25th Jun, 2025 19:00
Modern & Contemporary Art
58
Sithembiso Sibisi (South Africa 1976-)
Religious Ceremony
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2004
Signature details: signed and dated bottom right; printed with the artist's name, the date and title on a label on the reverse
Exchange Rates*: USD 1085.80 – 1628.70
EURO 986.73 – 1480.10
GBP 830.39 – 1245.59
Sold for R25,795
Estimated at R20,000 - R30,000
Condition Report
The overall condition is excellent.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2004
Signature details: signed and dated bottom right; printed with the artist's name, the date and title on a label on the reverse
Exchange Rates*: USD 1085.80 – 1628.70
EURO 986.73 – 1480.10
GBP 830.39 – 1245.59
(1)
44 x 79 cm; framed size: 61.5 x 96.5 x 4.5 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Cape Town.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
The late Sithembiso Sibisi was a self-taught artist whose artistic practice was deeply rooted in both his Zulu heritage and his calling as a diviner. His earliest formal artistic experiences were shaped at the Caversham Centre for Artists and Writers in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, where he began working in the late 1980s with master printer Malcolm Christian. It was at Caversham that Sibisi started producing and exploring works that drew on his intense personal journey through ukuThwasa; the spiritual initiation process required to become a sangoma.
It was this journey that fuelled Sibisi’s commitment to portraying the spiritual and social realities of Black South Africans. His artistic approach was profoundly influenced by the legacy of fellow artist George Pemba, whose illustrative narrative style and focus on the lives of ordinary people provided a blueprint for Sibisi's own aspirations. Like Pemba, Sibisi rendered everyday subjects with clarity, emotion, and purpose, often subtly weaving critiques of patriarchy, spirituality, and community into his visual narratives.
Pemba’s ability to elevate ordinary scenes through a refined yet accessible visual language offered Sibisi a framework for how art could both document and dignify the Black South African experience. Similar to Pemba, Sibisi’s paintings possess a quiet authority, drawing viewers into layered scenes that are deeply personal, culturally rooted, and socially observant.
Religious Ceremony, depicts a ceremony of the Nazareth Baptist Church, commonly known as the Church of Shembe. This work affirms Sibisi’s ongoing engagement with spiritual practice, extending beyond a sangoma’s perspective to a broader exploration of African independent churches and ritual culture.
Sibisi died in Johannesburg in early 2006 under tragic and mysterious circumstances, just as his career was poised for greater recognition. Though his life was cut short, Sibisi’s work continues to speak to the enduring entanglement of art, belief, and lived experience.
Mtha Poni
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Auction: Modern & Contemporary Art, 25th Jun, 2025
Currency conversions are based on the exchange rate at the auction's start time and date. Bidders should verify the current exchange rate on the day of the sale. All invoices and payments must be made in South African Rands.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Logistics
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Medium (≤90x120x15 cm): R1,100
Large (≤120x150x20 cm): R1,650
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