Bull in Anguish

A bronze sculpture titled, Bull in Anguish done in 1979 by the South African sculptor Stanley Bongani Nkosi (1945-1988). During the 1970s several other South African sculptors including, Lucas Sithole and Sidney Kumalo created sculptures of bulls which always included some form of pain. This cultural and social symbolism was derived from the mine workers depicted by the bull carrying the pain of the nation. Short biography: Stanley Nkosi, also called Mfoza by his peers, was born in Newcastle in Kwa-Zulu Natal during 1945. In 1973, Nkosi worked at the Artlight Factory decorating lamp bases and by chance met Linda Goodman from the Goodman Gallery. Goodman helped him to get into an art school ran by Peter Haden at the time. After some of his works were exhibited in London in 1974 and two were purchased by the British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, Nkosi studied at the London Art School for a couple of months. He travelled to the US, Germany and Canada and won several competitions including the Young and Promising British Artist Competition in the UK. Back in South Africa, his art expanded by being one of the key founders of the Katlehong Art Society and he opened his own art gallery in 1982. Sadly in 1988, Nkosi was stabbed to death near his house in Katlehong, by that time he was a successful artist and businessman, even owning his own shopping centre. Nkosi's works are sought after among many South African and international organisations and his works are found in many private and university galleries.