Si Mashiangwako (b 1945) aims to make objects that overlap the
day-to-day processes of humankind. What we see in each piece of work is the ongoing
experiences of the man/woman who created it. It is not conscious mind that creates, but
the subconscious mind with materials from the environment.
In order to understand and appreciate Si's work, one has to take cognisance of his perception of, and approach to, his own art. To him an artist is like a prophet, a higher consciousness. Like the antennae or feelers of a beetle, the artist has to use his special powers to guide people. Hence the highly 'prophetic' and 'futuristic' character of his own work, in which the former points to the revelatory power of the content, while the latter pertains to creativity and applies to the initiative of the artist regarding an innovative stylistic and technical approach.
