Colbert Mashile Monotypes

Colbert Mashile working on baboon monotype 2023

Colbert Mashile was born in 1972 in Bushbuckridge in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Mashile says, "I come from a place that is shrouded by powerful cultural norms and customs." These customs, such as the ritual of circumcision, informed his early work, and he sought refuge and healing through art. In his practice he explores the often problematic narratives of collective cultural determinants within these communities and issues such as home, power, language, the natural landscape and our affinity to animals.

Mashile comes from a family of teachers and started studying public administration. While studying in Tshwane, he became curious about the art that he saw in gallery windows on the streets of the city. This led him to the Johannesburg Art Foundation (where he studied for three years) and then to a degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Mashile has an uncanny ability to "tune into" universal psychological archetypes in his work. These images are based on his African identity and yet they speak to the universal. Mashile's fine sense of colour compliments his forms, which celebrate a connection to the earth. Mystical figures, phallic images, pods, everyday objects and organic shapes are some of the visual stimuli - which abound in Mashile's work.

Mashile, a quiet individual, reflects on his use of symbols and icons. He comments that they show the "truth about the land and its people and thus my existence in South Africa."  This  statement reflects someone who has a clear understanding of the prevalent issues in South Africa. Mashile has found an individual way in which to communicate his concerns and those of society as a whole, and he does so in a remarkable and often humorous manner .

Artists A - L

 Artists M - X

Colbert Mashile Lithographs

Colbert Mashile Lino Cut Prints

Colbert Mashile Talks About Making Monotypes (video)

Colbert Mashile Talks About His Work (video)

Colbert Mashile Archive

New Editions

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 Jack

Jack, the subject of these prints was employed by the South African railways for nine years until his death from tuberculosis in 1890. He worked as an assistant to a double amputee, and signalman, Mr James Wide. Jack was paid twenty cents per day and half a bottle of beer each week. Jack never made a single mistake during his service to the railways. His skull can be viewed at the Albany Museum in Makhanda. Mashile comments that the story of Jack is "humorous, poignant and hard-hitting".

monotype in soft green and browns of young baboon

Title: Jack after induction I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


monotype of young baboon showing head and torso by Colbert Mashile

Title: Jack after induction II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile baboon monotype in browns with green background

Title: Jack after induction III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Close up view portrait of baboon looking at viwer with circle and two cups above head.

Title: Jack just passed the interview I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


monotype print by Colbert Mashile of a baboon gazing out holding its chin

Title: Jack just passed the interview II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


monotype of young baboon head and torso by Colbert Mashile

Title: Jack just got his roster I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Portrait of a young baboon painted by Colbert Mashile as a monotype

Title: Jack just got his roster III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jacks' first pay I monotype

Title: Jack's first pay I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jack's first pay II

Title: Jack's first pay II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Jack's First Pay III monotype

Title: Jack's first pay III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jack at the bar I monotype

Title: Jack at the bar I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jack at the bar II monotype

Title: Jack at the bar II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jack at the bar III monotype

Title: Jack at the bar III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Jack just heard the bad news I monotype

Title: Jack just heard the bad news I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Jack just heard the bad news II monotype

Title: Jack just heard the bad news II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Jack just heard the bad news III monotype

Title: Jack just heard the bad news III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Missing Mr Wide I monotype

Title: Missing Mr Wide I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Missing Mr Wide II monotype

Title: Missing Mr Wide II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Missing Mr Wide III monotype

Title: Missing Mr Wide III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Still asking about Mr Wide I Monotype

Title: Still asking about Mr Wide I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


Colbert Mashile Still asking about Mr Wide II Monotype

Title: Still asking about Mr Wide II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Colbert Mashile Still asking about Mr Wide III Monotype

Title: Still asking about Mr Wide III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 12 500 (excl.VAT)


colbert Mashile Waiting game I monotype

Title: Waiting game
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76.5 x 57 cm
Image size : 70 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD


Jozi Boys

Head and shoulders of a man with mouth open facing the viewer with miners hat on.

Title: Jozi Boys I
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Man wearing miners hat and spotted jersey facing forward and shouting.

Title: Jozi Boys II
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Smiling young man in bucket hat looking directly at the viewer.

Title: Jozi Boys IV
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD

Head and shoulders of a man in red hoodie looking directly at the viewer

Title: Jozi Boys VI
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Head and shoulders portrait of a shouting man wearing a mining helmet.

Title: Jozi Boys XII
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Portrait of a miner with his eyes closed and mouth open

Title: Jozi Boys XIII
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Shelves holding kitchen vessels and human skull on a cake stand.

Title: The Stand I
Medium: Monotype
Size: 66 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Caterpillars

With the print titles, Mashile plays with notions of language and scientific classification. He used a list of actual species names as inspiration as he created his own, with a heavy dose of humour.

Each is a unique print and exists in no other form. Traditionally, the numbers I and II indicate the order that the prints were made in, with II being the "ghost" print (i.e. printed from the ink that remained on the plate after the first one was pulled). The "ghost" print often has additional work added to it. Mashile has toyed with this order in some of the prints, making the "ghost" print number I.

A procession of caterpillars on a patterned wall with a mountain in the background.

Title: Bombycidae (Bewildered)
Medium: Monotype
Size: 50 x 65 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

A group of strongly coloured caterpillars on a wall with sunset mountain.

Title: Bombycidae (Marching)
Medium: Monotype
Size: 50 x 65 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

A large caterpillar moving into the image frame with a vast landscape behind it.

Title: Grammodora (with a kink)
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Three brightly coloured caterpillars on a white stick with a cloudy landscape background

Title: Gynanisa (After the storm)
Medium: Monotype
Size: 50 x 65 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

A man's face and a huge caterpillar facing each other in intense reds and orange colours.

Title: Pselaphelia and the M.E.C
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 7 8 100(excl.VAT)

Earlier monotypes

Human head and shoulders with simplified features with hat and box construction on head.

Title: Empty Thoughts I
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100(excl.VAT)

An obese human figure in a striped jacket with funnel head sucking in creature to mouth.

Title: The Glutton II
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Format split into two sections. On left man wearing a woolly hat on right sheep in landscape with tree on skyline.

Title: The Prospect II
Medium: Monotype
Size: 76 x 57 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Bovine form with chickens on its back and a human figure below it set in a mountainous landscape

Title: Mohlolo Waka II (My Suprise)
Medium: Monotype
Size: 76 x 57 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Two stylised human heads and shoulders facing each other with clouds above their heads.

Title: Mazinyo II
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)


Title: Hlogo Tharo I
Medium: Monotype
Size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 100 (excl.VAT)

Colbert Mashile on Instagram


Monotypes by other artists