Meet the young female art and photography from Durban

ART|

Art image: Supplied 

BY: SIHLE NGWENYAMA

In our interview Inside the Studio of a Durban female Artist, we head to Richard's Bay, KwaZulu-Natal to join artist and photographer Bukiwe Zwelithini in her workspace. With a career spanning thirty years in the industry, read on for a glimpse into her day-to-day routine, what she’s working on next and what inspires her craft.

According to the creator, the space has been hers for 20 years–while not described as large, it allows Bukiwe to work on both commercial pieces and her personal art.

Tell us about your journey into digital and/or physical art.

I started professionally in photography over 25 years ago, initially in advertising then portrait photography. At the same time, I also started using a new digital program, Adobe  Photoshop version 2, no layers ! I don’t consider digital and physical art separate as they have always been intertwined for me and even at times interlaced with traditional paint mediums.

Throughout my time in industry, I have always maintained an art practice which has been landscape/studio work and painting with light. In the last five years I have worked primarily on my artwork. To have the freedom to do so I still work commercially as a retoucher, so I spend a lot of time in the dark with Photoshop. This means when it comes to my practice I like the challenge of taking the very real & authentic and imbuing it with an otherworldly alien perspective. Shooting all in camera, long exposure, one take reflects this rawness and authenticity. I then use Photoshop to purely grade and clean up.

I am currently working on three series: SABC dreams, futuristic flowers (almost complete) and Project X, a continuation of the Resilience Collection and Désherber for which I have been learning 3D and sculpting this year.

For me, whether digital or physical mediums these are the tools of the craft they are not the art or its intent.

Still life arrangement in photographer Bukiwe's studioB life arrangement in the photographer’s studio.

What inspires you to create?

The South African landscape and flora, painters, other artists and always the innate need to create.

What are your studio essentials?LIGHT in all shapes and sizes!

What’s your day-to-day/work routine like? It is a balance, as a self-employed person funding my art practice it depends on day-to-day assignments. Mornings I tend to leave for client work. Afternoons and evenings are for my artwork. This suits me best as a lot of the work requires absolute darkness. And the studio still has some light leaks!

What are your goals as an Artist? To be true to the work and myself. As corny as it sounds, to continue to grow and never stop creating.

How do you unwind/reset after a long day in the studio?

I spend a lot of time in the dark, inside or outside studio, so unwinding is time outdoors in the sunshine with my trusty studio companion Didi.

Bukiwe's pet, Didi, in her studio.

Anything else you’d like to share with the audience? Firstly thanks to you and the whole team of siyaTrenda with this opportunity and for exposing my work, my original photography and art are available in Durban Gallery. Thank you!