Jan Maanda Tshikhuthula

Tshikhuthula was born in a small town of Tzaneen (South Africa) in 1983. His love for Art began when he was only 12 years of age where he
learned drawing and painting landscapes. He then took it further by enrolling himself at Matongoni Art Academy in 2005. During this time, he
was introduced to the variations of media and methods, enabling him to explore wood sculpture, paper-mash, clay and stone. This was the time
when he was mentored, and his talent cultivated by the founder of the academy, Avhashoni Mainganye. The next chapter of Tshikhuthula’s
journey as an artist was with Artist Proof Studio in 2009 where he learned different art forms of printmaking which significantly cultivated him to
become the artist he is today. This part of his journey opened a lot of doors for him, and saw him working with the industry’s heavyweights,
such as William Kentridge and Nandipha, amongst many others.

title: the search
soft pastal on paper
2mx1m

https://www.facebook.com/Tshikhuthula-JM-ART-WORLD-685407828195698/

Contact details for: Jan Maanda Tshikhuthula
https://www.facebook.com/janjanmaanda.tshikhuthula
https://www.instagram.com/janjanmaanda/
cel or mobile number: subject to South African dialing code (+27) 072 686 6486

My Thoughts:
Traditional windmills have become such iconic images in South Africa, the life source of many remote farmers. I have traveled extensively in South Africa and seen the most desolate landscapes in the country and just when you think there is nothing but rock and dust a windmill would appear and you'd know somewhere nearby is a farmer making a living in the most arid areas. Form East to West and North to South these windmills bring life.
I love windmills. Landscape artists across the country use windmills in their artworks to invoke various emotions and thoughts from nostalgia to the idea of a "simpler" life or the resilience of human nature or the way people conquer the most arid lands. They all become one much like the next though.
For me, as much as these paintings can touch my heart and remind me of the amazingly beautiful country I live in, somehow as artworks they generally don't excite me, but then there is always the exception to the rule...and Jans work is that exception for me.
He takes the humble windmill landscape and brings a fresh approach, full of movement and the power of nature. They make the viewer wonder about the message in the works. In some one would think about how nature can at any time seek out these man made structures and demolish them in one quick sweep.
Perhaps they show mans ability to create ways and means of engineering innovative ways of survival where few creatures can survive.
I suppose how we as viewers interpret these works could also speak volumes about us.
What do you think or interpret them?