Percy Konqobe

Private Collection, Johannesburg

Percy Konqobe was born in Nigel, Gauteng in 1939. Having left school at an early age, Konqobe found his calling as a sangoma, or traditional healer, in Soweto in 1976. His journey into traditional healing profoundly influenced his artistic expression, which he began exploring in early 1970s at the encouragement of Sydney Kumalo - a friend and mentor. Konqobe enjoyed his first solo exhibition at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg in 1988 after his sculptures, first in clay and then in bronze, began to gain recognition. Focusing on abstracted human and animal forms, Konqobe's practice is inspired by his vivid dreams, religious iconography and themes pertaining to South African cultural heritage. His intimate yet thematically grand sculptures have been widely recognized, including by President Nelson Mandela, who acquired three sculptures in November of 1990.