Growl

An unglazed terracotta work titled, Growl by the South African artist and ceramicist, Stanley Bongani Nkosi (1945-1988). Short Biography: Stanley Bongani Nkosi was born on 25 November 1945 in Newcastle, Natal, South Africa. At a young age his family moved to Dukathole near Germiston. He attended school in Germiston and Manzini, Swaziland and completed his education in Newcastle, obtaining his Junior Certificate. After he moved to Katlehong in 1962, he worked briefly in 1973 at the Artlite factory, decorating lamp bases. A chance meeting with Linda Goodman got him to join part-time the art school run by Peter Haden, working during the day as a messenger. He also took a few lessons with Cecil Skotnes. Later that year, he became a full-time artist. As a result of his London exhibition in April 1974 being shown on British TV he met the former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan who acquired two of his pieces. This lead to further press coverage and sales, including to Diana Ross. Stanley Nkosi attended the London School of Art for a few months. In 1974, he won the annual "Young and Promising British Artists Competition" in Bournemouth, UK. During that year, he also travelled to New York and Canada. In 1978, Stanley Nkosi travelled to the USA, holding an exhibition at Atlanta GA, as a result of winning an art competition in Oklahoma. In 1979, he won the the 1st prize in the "Wildlife of the World Competition", Oklahoma. Early 1980, he showed at the Black Heritage Exhibition held at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, USA, where he was awarded "Best Artist Trophy" and presided over art classes at the Jewish Community Centre in Omaha, as a result of which he appeared on television several times. In 1981 he again visited the USA at the invitation of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He was instrumental in the creation of the Katlehong Art Society. In 1981 Stanley Nkosi built his own Art Gallery and studio onto his house at Katlehong near Germiston, the "Stanley Nkosi Art Gallery" which was officially opened on 26th October, 1982 by the then Administrator of the Transvaal. Nkosi was stabbed to death in Katlehong in December 1998.