Noria Mabasa

Sculptor

Noria Mabasa (also Mabaso) was born on 10 May 1938 in Tshigalo village, Ramukhumba district in Venda. In the early 1950s her family moved to White City, Soweto. After her marriage to Samuel Luvhimbe in 1955, she returned to Venda.

She had no formal art training, but displayed great sensitivity when making clay figurines for the Domba initiation, a skill learnt from her family. Being interested in people, she made a series of clay figures based on people within her community. After exhibiting at a local agricultural show she was commissioned to sculpt a clay Venda cabinet for the Sibasa Museum. In 1976 Noria became a full-time artist.

After a group show in 1983, where she met Venda sculptor Nelson Makhuba, she began woodcarving and creating works on more contemporary themes. More durable than clay, wood was also the ‘respectable’ preserve of male sculptors in Venda. In 1985 she was introduced to Ditike in Mukondeni -the craft house of Venda, a project began widely promoting Noria’s work. Her sculptures include portraits, political figures and intertwined figures inspired by dreams. Noria works and stays in Vuwani, Venda. Several National Galleries have acquired her work. By 1989 she began experimenting with bronze.

Source:

Rankin, E. (1989). Images of Wood: Aspects of the History of Sculpture in 20th – century South Africa, Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery, p. 120.
Sack, S. (1998). The Neglected Tradition: Towards a New History of South Africa (1930-1988), Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery.

		Noria Mabasa 1938 -


Sculptor Noria Mabasa (also Mabaso) was born on 10 May 1938 in Tshigalo village, Ramukhumba district in Venda. In the early 1950s her family moved to White City, Soweto. After her marriage to Samuel Luvhimbe in 1955, she returned to Venda. She had no formal art training, but displayed great sensitivity when making clay figurines for the Domba initiation, a skill learnt from her family. Being interested in people, she made a series of clay figures based on people within her community. After exhibiting at a local agricultural show she was commissioned to sculpt a clay Venda cabinet for the Sibasa Museum. In 1976 Noria became a full-time artist. After a group show in 1983, where she met Venda sculptor Nelson Makhuba, she began woodcarving and creating works on more contemporary themes. More durable than clay, wood was also the ‘respectable’ preserve of male sculptors in Venda. In 1985 she was introduced to Ditike in Mukondeni -the craft house of Venda, a project began widely promoting Noria’s work. Her sculptures include portraits, political figures and intertwined figures inspired by dreams. Noria works and stays in Vuwani, Venda. Several National Galleries have acquired her work. By 1989 she began experimenting with bronze. Source: Rankin, E. (1989). Images of Wood: Aspects of the History of Sculpture in 20th – century South Africa, Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery, p. 120. Sack, S. (1998). The Neglected Tradition: Towards a New History of South Africa (1930-1988), Johannesburg: Johannesburg Art Gallery.