Lefifi Tladi (born 4 January 1949) is a South African painter, poet, sculptor and musician. As a member of the black consciousness movement he was exiled from South Africa in 1976.[1] He lived in exile, primarily in Stockholm, Sweden, until the abolition of apartheid, and in 1997 returned to South Africa for the first time in over 20 years.[2] In 2021 he was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the South African Literary Awards.[3]
Lefifi Tladi was born in 1949 in the township of Lady Selborne, Pretoria, South Africa.[4] His involvement in the cultural world started in 1966 when he co-founded a youth club known as De-Olympia in the township of Ga-Rankuwa, north-west of Pretoria. The club hosted workshops, recited poetry, dance and music. The group subsequently formed a jazz band, Malombo Jazz Messengers, later renamed Dashiki. During the 1970s Lefifi started to get more involved in the Black Consciousness Movement via its cultural events where he performed with Dashiki. Dashiki also became regulars at the United States Embassy’s jazz appreciation sessions under the management of Geoff Matlherane Mphakathi.[2]
In 1971 De-Olympia was transformed into an art studio, gallery and museum of contemporary Black art. The aim was to exhibit art, stimulate research, and encourage the documentation of African arts. Among others, Lefifi worked with Motlhabane Mashiangwako, Victor Mkhumbuza, Fikile Magadlela, and Harry Moyaga.[2] They also organized numerous Black art exhibitions and workshops at some of the major Black universities and schools. This was in response to the "Bantu Educations" discouragement of Black people’s creativity. After being active for three years the apartheid authorities forced the museum to close down in 1974.[1]
In 1976 Lefifi was arrested and detained by the security police for participating in the Soweto uprising. He was kept in solitary confinement for over two months before he was released on bail. When he was out on bail he decided to not stay in South Africa due to the severity of the charges he was facing and fled across the border to Botswana.[5] While in Botswana he and fellow artists established the Tuka Cultural Unit, a cultural formation meant for organizing group exhibitions as well as sustaining working relations with artists in South Africa. In 1977, they took part in the month-long event, Festac ’77 – the pan-African international festival of arts and culture in Lagos, Nigeria.[2]
Lefifi got in contact with a Swedish diplomat while holding an exhibition at the Botswana National Museum in 1980. This encounter led to Lefifi receiving a scholarship to study fine arts and art history at the Gerlesborg School of Fine Art in Stockholm. He moved to Stockholm the following year.[2]
While in Sweden Lefifi continued to be active in anti apartheid movement. In He participated in the exhibition “Art Against Apartheid” in Amsterdam, Holland and the SIDA-sponsored "End White Rule in Black South Africa" exhibition.[6]
In 1997 Lefifi returned to South Africa for the first time following the abolishment of Apartheid.[7]
In 2005 film maker Aryan Kaganof made the documentary "Giant Steps" about the life of Lefifi Tladi along with South African poets Lesego Rampolokeng, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Afurakan, Mac Manaka.[8][9]
Since 2016 he lives in Stockholm full time and continues to exhibit and host poetry and art workshops. He is passionate about education and is involved with various art education projects in South Africa from a distance.[7]
Oil Paintingsedit
Kalture(Culture) a 2005 painting by Lefifi Tladi that is on ode to the sonic artists an the instruments they play.
Untitled. An exercise painting on an undulating surface, which showcases the explorative approach that Tladi applies to creating artworks
Oil on canvas Painting dedicated to fellow artist Ezrom Legae.
Oil Painting on Canvas dimensions 63x113, An exploration on centering myths in African Art percepectives
Notable exhibitionsedit
”Mosima Motlhaela” at Thupa National Museum, Gaborone, Botswana - 1980[6]
”Soweto Flames of Resistance” at Oslo House, Norway - 1980[6]
“Ting-Ting-Pere Krag” at African Centre, London, England - 1982[6]
”Afrika Tage” at Pavillion, Hannover, West Germany - 1982[6]
“Schwarze Kunst aus Sud Afrika” touring West Germany - 1984[6]
“Boomerang to the Source” at Battersea Art Centre, London, England - 1984[6]
“Mötesplats” at Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden - 1984[6]
“Art Against Apartheid” at Nieuwe Kerk Dam, Amsterdam, Holland - 1985[6]
“End White Rule in Black South-Africa” at SIDA U-Forum, Stockholm, Sweden - 1985[6]
“Images in Black” at De Butcht, Leiden, Holland - 1985[6]
“Munti Wa Marumo – Boomerang to the Source” at Brixton Art Gallery, London, England - 1986[6]
“Wir sind die Elefanten” and “Bilder und Skulpturen aus Azania” at Solidarische Welt, C.U.B.A., Münster, Germany - 1986[6]
“Voices From Exile” at Union Art Gallery, Milwaukee, U.S.A. - 1987[6]
“A Travelling Exhibition” at Union Art Gallery, Morgan State University, Baltimore, U.S.A. - 1987[6]
“Alphabets of Fire” at Capitol Cost Graphic Gallery, Washington DC, U.S.A. - 1987[6]
”Sexhexhexhe” at Unisa Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa - 1995[6]\
"Oto la Dimo" : joint retrospective exhibition of Lefifi Tladi & Motlhabane Mashiangwako : Unisa Art Gallery, 5 February 1998-21 March 1998, Johannesburg International Airport, 22 April-25 May 1998
^"Lefifi Tladi | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
^Philogene, Claude (2019). Lefifi Tladi´s Third-Brain Calligraphy. Stockholm, Sweden: Noka Publishing. p. 13. ISBN978-91-982962-8-0.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrPhilogene, Claude (2019). Lefifi Tladi's Third-Brain Calligraphy. Stockholm, Sweden: Noka Publishing. pp. 117–120. ISBN978-91-982962-8-0.
^"Opening of the Lefifi Tladi Exhibition, the National Cultural History Museum | Department of Sport, Arts and Culture". www.dac.gov.za. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
^"Lefifi Tladi" (in Swedish). 2018-01-05. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
January 01, 1970
lefifi, tladi, born, january, 1949, south, african, painter, poet, sculptor, musician, member, black, consciousness, movement, exiled, from, south, africa, 1976, lived, exile, primarily, stockholm, sweden, until, abolition, apartheid, 1997, returned, south, af. Lefifi Tladi born 4 January 1949 is a South African painter poet sculptor and musician As a member of the black consciousness movement he was exiled from South Africa in 1976 1 He lived in exile primarily in Stockholm Sweden until the abolition of apartheid and in 1997 returned to South Africa for the first time in over 20 years 2 In 2021 he was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the South African Literary Awards 3 Lefifi TladiBorn 1949 01 04 4 January 1949 age 75 Pretoria South AfricaNationalitySouth AfricanEducationGerlesborg School of Fine ArtOccupation s Painter poet sculptor and musicianAwards2021 SALA Literary lifetime achievement awardWebsitehttps lefifitladi com Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Oil Paintings 2 Notable exhibitions 3 ReferencesBiography editLefifi Tladi was born in 1949 in the township of Lady Selborne Pretoria South Africa 4 His involvement in the cultural world started in 1966 when he co founded a youth club known as De Olympia in the township of Ga Rankuwa north west of Pretoria The club hosted workshops recited poetry dance and music The group subsequently formed a jazz band Malombo Jazz Messengers later renamed Dashiki During the 1970s Lefifi started to get more involved in the Black Consciousness Movement via its cultural events where he performed with Dashiki Dashiki also became regulars at the United States Embassy s jazz appreciation sessions under the management of Geoff Matlherane Mphakathi 2 In 1971 De Olympia was transformed into an art studio gallery and museum of contemporary Black art The aim was to exhibit art stimulate research and encourage the documentation of African arts Among others Lefifi worked with Motlhabane Mashiangwako Victor Mkhumbuza Fikile Magadlela and Harry Moyaga 2 They also organized numerous Black art exhibitions and workshops at some of the major Black universities and schools This was in response to the Bantu Educations discouragement of Black people s creativity After being active for three years the apartheid authorities forced the museum to close down in 1974 1 In 1976 Lefifi was arrested and detained by the security police for participating in the Soweto uprising He was kept in solitary confinement for over two months before he was released on bail When he was out on bail he decided to not stay in South Africa due to the severity of the charges he was facing and fled across the border to Botswana 5 While in Botswana he and fellow artists established the Tuka Cultural Unit a cultural formation meant for organizing group exhibitions as well as sustaining working relations with artists in South Africa In 1977 they took part in the month long event Festac 77 the pan African international festival of arts and culture in Lagos Nigeria 2 Lefifi got in contact with a Swedish diplomat while holding an exhibition at the Botswana National Museum in 1980 This encounter led to Lefifi receiving a scholarship to study fine arts and art history at the Gerlesborg School of Fine Art in Stockholm He moved to Stockholm the following year 2 While in Sweden Lefifi continued to be active in anti apartheid movement In He participated in the exhibition Art Against Apartheid in Amsterdam Holland and the SIDA sponsored End White Rule in Black South Africa exhibition 6 In 1997 Lefifi returned to South Africa for the first time following the abolishment of Apartheid 7 In 2005 film maker Aryan Kaganof made the documentary Giant Steps about the life of Lefifi Tladi along with South African poets Lesego Rampolokeng Kgafela oa Magogodi Afurakan Mac Manaka 8 9 Since 2016 he lives in Stockholm full time and continues to exhibit and host poetry and art workshops He is passionate about education and is involved with various art education projects in South Africa from a distance 7 Oil Paintings edit nbsp Kalture Culture a 2005 painting by Lefifi Tladi that is on ode to the sonic artists an the instruments they play nbsp Untitled An exercise painting on an undulating surface which showcases the explorative approach that Tladi applies to creating artworks nbsp Oil on canvas Painting dedicated to fellow artist Ezrom Legae nbsp Oil Painting on Canvas dimensions 63x113 An exploration on centering myths in African Art percepectivesNotable exhibitions edit Mosima Motlhaela at Thupa National Museum Gaborone Botswana 1980 6 Soweto Flames of Resistance at Oslo House Norway 1980 6 Ting Ting Pere Krag at African Centre London England 1982 6 Afrika Tage at Pavillion Hannover West Germany 1982 6 Schwarze Kunst aus Sud Afrika touring West Germany 1984 6 Boomerang to the Source at Battersea Art Centre London England 1984 6 Motesplats at Kulturhuset Stockholm Sweden 1984 6 Art Against Apartheid at Nieuwe Kerk Dam Amsterdam Holland 1985 6 End White Rule in Black South Africa at SIDA U Forum Stockholm Sweden 1985 6 Images in Black at De Butcht Leiden Holland 1985 6 Munti Wa Marumo Boomerang to the Source at Brixton Art Gallery London England 1986 6 Exil at Haus 3 Hamburg Germany 1986 6 Wir sind die Elefanten and Bilder und Skulpturen aus Azania at Solidarische Welt C U B A Munster Germany 1986 6 Voices From Exile at Union Art Gallery Milwaukee U S A 1987 6 A Travelling Exhibition at Union Art Gallery Morgan State University Baltimore U S A 1987 6 Alphabets of Fire at Capitol Cost Graphic Gallery Washington DC U S A 1987 6 Sexhexhexhe at Unisa Art Gallery Pretoria South Africa 1995 6 Oto la Dimo joint retrospective exhibition of Lefifi Tladi amp Motlhabane Mashiangwako Unisa Art Gallery 5 February 1998 21 March 1998 Johannesburg International Airport 22 April 25 May 1998 Windows Vasby Konsthall Sweden 2007 1 Mphopole Lefifi Tladi Exhibition at the National Cultural History Museum Pretoria South Africa 2009 10 Lattare an Maskros at SAAB Art Gallery Terrassen Linkoping Sweden 2018 11 References edit a b c Multikonstnar vill skapa en battre varld Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish 2006 04 21 ISSN 1101 2412 Retrieved 2022 04 28 a b c d e Boina Beret And 2017 07 11 The Beret Project Lefifi Tladi The Beret Project Retrieved 2022 04 28 2021 SALA Winners Retrieved 2022 04 28 Lefifi Tladi South African History Online www sahistory org za Retrieved 2023 02 05 Philogene Claude 2019 Lefifi Tladi s Third Brain Calligraphy Stockholm Sweden Noka Publishing p 13 ISBN 978 91 982962 8 0 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Philogene Claude 2019 Lefifi Tladi s Third Brain Calligraphy Stockholm Sweden Noka Publishing pp 117 120 ISBN 978 91 982962 8 0 a b SA History SA History Chronic Giant Steps from a film by Aryan Kaganof and Geoff Mphakati The Chimurenga Chronic Retrieved 2022 05 02 Aryan Kaganof Wikipedia 2021 12 04 retrieved 2022 05 02 Opening of the Lefifi Tladi Exhibition the National Cultural History Museum Department of Sport Arts and Culture www dac gov za Retrieved 2022 04 28 Lefifi Tladi in Swedish 2018 01 05 Retrieved 2022 04 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lefifi Tladi amp oldid 1214340451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
