Dumisani Mabaso

Dumisani Mabaso is a painter and printmaker. He established The Sguzu Printmaker's Workshop in Johannesburg. Mabaso has been involved with printmaking for over two decades in South Africa. Mabaso's father was a commercial printer and introduced his son to the world of printing presses at a young age. Mabaso took a turn away from the commercial world of printing and began exploring the possibilities of original prints during his time studying at Rorkes Drift.

In the series of three lithographs produced at The Artists' Press in 2002, Dumisani Mabaso has worked in an abstract way, which relates very closely to his painting and intaglio printmaking. Mabaso is a master of manipulating his materials and printing techniques to get maximum effect out of them. His mastery is an exciting challenge for those that collaborate with him. He is also a gifted teacher and has inspired many of todays up and coming artists such as Colbert Mashile .

Dumisani Mabaso began working on the “When your number comes in…” series of prints in the winter of 2004. He became very ill and was unable to finish the prints that year. In 2006, back in fine health, Mabaso returned to the studio and the collaboration was completed and the prints editioned. Mabaso has pushed the mixing of colours in lithography almost to its limit in this series of prints and shows off once again his fine understanding of the printing process and the his ability to manipulate colour. Using the national lottery, Lotto, as his starting point Mabaso has created a series of prints that ask more questions than giving answers. Phrases that come to mind when looking at these prints are: “your number is up”, “un/lucky number”, “counting on winning/loosing”, “hitting the jackpot”, “dead reckoning”, “a thousand to one”, “counting on something/someone”, “count me in/out”, and “out for the count”.

The numbers like those in the Lotto are random and uncontrolled and yet they fit into a graphic order, supported by either a large one, two or three. These are philosophical questions but there is also the social side to the Lotto and how spending money on taking a chance has become a major drain on the finances of the poor in South Africa. Mabaso, who is no stranger to hard times, understands the allure of suddenly having all your financial problems solved when your number comes in.

The Lotto, and those who win and loose it, are a microcosm of how money and people work and the strong negative and positive aspects to either having or wishing for lots of cash. Take a chance on these prints….

In the "Stages of the Day" series,strips of colour and texture overlap to create an effect that Mabaso says is partially inspired by driving through a forest of tall trees and seeing the sun light flash through the gaps between the trunks. He adds that it could just as easily be a cityscape, with skyscrapers leaning precariously, perhaps motivated by recent events in New York City, or his daily existence in the concrete jungle of Johannesburg. The textured strips also have a figurative quality, and the artist leaves it up to the viewer to decide which they are, although he says they certainly are landscapes.

Texture and pattern are an important part of the work that he creates. Inspired by traditional African pottery and craftwork Mabaso has woven the identity of Africa into his work. The tactile qualities of the lithographic drawing materials also play a role in determining the prints, with tusche, toner, crayon, rubbing, stencilling, gum stop-out and splattering all contributing to the energetic way in which the prints have been drawn.

Dumisani Mabaso had fun making these prints, and his energy shines through, just as the morning sun shines through the gaps in a forest as one rushes by.

New Editions

Artists

"When your number comes in..." (2004/6)