Art & Sculpting
A resident of Tshipako village in the Thulamela area, Dzulani Sidogi, creates model houses and structures using, among others, discarded materials.
Dzulani is a very talented artist and apart from the beautiful sketches he produces, he also hews wood into amazing sculptures and moulds clay to fashion busts and animals.
"I became a creator of art products at a very young age," he said. "Before I even started going to school, I was already moulding animals and houses using clay, which I would dig up by the riverside."
At the age of 10, Dzulani started losing focus when his teachers were conducting lessons. He would be scribbling on the covers of his school books and on desks, creating animals and other things that came to mind. He attended Ndikandafhi Primary School, Tshivhase Secondary School, and Ramugondo Secondary School.
"But at some stage I realised that I didn't have to let art distract me from doing school work," he said. "So I had to focus and be a good pupil. In Tshipako there are mountains and I take my inspiration from such sites," he said. "Whatever I see, I am able to do something about it."
In 2010, Dzulani made headlines when he created a model of the Moses Mabida stadium. This model stadium was featured on different media platforms.
His art has also caused him some sadness. He was based in Pretoria around 2013 when he was attacked by a group of people who said that he was not a South African and that he must go and sell his art back in his country, Zimbabwe.
"Most people do not believe that I am a South African because of my good art," he said. "They believe that talented people who create stuff and sell them in public spaces are either from Zimbabwe or Mozambique."
He is planning to open a gallery, so that he can display his work and the work of other artists. His masterpiece creation is a model house that has doors, gates and lights that operate with a remote control. "The future looks bright for me," he said.
Dzulani can be reached on 0722457597.