Sigodi 's dreams to open his own art gallery

When most people see cans, cardboard boxes and plastic, they see trash, but the 29-year-old Dzulani Trevor Sigodi from Tshipako near Thohoyandou sees materials that he can use to showcase his art. Sigodi uses materials that often get discarded to create models of houses, cars and even aeroplanes.

Sigodi is also a sculptor, who turns wood into amazing shapes, and he moulds clay to create busts and animals.

“I became a creator of art products at a very young age. Before I even started going to school, I was already moulding animals and houses, using clay thatI had dug up by the riverside,” he says. “At the age of 10 I started losing focus when my teachers were conducting lessons. I would be drawing on the covers of my books and on the desk, creating pictures of animals.”

Sigodi attended school at Ndikandafhi Primary school, Vhufuli Senior Primary school, Tshivhase Secondary school and then passed his matric at Ramugondo Secondary school.

“At some stage I realised that I should not let art distract me from doing my school work,” he adds. “I had to focus on my studies and be a good learner.”

He said he found inspiration for his artwork from the mountains in Tshipako village.

Sigodi made headlines in 2009 when he created a model of the Moses Mabhida stadium and the story was featured on different media platforms.

“My art has caused me a lot of pain. Back in 2015, when I was still based in Pretoria, I was attacked by a group of people who said that I was not a South African and I must go and sell my art back in Zimbabwe, which they described as my home,” he says.

“Most people don’t believe that I am a South African, because of my good art. They believe that talented people who create stuff and sell them in public spaces are from Zimbabwe,” he laments. He says his dream is to open his own art gallery one day, “so that I can display my art work and the work of other artists.”

Sigodi says that his biggest challenge was a shortage of materials. He would be happy if he could get a sponsor. People who are interested in his art work can contact him on 0722457597.

Date:21 May 2018

By: Maanda Bele

Maanda  Bele, born and raised in Nzhelele Siloam, studied journalism at the Tshwane University of Technology.

He is passionate about current news and international affairs.

He worked as part of the Zoutnet team as an intern in 2017.

He is currently a freelance journalist specialising in news from the Vhembe district.

Read: 675