Cape Town – Of Soul and Joy is excited to announce that Sibusiso Bheka will be featured by Afronova Gallery at the “Also Known As Africa” (AKAA) Art and Design Fair in Paris from October 20 to 22.
The fair, now in its eighth edition, aims to highlight curatorial excellence and has adopted a unique format that invites curators and artists to participate.
Sibusiso Bheka, born in Thokoza in 1997, will present a collection of photographs at AKAA that challenges common perceptions of his township.
His work captures Thokoza by night, showcasing the playful and almost surreal moments just before darkness falls, while referencing the yellow-orange lights that once controlled the movements of people during apartheid.
“We are so proud of how far Sibusiso has come as an artist,” says Of Soul and Joy project manager Jabulani Dhlamini.
“His work is a testimony to South Africa’s violent past as well as a celebration of the intense beauty that can be found in the details of daily life in a township.”
This contrast in his work illuminates the resilience and hope that exist within this complex yet hopeful society.
Bheka, represented by Afronova Gallery and a member of the Of Soul and Joy project, has exhibited his work globally.
His series “Stop Nonsense” was featured in various exhibitions, including the Rencontres de Bamako – African Biennale of Photography in 2017 and the National Museum of World Culture in Leiden, Netherlands, in 2018.
Bheka has also received recognition for his work, being shortlisted for the Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Fellowship in 2018, nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass in 2019, and shortlisted for the CAP Prize for Contemporary African Photography.
Bheka’s work has been showcased in various international exhibitions and galleries, including the Ithuba Arts Gallery in Johannesburg (2013), the Addis Foto Fest in Ethiopia (2014), the Ghent International Photo Festival in Belgium (2015), the Johannesburg Art Gallery in South Africa (2016), Arles Photo Encounters (2020), and the Bristol Photo Festival (2021).
His art captures the essence of his township and celebrates the beauty found in the details of daily life.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
