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CASSIUS KHUMALO Cassius Khumalo was born on the 10th of November 1990 in South Africa. Later, he ventured into studies of multidimensionality and spirit. His artwork investigates the spiritual realm; interpreting the mystical spiritual world which he translates into charcoal drawings. Cassius believes that true leaders are led by spirit and he feels his task is to enlighten people through his artwork. CASSIUS MICKEY INSPIRATION: My Mickey is inspired by a highly aesthetic African group of people or tribe. Their styles of creating face masks and body paint are an important part of festivals and ceremonies within the tribal symbolism. Both sexes, including children, decorate their faces and bodies with chalk and ochre to boost -visual appeal also increasing chances of finding love or to scare off rivals. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 2
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COLBERT MASHILE Colbert Mashile was born in 1972 in Mpumalanga. Mashile started his academic career in Pretoria, where the city influenced him tremendously. He attended the Art Foundation and further on, obtained a degree in Fine Arts from WITS. Mashile has risen to fame, both nationally and internationally, as his work infuses a natural and mystical sensibility, while combining them with his subjective historical background. COLBERT S MICKEY INSPIRATION: My Mickey symbolically reflects the African context through the patterns and colours I am Africanising Mickey through pattern and colour. Mickey has become a mystical creature in this sculpture, much like those I have come to depict in the works I have created previously. He has a very strong standing in the African context, rendered a through contemporary texturing and patterning. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 4
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DOMINIC TSHABANGU Dominic Tshabangu was born and raised in Dube, Sowetoin 1965 and studied at Daliwonga High School, followed by the African Institute of Arts the Funda Centre in Johannesburg. In his artworks, Tshabangu portrays urban cityscapes and every day township scenes; the images come from an emotional connection that he instantly feels when he is observing contemporary South Africa. DOMINIC S MICKEY INSPIRATION: My Mickey Mouse reflects both contemporary sensibilities and African traditional patterns with Ndebele-influenced beadwork on his legs, with an assortment of colour and patterns. The pants are rendered to look like the Bògòlanfini or bogolan otherwise known as the Malian mud cloth. Mickey s face is treated with a multi-textured contemporary collage technique and he is wearing iy qhaza which are traditional Zulu earrings. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 6
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LEE SCOTT HEMPSON Lee Scott Hempson is a multidisciplinary artist with an MTech in Graphic Design, which explored her practice as artist, researcher and teacher and visual activist. She is currently teaching drawing and illustrating and supervises postgraduate Fashion and Textile design students at the Durban University of Technology. LEE S MICKEY INSPIRATION: Mickey is a symbol of popular culture, whose worldwide name is instantly recognisable and a source of artistic inspiration for many. Mickey is also a storyteller, and, in-keeping with this theme, I have drawn my inspiration from the conversational Dutch Wax cloths and our local Shweshwe. The sculpture is collaged with fabrics, hand painted textile patterns, and the word hello in all our languages and motifs. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 8
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LOUIS VAN DEN HEEVER Louis van den Heever was born in 1977 in Pretoria, and, following a stint in the SA Navy, he spent happy days in the scuba diving industry in Simon s Town. He decided to persue a career as an artist in 2003, with his focus on pop-surrealism. Louis is influenced by comic books pictures on skateboard-underbellies, album-covers in record-stores, overheard conversations, t-shirts and Imagery in song-lyrics. LOUIS MICKEY INSPIRATION: The South Africa I love is all about vibrant colours, patterns and shapes. Our Rainbow Nation s sunny exuberance combines easily with Mickey who, of course, personifies fun and playfulness. I wanted to celebrate our magnificent fauna and flora with the different animal patterns and proteas. His shorts and shoes scream Proudly South African. The soccer-fan sunglasses, buttons and beads are, well...just for fun. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 10
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NIKA MTWANA Born in Tsolo, Eastern Cape, Nika Mtwana became interested in visual art after watching a drawing tutorial television show as a child, and began honing his skills at the tender age of 7. After completing an Art and Design course at the College of Cape Town, his love for visual art drove him to register his own company that offers custom artwork. NIKA S MICKEY INSPIRATION: Mickey Mouse is a Pantsula through and through! He loves expressing himself by singing and dancing. He is the definition of an active and energetic free spirit, and that is also what Pantsula stands for. I decided to give Mickey the opportunity to experience the ultimate form of African self-expression and originality, and so, he has to look the part! In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 12
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PHUMZILE BUTHELEZI Phumzile Buthelezi is an emerging artist whose tactile visual aesthetic has set her work apart. She joined Artist Proof Studio in 2005 for NQF4 Product Design & Development and her works are geared toward breaking conventional practice in the industry by continuing to reflect on narratives of black women, through her own experiences. PHUMZILE S MICKEY INSPIRATION: My Mickey is wearing Umblaselo which is a traditional men s outfit for celebrations and events. It was popular with the Maskandi musical groups who wore it while performing. It seemed fitting for me to dress an entertainer like Mickey Mouse in this outfit! In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 14
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TONI BICO Toni was born in Quelimane, Mozambique in 1963, with his childhood spent on a remote cattle farm, which left lasting impressions of rural Africa on him. His works are found in private collections locally and abroad, with his recent artwork exploring line, shape, tone and colour and texture - working in abstract figurative methods; deconstructing pictorial elements and experimenting on formal aspects of painting. TONI S MICKEY INSPIRATION: Mickey the African son! Africa is known for the sun, which shines most of the year, the fresh water and for its vast savannahs. Mickey is covered in sun rays which shine upon African waters A son of Africa. The use of stylized abstract elements to denote the sun and water, which is a reflection of my unique style one of Mickey abstract elements with figurative ones. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 16
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TREVOR COLEMAN Trevor Coleman was born in 1936 in Johannesburg, and has exhibited extensively throughout the world. Coleman s work is best recognised because of his garish and bright use of colour, which he infuses with memories of his travels. Coleman has an art career spanning more than 50 decades including many exhibitions and inclusion in many collections. TREVOR S MICKEY INSPIRATION: My artwork has always been a reflection of the African context and I have taken my main inspiration from the colours I have seen all around Africa on my extensive travels. My Mickey Mouse is an exploration of my love for colour and for the African continent. In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 18
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WELCOME DANCA Welcome Danca emerged into the art industry through the tutelage of the late Trevor Makhoba for four years. His art has received critical acclaim and continues to be exhibited nationally. WELCOME S MICKEY INSPIRATION: My inspiration for Mickey Mouse started when I was young, watching him in black and white cartoons. Mickey Mouse is educational and accommodates young and old alike, from all nations I share him with my kids and his friendly nature makes my whole family smile and happy! In collaboration with www.arteye.co.za Mickey_90_Bios.indd 20