Notes

“Nhlengethwa was neither the first nor only artist in South Africa to use collage but it is the way that he uses the hard-edge cut shapes of ready-made images that is different and individual. Carefully selected reproductions from magazines are cut out and cut up and then juxtaposed to make new images, usually people or faces. Often these newly-constructed forms are combined with other media. What matters to Nhlengethwa is the content of the image and bits of paper were not often used as fillers or backgrounds.”¹

This work, from the artist’s Abasebenzi series pays tribute to the efforts of the blue collar workers whose efforts contributed so greatly to the build-up before and success of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was inspired by the efforts of “the Abasebenzi who changed the landscape of the country with their colourful protective clothing, helmets, overalls, cones, barricades and road markings”.² In this painting, Nhlengethwa celebrates the working man and the combination of the efforts of all those whom received no direct benefit from the greater events unfolding, yet thanklessly laboured to produce one of the most memorable events in contemporary South African history.

Abasebenzi is a broad term in the different Nguni languages which translates to workers.

¹ http://www.revisions.co.za/biographies/sam-nhlengethwa/#.UkGWrIZmim4
² Nhlengethwa, S. (2010) Artist’s statement, email to Ruarc Peffers (ruarc@straussart.co.za), 25 September. [26 September 2013].