apexart Resident Blog

Vumelani Sibeko

Vumelani Sibeko was born in Emndeni Soweto in 1975. Sibeko studied at Vaal Triangle Technikon (now Vaal University of Technology) between 1997 and 1999. At the Technikon, he became exposed to racial differences. He says that, “it was more of a political class than anything else. You were constantly reminded that you were black.” At an early age, Sibeko recalls his mother’s support for his drawing on white paper, until he began drawing on his school clothes. He made a business with his art at an early age, drawing for fellow classmates in biology class. Until February 2012, he used the surname Buthelezi, a surname his father adopted from a family he boarded with after escaping life as a farm laborer in search of a better life in Johannesburg.

Vumelani is visiting apexart from Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 1 - December 1, 2012. He was recommended by Puleng Plessie, Art Administrator & Workshop Facilitator. See his Resident Page for more information.

Vumelani Sibeko in NewYork

While on the way to the Museum of American Finance i came across a friend .

he reminded me of a friend i created back at my studio.

my friend back home - his name is Ujamludi. made out of corrugated iron,real bull scull,rags and oil paint.he can hang on any wall.

The new friend was created by an artist called Di Modica,he spent some $360.000 to create,cast and install his sculpture following the 1987 stock market crash as a symbol of the “strength and power of the American people.’the fact that this was the Artist idea,not the city’s completely touches me. i believe an Artist needs to be relevant and say something in his or her creation which the Raging Bull does just that.he spent his own money and time just to voice out what was in him “i have a great respect for that”.

Di Modica’s selfless act, in creating and installing his work of Art is now benefiting the city of New York and the Art world. The Charging Bull is a big Tourist attraction and the city is coming to the party by making sure that the Tourist are safe at all times ‘Love this.

went to The Housing Works Bookstore, very great place i must say.  this is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. their mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through them advocating and providing lifesaving services,and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain their efforts. Housing Works Bookstore pioneered the concept of social Enterprise businesses  whose profits fund the mission of a parent not- for-profit organization.

made some friends and they explained how the place operates, they get donated books and they then provide employment opportunities to the community in addition to fundraising. they also have a Cafe and it also serve as a meet place for the community, while i was around got to experience this -good time for me because the community of different race,culture and age were all in the Housing Works Book store for the election results. had a great time.

Getting lost on the subway was somehow rewarding , got to make friends and meet Artist doing pub lick performances.

got to where i was going with the help from the commuters and it was such an experience.

The Museum of National History

The place is so big and my mind was spinning by now, so much info coming in visually 

every thing i thought i knew was Questioned here, as a visual Artist you can loose your sanity with so much inspiration i got in this place but was very happy to be here. 

Look at what was happening outside………

got to love this ….first time seeing so much snow ….and loving it

From here went to visit the New York Historical Society

they are dedicated to fostering research and presenting history art exhbitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history.

Going home late on a snow…..

on my way home i went through green street, while passing by i had some strange sounds on one of the buildings , i went in to investigate and i found my self among a group of extremely creative people. these guys are mind blowing they experiment with sound .

so i joined them this place where they were is called Location 1 26 green street between Canal str and Grand str Soho,Manhattan

this group of very interesting Artist organisation is called -Dorkbot 

this is where i actually gained some confidence that i’m not alone in this,they also seim to have an unlimited creative will. they build electrical circuits that produce different sounds and mount these circuits on different boxes of different shapes and size.

Dorkbot audience….amazing people .

Chri Kaczmarek: Alpha-Bit

over the past twelve years research activities in sound art and DIY audio circuits have led Kaczmarek to teach a course in Aural Electronics and form an evolving group of visual, performance and sound artists called Alpha- Bit which uses scratch built electronic and circuit bent instruments in improvised performances.

some of the performances i was lucky to witness

from the mind blowing sounds to the humbling view of nature…..

the next day i was out to the oldest family house in New York that is still preserved intact - inside and out - from the 19th century.built in 1832 just a step from Washington Square, this elegant red-brick and white - marble row house on East Fourth Street was a home to a prosperous merchant family for almost 100 years. amazingly the house is still complete with the family original furnishings and personal belongings, once in the house i got the feeling that i’m being taken back to the domestic life in New York City from 1835-1865.

Coming out of the Merchant house i got to indulge in the intriguing architecture around the city.

easy way to get to plases - the train system.

The Brooklyn briddge….to DUMBO..

Land Gallery, (league Artist Natural Design) Sttudio & Gallery is one of the creative programs founded  by the the League Education and Treatment Centre, generating and showing the art of those adults with developmental disabilities. the first of its kind in Brooklyn, LAND also opens their doors to artist come in and teach or talk to the participants this is a very welcoming atmosphere.

 i got thereand every one was happy to see me i actualy felt as if they were waiting for me. all the artist at LAND could not wait to show me their work and they were introducing theselves.

this is a Sculpture from one of te Artists at LAND 

went on to meet another Artist very kind lady and she showed me around and took me a park , for the first time i was close to mother nature smelled some graas and held mother earth washed my face on the water lovely- we then went to her studio

Visitting DUMBO

The Manhattan Bridge

This spot was very nice, i actually had a chance to experience the whole process of making coffee while waiting for our cup of coffee.

Meeting Sonya Blesofsky

Having coffee with Sonya

the laydy behind was so convinced sonya is an actor or a dancer she actualy came to ask me if Sonya is who she thoght she was,

view from Sonya’s Studio

The Bushwick Gallery Tour

This area is full of creative life and what’s wonderful is you get the young being involved in arts willingly . its ancour aging to know that after you’ve done your art-works there is a space that is willing to show your work, i got here and the feeling is an Artist is bigger than the Gallery here .

Microscope Gallery..

Now this Gallery is run by one of the Art lovers i’ve ever seen ,very open minded.

they had a show where a performance artist gave birth in the gallery as part of her performance, this made world wide news the paparazzi was all over the show. lucky for me when i got here they just had the opening of the 1year’s birthday party for the child that was born there. they had the child straped with a camera on his chest so we could view what ever the child is seeing, now that is Art to me thinking out of the box loved this.

the show wascalled -RAISING BABAY X:THE FIRST YEAR

Artist: Marni Kotak

Still in Bushwick

went around the area enjoying works of art from all over the world different mediums and sizes..

THEODORE:Art

presented works by JULIETTE LOSQ Lucaria.

impresive and very insipiring

Indian ink on paper…mind blowing.

while you in the area you get the feeling that the people here realy love and respect art.

once again i’m turning people i meet to photografers.

Street Art..lovley….

Storefront Bushwick Gallery

now here, i got very inspired something different for the day enjoyed the viewing friendly gallerist  and very nice curator ship .

about to end my day had one stop to make, on my way met new friends, homeless artist chilled for a while and they let me have a look at their scrap books

Visiting DODGE gallery

The show : FLASH AND BONE :DARREN BLACKSTONE FOOTE

New Yorkers and the world enjoying the show…beautiful

Visiting the Hispanic Society of America

Itwas founded on May 18,1094 by Archer Milton Huntington. it is housing more than 800 paintings and 6,000 watercolors and drawings.

as an Artist i was blown away with the sizes of these paintings the skill.

The bread festival feels the whole room…

Morris -Jumel Mansion

General Washington used Morris Jumel Mansion as his headquarters during the fall of 1776.

Home with Mama Marjorie Eliot

from the moment i walked in, i emidietley felt at home in this house. Mama Marjorie Eliot home is like water to thirsty souls for music. in less than 20min he house is full of strangers from all over the globe.about 20 of the people sitting next to me were tourist from different parts f the world. for a moment we all asked ourselves how did you hear of this pace surprisingly non of us came with a guide we all here from word of mouth.

Mama Marjorie Eliot’s home has been feeling up like this for more than 20years at no charge at all.

 This Sunday the session was dedicated to the Victims of Haricane Sandy and those Musicians who lost their lives and homes. being an artist my self i was touched and could not help but share a tear, i was very over whelmed with emotions and love i experienced in this house.

just after the session was over Mama Marjorie Eliot calls on me and asks where i’m from, before i even finish explaining who i am and where i come from then grabs me give me a worm and well coming hug and then she tells me she actually busy writing a book and trying to trace our people roots and she tells me she feels the connection and asks me please make some time and come back and visit her.

The Bell House

this  is the taping of a very popular quiz show for public radio in New York had great fun met great people.

The Circle Line Tour

This 2 hour tour lets you experience the grandeur of mid and lower Manhattan. Sail down the Hudson, cruise around the Battery, up the East River, and under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williams burg Bridge to the United Nations and back.

before coming here-my life back home was full of tears,sorrow and blood. while Sailing down the Hudson, cruising around the Battery, up the East River and viewing New York City it became clear to me, why i had to go through all that pain. 

Behind me is the Newly built Twin Towers still under construction, they are going even higher than before. and hear i am still standing after loosing my child,deprived a chance to see my son for 3years and going through a divorce being stubbed for my paintings,lies spread about me as being a drunkard by fellow Artist and my Ideas being stolen by Educational Institutions but i’m still standing and willing to do even more.

What could stop me when i’m here to experience the power of creativity and resilience.

I am your son, i come from your community and my will can scrape the sky just like the Skyscraper i know that now.

The ride…

Night life in New York City

Going home after a busy night of street perfomance.