Gerard Bhengu

Gerard Bhengu was born on 6 September 1910 in Outstation of Mariannhill Mission Station, Centecow, Bulwer district, Southern Natal. He is a self-taught artist: he was discouraged from taking art lessons by mentors who feared it would spoil his natural talent. From 1926 - 31 Bhengu produced 150 drawings for Dr. Max Kohler as documentation of rural tribal life in Centecow. From 1940 to 1949 he painted scenes of everyday black life as well as portraits of black people which were sold in Durban. Bhengu belonged to the Bhaca sub-group of the Zulu, but he was devoutly religious Catholic all his life. Catholic imagery inspired much of his early work and at times he received commissions from church patrons. As a Christian, Bhengu was a virtual outcast in terms of his own culture, but at the same time he was considered by others to be a part of it, and called upon to record it. Aside from his portraits of Zulu diviners and medicine men Bhengu also produced informal portraits that show aspects of Zulu culture persisting despite western influence. Bhengu painted exclusively in watercolour and sepia ink on paper.