition (1st prize)
2004: Munghana Lonene FM Art Competition (1st prize)
WORKSHOPS & PROJECTS
2012 - 2015: Project (collaboration with William Kentridge)
2011 - 2014: Facilitated TB, Bilharzia and Aids awareness workshop with Kim Berman in Makuya (Venda)
2010 - 2017: Facilitated a book binding, drawing and painting workshop (Limpopo)
2008 - 2009: Vhutsila Vhutibiwi pottery workshop at Noria Mabasa (Venda).
2007: Bag Factory Artist Residency (Johannesburg)
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