Ezra Mabengeza, South African photographer, along with artist Jonathan Freemantle paint a powerful portrait of Africa that opens October 13, 2009 at the Alliance Française in Cape Town. Dedicated to the late Helen Suzman, one of South Africa’s most fearless anti-apartheid activists, the show “A Truth in Black and White” is also showing at the Africa in Motion Film Festival in Edinburgh through November 3, 2009.
Mabengeza’s work portrays the honesty of his people and the beauty of his country. He captures a moment in time: a group of men sitting around on a stoop, a woman carrying goods to her home, or the point where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. “I picked up a camera because I was determined to create concise and everlasting histories of the real black experience, our humanity. The extent of the psychological impact of apartheid on our society has been devastating. My work represents the continuum of the African’s renascence and rehabilitation of our sense of selfhood.”
Mabengeza’s and Freemantle ‘s goal is the establishment of a School of the Arts in South Africa, offering the full spectrum of arts and culture. It will serve as a hub of creativity, truth, and unity for all who are involved.
Mabengeza ‘s training, an intensive apprenticeship at the prestigious International Center of Photography founded by Cornell Capa began in 2002 when he moved to New York. Since his successful inaugural solo exhibition opened in 2006 in New York, which was generously supported by the South African Consulate General in New York, Trace Magazine and the Bacardi Group USA, Ezra has been involved in several projects. He has pioneered collaboration between New York’s inner city underprivileged youth with youth in Soweto and the Eastern Cape, which also involved HIV art therapy. His work has been installed at recognized charities such as Shared Interest, All for Africa and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. He was selected as the inaugural artist to exhibit, for the launch of the South African Chamber of Commerce in America’s benefit gala at the esteemed Harvard Club in New York.
As one of this nations promising young immigrant artists, Mabengeza ‘s work has been featured by the New York Foundation For the Arts, and Luire (vol.81), Japan’s popular urban artist Magazine. He was also part of a select group of artists that participated in the prominent Art Focus for Obama exhibition held in New York.
Mabengeza and his family have settled in Los Angles where he continues to pursue his photography.
Limited editions giclee prints of Ezra Mabenga’s photographs are available at The Art Gallows website at www.theartgallows.com.
The Art Gallows is an online gallery featuring limited edition art and photography. Our vision is to provide an empowering marketplace for emerging and established artists that leverages the power of the internet to bring the traditional art gallery to the widest possible audience
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