Fikile Patrick Magadlela

Fikile Patrick Magadlela

St Aidan’s Anglican Church, Yeoville

06 September 2003

December 13, 1952 

Fikile Patrick Magadlela of 105 Muller Street, Yeoville, was born in Newclare, Johannesburg on December 13, 1952. His mother, Mrs Lydia Malotane, was sixteen at the time and still at school. So, soon after birth, Fikile was adopted and brought up by his mother’s uncle Arthur ‘Mclipper’ and his wife Mavis Magadlela.

Fikile grew up first in Dobsonville, and then in Meadowlands, where his family was moved in 1958, under the Group areas Act.

In his own words he wrote: ‘I was brought up in a loving setting, pampered but not spoilt. I got everything a child wanted. Attended a crèche, dressed and ate well’.

Throughout his whole life, he always regretted the fact that he was only told at 18-years of age, who his biological mother was.

Fikile started schooling at Nakile Lower Primary, proceeded to Enkolweni Higher Primary and then to Meadowlands High School.

Writing about himself he said: ‘I was good with drawing from age three’. He was in his late teens, and a student at Meadowlands High School when he chose to become a full-time artist.

Like most people of his time, Fikile was a self-taught artist, whose mentors included the late Ezrom Legae, Solly Maphiri and Piero Cuzzolin who became a father-figure to Fikile until his death last year.

His works have been on numerous successful exhibitions overseas in countries like Czechoslovakia; The Netherlands and Australia and around the country, displayed by such galleries as Berman’s, the Johannesburg Art Gallery and Goodman in Hyde Park.

A master at pencil drawing, one of his most famous works was the ‘Dance of the Second Creation’; a work that depicts the artists own perpetual quest for spiritual solace. Although his earlier style of drawing was likened to Salvador Dali for its surrealism. Fikile was in a class of his own, perhaps more akin to Dumile than Dali. Later in life he was dubbed, ‘the angry artist’ as his works as well as his poetry became dark and sombre.

The genius, whose drawings and paintings still grace many international embassies and consulates in South Africa, as well as government offices and private homes, had his first one-man show in 1979. His retrospective exhibition, which was also the highlight of his career, was at the University of South Africa [UNISA] in 1995.

About two weeks ago some of Fikile’s works were returned from Australia and are now housed at the Pretoria Art Museum as part of South Africa’s heritage.

A week later, he was honoured by fellow poets at the Windybrow Theatre.

At the time of his death, Fikile was working on his autobiography which he told his writer should depict an interwoven tapestry of his paintings; pains and passions.

He is survived by Judith Tlotleng; his two mothers and father; 10 biological and adopted children among whom is the equally talented Noluthando Turiya Magadlela. Fikile also leaves three sisters; two brothers; cousins, nieces and nephews. He will be sadly missed by all those, whose lives were touched by his earthly presence.

Manchild

I’ve forsaken the front

a prince so fierce and yet so peaceful

to take up servitude as any birthright

Time slipping through my hands

young maidens scarred by time

I’ve seen my first sperm of manhood

meandering down an hour glass

that life of a manchild.

The here manchild never knew love 

be it from a mother

neither brothers and sisters

only the father

who knew the hardship of life

and

It was a manchild understood.

I’ve laid myself on the threshold

of life

with pride I stood up

walked on. Never to look back

with sentiments or remorse

life goes on.

Turbulent times and trying times 

I’ve seen with tears welling in my eyes

I could see the blurry rainbow

end

that the life of manchild

never the same 4

life has a way of straight through

faults of manchild

it has happened and it will always happen.

Fikile Magadlela 19/12/1992