Wits Art Museum Family Guide
Exploring Stars of the North
Details offer clues about artwork – what it means, how it was made, and how it makes you feel. Use this family guide to ZOOM in on the amazing sculptures made by artists from Limpopo. Can you find these artworks using the clues below?
Clue: Women may use me to carry water on their heads. What am I? Did you know? The artist who made this work, Noria Mabasa, is the only woman among the group of Limpopo sculptors and is considered one of the more successful artists in this exhibition. Mabasa began creating sculpture after experiencing dreams in which ancestral voices instructed her to make art. What is this artwork made of?
Clue: This is not the name of the artist but a politician that the artist sculpted. Did you know? Mangosuthu Buthelezi (born 27 August 1928) is a South African politician who founded the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 1975. Throughout much of the apartheid area, Buthelezi played a key role. Why do you think Doc Phutuma Seoka decided to sculpt Buthelezi wearing a suit and tie?
Clue: Can you find a figure that is missing his trousers? Did you know? The artist, Nelson Makhuba, used a special technique called poker work to add details to his sculptures. Instead of painting onto the wood, a very hot metal rod was used to darken the wood. Can you see how this is used to give the figure a moustache? What do you imagine the figure is feeling?
Clue: My eye is actually a glass marble. Did you know? Freddy Ramabulana uses more than one material to make an artwork. He often adds real human hair for features like moustaches and eyebrows, actual teeth in the figure’s mouths, and marbles for eyes. Can you list all the materials used to make this artwork?
Clue: Every human body has a rigid and strong skeleton. Can you find one in the gallery? Did you know? Phillip Rikhotso uses his imagination to create wonderful characters. Sometimes he gave humans animal features. Can you find the figure with a monkey’s tail? What story does this artwork tell you? Use your imagination.
Clue: Find a scaly, long animal that crawls on its belly. Did you know? Tshikudo Paul Thavhana’s sculptures often showed images of snakes. He would carefully carve out each scale and use paint to make the snakes look realistic. What do you think is the most outstanding feature of this artwork? Can you sketch it? KEEP LOOKING! Let your eyes look carefully and you will find something that you didn’t notice before in all the artworks on exhibition. Invite a friend or family member to look with you. This family guide was made possible by the generous support of