Katlego Tlabela

1 of 5 new NEGRO SUNSHINE (2016) paintings making a debut this December No Fear 2016 Black Lithography Ink and Gold Enamel on Canvas 70 x 90

Pleased and excited to announce that my new series of photographs titled 'Levitate' (2016) has made it to the final round of the 2016 Thami Mnyele Fine Art Awards held in Johnnesburg South Africa. The Prize Giving Ceremony and Exhibition opens at 18:00 on the 24th of September 2016 at Coen Scholtz Recreation Centre, Birchliegh North, Kempton Park Jozi. Ke phela ke leboga Modimo!

New #WorksInProgress NEGRO SUNSHINE (cont) 2016

New #WorkInProgress Black Owned Property Lithography Wax, Lithography Ink, Permanent Marker on Frosted 97 x 69 2016

New #WorkInProgress Self Portrait as King Daudi Cwa II of Buganda (1897 - 1939) Lithography Wax, Lithography Ink, Permanent Marker on Frosted and Clear Mylar sheets 97 x 69 2016

New #WorkInProgress Portrait of Julia Richardson (For Mama) Richardson won six tennis double titles during her career Lithography Wax, Lithography Ink, Permanent Marker on Frosted and Clear Mylar sheets 97 x 69 2016

New #WorkInProgress I’m Black. They Never Let Me Forget It. I’m Black Alright, I’ll Never let Them Forget it - Jack Johnson, the First Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World Lithography Wax, Lithography Ink, Permanent Marker on Frosted and Clear Mylar sheets 97 x 69 2016

Elizabeth Catlett Harriet Tubman 1975 Linoleum Cut Collection of @themuseumofmodernart

'Ive been represented by Blaque Inq Contemporaries for Turbine Art Fair (JHB) for 4 years running now. It's always a pleasure exhibiting with the family. Catch my new works from my upcoming NEGRO SUNSHINE show at #TAF2016 stand BM27 in Jozi from July 14 - July 17. (at Newtown Turbine Hall)

NEGRO SUNSHINE (2016) begins with a series of silkscreened paintings partially derived from works titled Warm Broad Glow (2005) and Untitled (2005) by African American multi-disciplinary artist Glenn Ligon, which have been created with neon lighting, the words “negro sunshine” shine brightly in yellow and black. The words “negro sunshine” were re-appropriated from Gertrude Stein's 1909 novella Three Lives in which Stein repeatedly implements the phrase to describe the Novella’s main protagonists - which at that time referred to the racist stereotype of the “happy darkie” Like Ligon, I have re-appropriated the phrase in order to create an entry point to this year's growing body of work, with an attempt of stripping away ALL negative connotations. The texts in the paintings are derived and reimagined from: Ben Okri, The Famished Road (1991) Drake and Future’s collaborative album What a Time To Be Alive (2015) Drake, Over My Dead Body (2011) Glenn Ligon, Untitled (2005) and Warm Broad Glow (2005) Eli Weinberg, Crown Near the Drill Hall on the opening day of the Treason Trial, Johannesburg (1956)

Negro Sunshine (After Ligon) Gold Screenprint and Enamel on canvas 80 x 60 (framed) 2016 Katlego Tlabela Photos Courtesy SMAC Gallery (SA) http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/nothing-personal/

Man, What a Time! (After Drake and Future) Black Pearl Screenprint and enamel on canvas 80 x 64, 5 (framed) 2016 Katlego Tlabela Photos Courtesy of SMAC Gallery (SA) http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/nothing-personal/

Everything is Alright Black Pearl Screenprint and Enamel on canvas 79, 5 x 64, 5 (framed) 2016 Katlego Tlabela Photos courtesy of SMAC Gallery (SA) http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/nothing-personal/

Gods (After Okri) Black Pearl Screenprint and Enamel on canvas 80 x 64, 5 (framed) 2016 Katlego Tlabela Photos courtesy of SMAC Gallery (SA) http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/nothing-personal/

Leaders (After 1956 Treason Trial Protests) Black Pearl Screenprint and Enamel on Canvas 80 x 80 (framed) 2016 Katlego Tlabela Photos courtesy of SMAC Gallery (SA) http://www.smacgallery.com/exhibition/nothing-personal/

🌞 Everybody Loves The Sunshine 🌻 🔥📷: @leo_makgekgenene Ke rata go leboga / Thank You Modimo, batswadi baka, bo mmane @phutimoloto and Mmane E , mosadi waka @mmachego ❤😘, bakgotse baka @chuckwlz, @ramby_r, @bulumko_mbete, @leo_makgekgenene, @samanthabekebeke, Paris, Lindi and Michelle and to @dadakhanyisa, @only1mm @simphiwe_ndzube, @kemohale, @tee_kay_kamo, @sogaula and @tumelomakgaka who were there in warm spirit and thank you to Aunty @Zarinha_rahman who has been guiding me from day 1 ❤ Lastly, thank you to the wonderful @smac_gallery team for inviting me as part of the successful #NothingPersonal Group Show and the assistance from the day of show's inception. The show runs until 6 August 2016 at @smac_gallery Stellenbosch. (at SMAC Gallery)