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Ceaser Mkhize and Thafa Dlamini
Ceasar Mkhize: Born 1970, Durban, KwaZulu Natal
Thafa Mildred Dlamini: Born 1978, Bulwer, KwaZulu Natal
Ceaser Mkhize and Thafa Dlamini are largely self-taught artists.
Ceaser is also a musician and plays the guitar and has a great interest in dance and choreographs dances. He taught a group called Ikhayelihle who have performed in England.
In 1994 – 1997 Ceaser Attended Velobala Group Fine Art classes run by the African Art Centre
In 1998 and Ceaser attended doll making workshop run by The African Art Centre and held at the Durban Art Gallery, where he was inspired to use beads to decorate his sculptures. He took some home and left a fabric bird lying around as he thought Thafa might like to bead it. She did, but hid it from him and when he discovered it, he was surprised by the beautiful beadwork she had done.
Ceaser and Thafa collaborate on the sculptures. They both decide on the forms and usually Ceaser makes these with wire frame which is then covered with black cloth and padded with cotton wool. After discussion on design and colour, the form is then beaded by both artists.
Exhibitions
2001 “Kwasukasukela” at Democratic Gallery at the Bat Centre
2002 The African Art Centre
Listening to Africa Exhibition, Chicago, USA
2002 Untold Tales of Magic: Abelumbi Durban Art Gallery
2004 Brett Kebble exhibition
Awards
1999 Merit Award at the Vita Craft Exhibition
2002 Vita Crafts Exhibition
Five of their standing angels were chosen to decorate the judges chambers at the
New Constitutional Court in Johannesburg
The sculptures are usually large in size, an average being half a metre high.
The subject matter are animals, insects, birds and some of these are combined
with mythical creatures. Ceasar says he is trying to make a third world where art reveals another dimension. He wants to have their work accepted by others as living entities. One example being ‘Uzimuzimu’ which means a predator that feeds on humans and on this exhibition, Bhokoloshe, Impundulu, and a Frog with a cross.
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