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About The Artist
Artist statement
Bongi Bengu was born in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, grew up in exile, in Geneva, Switzerland and
studied in High School in Switzerland and later Waterford Kamhlaba in Swaziland. Bengu later
enrolled and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at Mount Vernon College, in Washington
DC, and a Masters Degree in Fine Arts from The University of Cape Town and has since
participated in numerous international residencies and workshops.
She has received awards and scholarships from Mount Vernon College, Washington DC, USA;
Standard Bank, South Africa; University of Cape Town; The National Museum of African Art
Washington DC.
In 2015 she exhibited at the Durban Art Gallery in “SA Art 21 Years after Democracy”;
“Identity-Cohension” Grahamstown Festival. Previous to that she has exhibited at the
Harlem Arts Festival Chicago; Friends Stuttgart, Germany. In 2007 she participated in
Possibilities, Mumbai ; India. Other exhibition include ‘A decade of Democracy :Witnessing
South African Art, Boston Massachusetts USA; “Ten Years of Freedom Contemporary
Sourth African Art” Georgia USA. Other exhibitions have been In Berlin, Germany;
Switzerland; University of Illinois, USA; London and throughout South Africa.
She has been granted residencies in Kenya; Ghana; Switzerland; USA; UK; Kenya and
Zambia all at prestigious institutions. She is included, among others in the following
Collections,
- MacDonalds,Chicago,USa
- De Beers, Johannesburg
- Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
- Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, USA
- Musée De la Civilisation, Québec, Canada
- Department of Arts & Culture, Pretoria
- The Spier, Stellenbosch
- SABC, Johannesburg
- Rand Merchant Bank, Johannesburg
- Canton of Solothurn Government Offices, Switzerland
- Nandos Art Collention, London
- Van Den Ende Collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- South African High Commission, Maseru, Lesotho
Artist CV
EDUCATION
1975-1977: Khandisa Primary School, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Grade 1-Grade 2
1978-1987: International School of Geneva, Switzerland. Grade 3-Grade 11
1987-1989: Waterford Kamhlaba, United World College Of Southern Africa, Mbabane, Swaziland. International Baccalaureate
1989-1993: Mount Vernon College, Washington DC, USA, Bachelor of Arts, Cum, Laude. Major: Fine Art
1994-1997: University of Cape Town, South Africa. MFA- Power Gained-Power Lost: Aspects of Contemporary African Woman Visualised
AWARDS
1997: Standard Bank Award: Trainee Curator at the National Gallery, Cape Town
1996 – 1997: University of Cape Town Maclver Scholarship – Award to promising postgraduate women students in Michealis School of Fine Art
1996 – 1997: University of Cape Town CSD Scholarship
1995 – 1997: University of Cape Town A W Mellon
1992: National Museum of African Art Certificate of Recognition Washington DC
1993: Mount Vernon College - Alphi Chi National Honour Society Award
1993: Mount Vernon College - Arts and Humanities Award
1993: Mount Vernon College - Fine Arts Award
1993-1994: Who’s who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges
1992-1993: Mount Vernon College - Merit Award
1987: International School of Geneva-French
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022: The World/Umhlaba, Solo Exhibition, Alliance Francaise, Pretoria
2013: Welcome to Bongism, Solo Exhibition, Art Afrique Gallery, Sandton, Johannesburg
2008: Emancipation, Solo Exhibition, Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg
2007: B2B, Solo Show, Westcliff, Johannesuburg.
2004: Woman, Solo show, Bell-Roberts Gallery, Cape Town
2003: Woman, Solo show, The Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
2003: Faces, Solo show, Dat Hoghehus, Germany
1998: Solo Exhibition, Spier Contemporary, Cape Town
1997: Solo Exhibition, Association of Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022: When rain Clouds Gather, Norval foundation, Cape Town
2019: Art Fair, Sydney. Australia
2019: Spell of the Sensuous, The Melrose Gallery, Johannesburg
2018: Ways of Seeing and Beeing Seen,Johannesburg
2018: Harlerm Arts festival, New York
2015: SA Art 21 Years after Democracy, Durban Art Gallery
2015: Identity-Cohesion,Grahamstown Arts Festival
2015: Portretteer, Oude Libertas Gallery, Stellenbosch
2014: Harlem Arts Festival,Chicago,USA
2014: Sanaa Arts Festival,Johannesburg
2014: Eshowe Heritage Arts Festival,KZN
2013: Inkunzi Emanxeba: The legacy continues…, touring exhibition, Durban, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Eastern Cape and Johannesburg
2012: 21BF, a 21st retrospective exhibition, The Bag Factory Studios, Johannesburg
2011: My Selection, Group exhibition, Artspace, Johannesburg
2010: Friends, Stuttgart, Germany
2009: Babette’s Feast, Artspace, Johannesburg
2009: Innovative Women, touring exhibition, Constitutional Hill, Jeannette Unite Studio, Kizo Gallery
2009: Sharing/Shared, Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg
2008: Heptad, Artspace, Johannesburg
2008: Visions, Kizo Gallery, Durban
2007: Possibilities, Mumbai, India.
2005: World beyond Words: A Visual Arts Platform of Contemporary Women’s Art in South Africa, Centre for African Studies Gallery, University of Cape Town
2004: A Decade of Democracy: Witnessing South African Art, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
2004: Group show, Identity, Fortis Circus Theatre, Scheveningen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2004: Ten Years of Freedom: Contemporary South African Art, Yac Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
2003: Group show, Artspace, Johannesburg
2003: Dreams for our Daughters, The Klein Karoo Arts Festival (KKNK), Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
2003: Crossing-Knotting, Berlin, Germany
2002: 10/10, The Bag Factory Studios, Johannesburg
2001: The Big Bag Show, The Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
2001: La Hijas de la Terre, Tenerife, Canary Islands
2001: Viewline, Solothurn, Switzerland
2000: The Hourglass Project, A Woman’s Vision, Atlanta, USA.
2000: Cross cultural currents, Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
2000: Rivers of Spirit: Art Women in the African Diaspora, University of Illinois, USA.
2000: Jak South African Art and Design, London
1999: Group Exhibition, Association of Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town
1998 – 1999: South African Aesthetics, Travelling Exhibition, USA.
1998: Family Ties, Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
1997: La Boheme: Noir, Primart Gallery, Cape Town
1997: Survivors in Search of a Voice: Art Exhibition, Johannesburg
1997: South African Landscapes, Primart Gallery, Cape Town
1996: Cognisance: The Creative Cape, Association of Visual Arts (AVA) Gallery, Cape Town
INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCIES
2006: Landscape International Workshop, Ngong forest, Kenya.
2005: International Workshop, Zambia.
2004: Sansa International Workshop, Kumasi, Ghana
2001: AltesSpital, Solothurn Switzerland
2000: National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, USA
2000: Gasworks, London
1998: Printmaking Workshop in London with Master - Printer Jack Sheriff
1998: Montana Artist’s Refuge, Montana USA
PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
2006: Trustee Arts & Culture Trust.
2003: Board member of Unisa Art Gallery. 2002: University of Cape Town, Cape Town
2000: School of Oriental and African Studies, London
2000: London Print Studio, London
COLLECTIONS
MacDonalds,Chicago,USA
MTN, Johannesburg
Billiton B.H.P., Johannesburg
De Beers, Johannesburg
Rand Water, Johannesburg
Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, USA
Musée De la Civilisation, Québec, Canada
Department of Arts & Culture, Pretoria
The Spier, Stellenbosch
SABC, Johannesburg
Rand Merchant Bank, Johannesburg
UCT, Cape Town
Canton of Solothurn Government Offices, Switzerland
Nandos Art Collention, London
Van Den Ende Collection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
South African High Commission, Maseru, Lesotho
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