by Phaphama Tshisikhawe
She’s been halfway around the world,
on the continent, in Europe, in Asia and in North America,
talking, teaching and doing South African art.
She’s eliminated the artificial boundary between art, activism and transformation.
She’s put together a monumental and most-formidable compendium of black art coming from a difficult period in the history of art in this country – the Bongi Dhlomo Collection. Her art instigates tears of joy in the eyes of the discerning, said Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, in recognition of the immense contribution of artist, curator and art historian Bongi Dlomo-Mautloa, when she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Arts and Design (honoris causa) in the Faculty of Arts and Design at TUT, on 17 October 2024.
Celebrated by art researchers and academics as probably the first black professional curator in South Africa in the early 1980s, Dr Bongiwe (Bongi) Dhlomo-Mautloa is undoubtably one of the doyennes of printmaking in the country. Her contribution to art and the preservation of black South African art is featured in numerous private and public collection in South Africa and internationally. She has lectured widely on South African art in Africa, Europe and the United States.
In 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa awarded her with the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for her contribution in curating creative projects that preserve important periods in South African history.
Dr Bongiwe (Bongi) Dhlomo-Mautloa
Dr Dhlomo-Mautloa studied Fine Art at the famous Rorkes Drift Art and Craft Centre, graduating with a diploma. She has been the Art Consultant for the Constitutional Court of South Africa’s Architectural Artworks Programme from 2001 to 2004.
Since 2015, she has been curating an art initiative at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital to create a friendly and welcoming environment for young patients.
Her work is the subject of a book titled Mihloti Ya Ntsako: Journeys with the Dr Bongi Dhlomo Collection, written by Pfunzo Sidogi.
Dr Bongiwe Dhlomo-Mautloa with Prof Tinyiko Maluleke
at the honorary doctoral ceremony on 17 October 2024.