BIOGRAPHY: Phillemon Hlungwani
Phillemon was born in Giyani, Thomo Village, in Limpopo. He comes from a family of artists, and says that ‘art chose him, he did not choose art’. He also says: ‘In my art I used to depict women that symbolized my mother. She is the one who encouraged me to make art. The women in my art are shown working because they are equal’.
Phillemon attended the Johannesburg Art Foundation Fine Art courses in 2000, and in the same year obtained his first Artist Proof Studio printmaking certificate. He notes: ‘When I came to the Artist Proof Studio I saw many changes in my art. There are many people who inspire me at the Studio. Since I have been with APS, I have started to exhibit my work in many galleries’. Phillemon has participated in numerous group exhibitions, and has recently had solo exhibitions at the Premises Gallery, the Trinity Art Gallery, and the ABSA Gallery. In 2008, a range of his artwork was exhibited in a three-person show at the Gallery on the Square in Sandton. Phillemon works in a variety of printmaking mediums such as intaglio (etching) and linocut, and also creates beautiful charcoal drawings. His recent commissions include the Johannesburg Development Agency and MTN.
In addition to pursuing his career as a successful professional artist, Phillemon has worked for APS as coordinator and facilitator of our professional artists programme, as teacher of papermaking, as a facilitator of Paper Prayers workshops, and as coordinator of the NOAH’s arks art teaching project. He is about to depart on an extensive study tour of printmaking studios in the United States sponsored by the prestigious Ampersand Fellowship.
 Jhaba raka Hlungwani hahani |
 Junju |
 Manana lonene wamina |
 Tshava ya dzimbanyeka |