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Local Carvers of Limpopo – this is their story
October 16, 2017
Step into many a home, B&B, safari lodge, restaurant or store in Limpopo and you will notice how their interiors are likely to feature a striking piece from a celebrated African wood carver, textile worker, weaver or beader.
Interior design has been intimately influenced by the landscape of this dramatic part of our beautiful country and is reflected in the featured artworks made by some of South Africa’s most talented local artisans. Limpopo is renowned for its many Venda and Tsonga sculptures which draw inspiration not only from the environment, but also from socio-political issues such as xenophobia, sexual abuse, social grants and student pregnancies.
Local artists of the region include the likes of Mischak Raphalalani, Johannes Maswanganyi, Avhashoni Mainganye, Rebecca Matibe, Owen Ndou, Philip Rikhotso and Thomas Kubayi. They have each – with their own style, come to be known as ‘big names’ in the region and create much of the local art which has become popular throughout the province. While wood carvers such as Japhter Luvimbi, Avhashoni Mainganye and none other than David Murathi have come to define carving artistry, drawing their originality from a wood carving God Father, the late John Baloyi.
Wood carver David Murathi
David is well-known throughout South Africa for his traditional and contemporary, both small and large sculptures and many pieces of functional art. His carvings include beautiful bathroom accessories such as hooks, towel rails and mirrors.
He began his carving career while still in high school, learning the art of the trade from his famous wood carving uncle, Churchill Madzivhandila. David now runs a rural art studio in Mashau Village in the lush Levubu Valley in Northern Limpopo, drawing daily creativity from his dreams and ancestral heritage.
One of the secrets to David’s success as an artist is centred on how he allows the natural form of the wood he is working with to evolve in his wood carvings. He looks at the physical structure of the wood, and seeks to make a significant statement through its natural shape. David’s sculptures are characterised by their expressive nature, while a good number of his most popular pieces human art focus on social issues such as domestic violence and the abuse of women in a abstract art form.
David shot to fame after he won first prize for his artworks at the Venda Arts Exhibition at the RSA Embassy Hall in 1992 and he has since gone on to exhibit all over South Africa. Many of his artworks have also reached foreign shores! His sculptures can be seen in various magazines and art books across South Africa.
The ‘God Father’ of carving artistry in Limpopo, John Baloyi
John was well-known for his educational carvings, bringing foreign animals to life in his local gallery in Limpopo, including the likes of kangaroos, dolphins, swordfish and camels. He believed that in depicting these species, he was aiding in the development of rural education. Aside from his incredible wood carving career, John Baloyi was also a skilled potter, weaver and puppet maker.
John’s passion for carving was nurtured by his grandfather who crafted traditional chairs and coffins. As his wood carving career grew, John explored Biblical themes, eventually focusing on the crafting and carving of foreign animal species and daily rural life.
Throughout his career as a wood carver he exhibited extensively. Many of his works are housed in corporate and private collections in Germany, England, Holland, Japan, Belgium, Australia, Botswana and throughout South Africa. John was known as a man passionate about art and what it represents to live the life of an artist.
With an abundance of inspiration in colour, earthy textures, cultural heritage, harsh contrasts and the extraordinarily bio-diverse landscape of Limpopo, it’s not hard to see how these incredible local artists have come to characterise their art works. At Darkie Designs we believe in supporting local artists and are proud to display their community art and accessories in our store! Owning a little piece of African culture is priceless!
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Back in March of 2020, Bianca and Jana were dusting off their Fez’s and grabbing the pashminas out of storage in preparation to Rock the Casbah! However, as we all know and vividly remember - with March, came the eventual Covid shutdown, and instead of frolicking down the Moroccan streets, we all shut ourselves inside and watched the days tick by… 3 Years later, and now we can finally say - with conviction - that they’re going to Morocco at the start of September! This blog, filled with excitement and curiosity about all the weird and wonderful curios they might find, and endless sourcing they’ll do, stays as a reminder that sometimes plans change, things go awry and there’s not much you can do about it other than persevere - and that we did! So, here’s Bianca and Jana’s innermost thoughts about the trip, 3 years before it came to fruition, enjoy :) We've got our passports out and Jana has already picked out what she's going to wear each day… Come March [September] we'll be heading north with Air France to the Kingdom of Morocco, bright eyed and bushy tailed as we make our base in the ancient city of Marrakesh (also known as Marrakech to the French, but we're not French, so we'll go with the English version until all that fuss about Brexit is sorted out) - This turned into a year long negotiations trade, and now us outsiders would pay nearly double what we used to if we visit the UK - thankfully our flight is direct!! We'll be looking for inspiration and will be investigating what's there that we could possibly bring back to The Hoed. We can't wait to experience the atmosphere and afro-arabic influences of this amazing place as we visit the celebrated souks and off-the-beaten track artists and craftsmen that make Marrakesh so special. We're desperate to see the beautifully hand-crafted furniture, textiles, fabrics, rugs, carpets, objets d'art, accessories, lighting… anything that catches our eye and could possibly be brought back south. Berber mats and rugs are definitely on our list, as are the kind of furnishings you might find in a gorgeous Bedouin tent. If you think about it, the Bedouin refined the art of "glamping" into an artform - fabulous carpets on the ground, soft, billowing fabrics hung here and there, plump cushions spread on the ground, intricate leatherwork and carved wood, patinated metal… Total Glamping vibes! We just love all of it and will be tracking as much of it down as we can. We'll also have an eye or three out for wonderful ceramics and glassware and wonderful lamps that give off soft, filtered light. For us it's about workmanship, so we'll hopefully be finding the people who make furniture and ceramics using techniques that have been passed down over countless generations meaning that everything we look at will have its own, and its own special story. Our mission is to share those stories with you and, if it's feasible, bring some of that special workmanship home to the Rainbow Nation. We're most definitely inspired and are sure this is going to be a truly special trip! Counting the sleeps till then! Less than a month to go now - we will be keeping the updates going on our social channels as well as another few blog posts to explain in detail our wild adventures - Stay tuned!
A safari theme never really runs out of viewing time and is particularly popular for interiors at the moment. The warm, earthy tones give a sense of comfort and the accessories offer the anticipation of travel and adventure.
Stay protected from mosquitoes with top quality mosquito nets. Buy online in South Africa for the best deals. Shop now and sleep peacefully.
