Ways of Seeing Mancoba's Art

There are not many books in South Africa that help guide the teacher, student and ordinary people to get into the creative mind and explore the intricacies of genius. Ways of Seeing Mancoba’s Art does exactly that. It provides us with tools to see into the complex and restless mind of Mancoba as he searches for the elusive spirituality in Art. His canvas takes us to the whole continent of Africa seeking symbols, images and ideograms to pattern meanings. There is a general cry in South Africa’s educational system that there are not enough teachers to teach Art and as a consequence brilliant programmes are abandoned save in private and some Model C schools. Township schools are left lagging behind creating a cruel uneven development in our national aesthetic appreciation and understanding. This book will fill a gap and I hope inspire others to build on this powerful foundation! Mancoba’s art is not abstract but “abstracted” from the reality of signs and symbols to reveal Africa’s richness in the visual arts. His Art is contemporary and essentially African thus creating tensions that challenge and infuse the viewer with stunning surprises as it draws one deeper and deeper into the world of the creative mind. - Professor Pitika Ntuli