Simphiwe Mlangeni. From Print Maker to The Supeblur Art Movement.

Simphiwe describes himself as the “new Soweto lost generation”, referring to his mixed background and Soweto roots. Son to a father who was a sculptor and performed in a theatre, Simphiwe uses a diverse medium for his art, including sculpture, painting and print-making, as well as doing physical installations at art galleries and producing art-exhibit video clips. “Being an artist is a lifestyle,” he says, referring to his interest in various modes of self-expression.

To him Superblur is “something new, it is “what comes out of inspiration”. He paints in monochrome and what distinguishes him is the use of black enamel paint instead of acrylic, which can be tricky to work with, as it takes a long time to dry.

Family features strongly in his work. He uses trees and a tap as metaphors to capture memories from his childhood of being brought up by his grandmother, who seems to exert a powerful influence on his paintings. Simphiwe uses landscape to portray foundation of and a background to a memory, whilst he identifies himself with a tree being nourished from seed by the water from the tap, which represents his grandmother.