By Nkhensani Mthombeni
- The Limpopo-born artist says he uses traditional Tsonga grass mats to preserve his culture and tell his story.
- His unique art has taken him from Giyani to global exhibitions in places like Hong Kong and Switzerland.
Fumani Maluleke, a visual artist from Limpopo, is getting international attention for his unusual choice of canvas — the traditional Tsonga grass mat.
Unlike other artists who use regular canvases, Fumani paints on the same kind of mat he was born on. The 34-year-old discovered the idea by accident when a tin of paint spilled onto a mat while he was working. That moment changed everything.
“I went back home and asked my grandmother to make more mats. That’s when she told me I was born on the mat. I fell in love with it even more,” he said.
Fumani grew up in Thomo Village outside Giyani, where his love for drawing started as a child. His passion grew when he attended Hanyani Thomo Secondary School, where he was named the best Creative Art learner when he matriculated in 2012.
After school, he enrolled at Artist Proof Studio in Newtown but didn’t finish. He later completed a visual art course at Tshwane North College. Fumani then returned home to teach art in Giyani before deciding to move back to Johannesburg to focus on his own work full-time.
His current exhibition, titled Tsalwa, the materiality of stories, is on show at the Unisa Art Gallery in Pretoria until 23 May. A round table will be held on Friday, 16 May, with professors, artists and influencers discussing his work.
Last month, Fumani was the only black artist exhibiting at the Art Central Hall in Hong Kong, and he says the response was incredible. He’s now preparing for more exhibitions in Singapore, Italy, Switzerland and France this year and next.
Fumani hopes to return home eventually and teach more young people about visual art.
“It’s a great field to be in,” he said.
Pictured above: Fumani Maluleke wearing a grass mat.
Image source: Supplied by Fumani
