Photography

Sibusiso Bheka’s Art Shines at AKAA Art and Design Fair

Published

7 months ago

October 19, 2023

Of Soul and Joy is thrilled to announce that Afronova Gallery will present Sibusiso Bheka at the Also Known As Africa (AKAA) Art and Design Fair in Paris from October 20 to 22. As a nod to Gill Scott Heron’s song, “Have you heard from Johannesburg?,” Afronova Gallery’s exhibition booth will feature a curated selection of artworks by Sibusiso Bheka, Lawrence Lemaoana, Alice Mann, and Dimakatso Mathopa.

In its eighth edition, AKAA is dedicated to showcasing curatorial excellence within a dynamic art and design fair context. In a break from traditional fair formats, AKAA has invited curators and artists to play a significant role in the fair.

Born in Thokoza in 1997, Bheka lives and works in the township. For AKAA, Bheka presents a body of work that challenges preconceived notions associated with his township. His photographs capture the essence of Thokoza at night, depicting playful and almost surreal moments just before darkness falls. They also reference the yellow-orange lights that once dictated the movements of people of colour during apartheid. By creating this contrast, Bheka’s work aims to illuminate the resilience and hope that transcends the complexities of a wounded yet hopeful society.

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Jabulani Dhlamini, project manager at Of Soul and Joy, expresses their pride in Sibusiso’s artistic journey, saying, “His work is a testimony to South Africa’s violent past as well as a celebration of the intense beauty that can be found in the details of daily life in a township.”

Represented by Afronova Gallery and an active Of Soul and Joy project member, Bheka’s work has been showcased worldwide. His series “Stop Nonsense” was first exhibited at the 11th edition of Rencontres de Bamako – African Biennale of Photography in 2017 before travelling to the National Museum of World Culture in Leiden, Netherlands, in 2018. Bheka was shortlisted for the Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Fellowship 2018. In 2019, he was nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass and shortlisted for the CAP Prize for Contemporary African Photography.

Several prominent exhibitions, including the Ithuba Arts Gallery in Johannesburg (2013), the Addis Foto Fest in Ethiopia (2014), the Ghent International Photo Festival in Belgium (2015), the Johannesburg Art Gallery in South Africa (2016), Arles Photo Encounters (2020), and the Bristol Photo Festival (2021) have featured Bheka’s work.

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