Date of birth: 1937
Date of death: 1997
Ben Macala was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa on 21 April 1938.
He spent his early years tending cattle on a farm, and did his first drawings on rock formations using stones. Later his family moved to Gauteng.
Date of death: 1997
Ben Macala was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa on 21 April 1938.
He spent his early years tending cattle on a farm, and did his first drawings on rock formations using stones. Later his family moved to Gauteng.
Macala's career as an artist began in 1965. Although he
was self-taught he had trained under Cecil Skotnes at the Jubilee Art
Centre in 1964,
and in 1965 worked with, and received guidance from,
Ephraim Ngatane. In 1966 he was studying under Bill Ainslie for a
short period.
Initially Macala worked as a sculptor, but later focused on mixed-media pictorial work. Most of his works are pastel/crayon studies of people with the aim to show the dignity and tranquillity of his subjects and the importance of the animal world. His most seen images are female heads and mother-and-child studies that have a serene Madonna-like element. These later became popularized and stylized and he began presenting these faces in group compositions. His latter works before his death tend to be more refined and also decorative, compared to many of his earlier works.
He held 13 exhibitions in Europe and the United States of America from 1967 to 1985. He was also one of the few Black South African artists whose work was seen locally, even during Apartheid. Ben passed away in 1997.
Initially Macala worked as a sculptor, but later focused on mixed-media pictorial work. Most of his works are pastel/crayon studies of people with the aim to show the dignity and tranquillity of his subjects and the importance of the animal world. His most seen images are female heads and mother-and-child studies that have a serene Madonna-like element. These later became popularized and stylized and he began presenting these faces in group compositions. His latter works before his death tend to be more refined and also decorative, compared to many of his earlier works.
He held 13 exhibitions in Europe and the United States of America from 1967 to 1985. He was also one of the few Black South African artists whose work was seen locally, even during Apartheid. Ben passed away in 1997.
Exhibitions :
- 1965 : African Painters and Sculptors from Johannesburg Exhibition at the Piccadilly Gallery in London in 1965
- 1967 : First solo-exhibition in Johannesburg
- 1968 : Artists of Fame and Promise Exhibition
- 1981 : Black Art Today Exhibition
- 1987 : African Images Exhibition
- 1988 : Neglected Tradition Exhibition, Johannesburg Art Gallery
- 1965 : African Painters and Sculptors from Johannesburg Exhibition at the Piccadilly Gallery in London in 1965
- 1967 : First solo-exhibition in Johannesburg
- 1968 : Artists of Fame and Promise Exhibition
- 1981 : Black Art Today Exhibition
- 1987 : African Images Exhibition
- 1988 : Neglected Tradition Exhibition, Johannesburg Art Gallery
Benjamin Mzimkulu Macala, SA artist, is born
21 April 1937 - 1997
Benjamin
Mzimkulu (Ben) Macala was born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (now
Free State). As a young boy he tended cattle on a farm in the Free State
and drew on rocks with stones. He was largely self-taught, although he
studied for a few months under Cecil Skotnes at Jubilee Art Centre in
1964. He was also guided by Ephraim Ngatane in the mid 1960s, and was a
pupil of Bill Ainslie for a short time. He held thirteen exhibitions
from 1967-1985 in South Africa, Europe and the US.
Macala’s chosen technique was pastel on paper, and his work has come to
be recognized by this medium. He has used other media from time to time.
His subject matter of Picasso-like portraits with huge black eyes is
easily identifiable in almost all his works.
Macala was also a practicing Sangoma (traditional healer).He died in
1997.
Credit: South African History Online (SAHO)
References
Sack, S. (1988). The Neglected Tradition, Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery.|Soweto Fine Art, Ben Macala 1937 ”“ 1997, [online] Available at: www.sowetofineart.co.za [Accessed: 16 April 2014]
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