Prison life, slavery inspires South African artist at contemporary expo

Prison life, slavery inspires South African artist at contemporary expo

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) - South African artist Blessing Ngobeni first picked up a paintbrush during a nine-year stint in prison, drawing fellow inmates and birthday cards to "kill time".

This month, the now renown 35-year-old showcased his work at South Africa’s FNB Art Joburg, a leading contemporary art fair featuring artists from across the continent, back in full swing after a two-year pause linked to the pandemic.

In front of colourful surreal canvases stood a painted set of antique armchairs and sofas, inspired by an eerie discovery in 2016 of a chair in North Georgia allegedly stuffed with the hair of black slaves.

South African artist Blessing Ngobeni talks to guests during a show at South Africa’s Joburg Art Fair, a leading contemporary art exhibition featuring artists from across the African continent, in Sandton, South Africa, September 3, 2022. (REUTERS-PHOTO)

South African artist Blessing Ngobeni poses for a photograph at his studio, ahead of a show at South Africa s Joburg Art Fair, a leading contemporary art exhibition featuring artists from across the African continent, in Sandton, South Africa, September 3, 2022. (REUTERS-PHOTO)

"It was story that I needed to work with and bring it to life," Ngobeni told Reuters. "(In) things that we own, lies a secret, lies DNA, lies memories, lies pain of the other people."