BONGANI Khumalo’s artistic hands can turn any rubbish into beautiful works of art.
He sees any throwaway material as gold. For Bongani, money is not a major motivator.
The fulfilment he gets from playing with old tyres, plastic and mat carpets, bottles and other throwaway material keeps him motivated.
“Art is a fulfilling profession,” he said.
“I feel alive and whole when I am busy with my artwork.”
Bongani, who is from Emdeni in Soweto, specialises in visual art, sculpture, paintings, melted plastic, old car parts and recycled art.
His love of art started at a very tender age, when he used to watch his dad doing art.
He recalls how, while attending school in KwaZulu-Natal, he used to create cow and other figures in clay.
He told the People’s Paper: “I discovered, working with clay as boys while herding cows, that I would feel a lovely sensation from creating.
“Later, when I moved back home in Soweto, I decided to enrol for an arts course at Funda Centre in Diepkloof.
“That is where I gained more knowledge of working with waste material. My dad was my greatest inspiration.
“I also advocate for industrial farming to grow vegetables and chickens.
“My chicken coops help to produce natural eggs. Let’s promote organic farming, instead of buying everything from the shops.
