UJ confers doctorate on Tsonga Gogo sculptor Noria Mabasa

With this honour conferred on her last week, Mabasa joins a distinguished list of honorees that include Professor Chris Brink, Nigerian scholar-diplomat Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies, Sir Hillary Beckles.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

Her journey is one of inspiration of both inspiration and resilience.  Not only did she have to break the gender ceiling and excelled in an art area traditionally, and even now dominated by male artists. But she would have had to have a thick skin to survive this far in art, field that is generally tough to make it commercially. She however continues to break new ground by being continuously honoured by prestigious institutions.

The latest honour for XiTsonga artist Noria Mabasa came from the University of Johannesburg on April 19, 2023 (UJ). The well-known sculptor from Limpopo was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in art and design by the university last week, Wednesday,l April 19, 2023. This honour adds to her standing in the art field, as well as opening an opportunity for her art practice to be studied in academic halls of learning in South Africa and beyond.

This honour, some might even add has been long overdue for Mabasa, especially given  the fact that some of her contemporaries, such as legendary Ndebele painter Esther Mahlangu and the late David Koloane were honoured with honorary doctorates by universities during their lifetime. But until now, somehow, the sculptor from Vuwani in Limpopo had not been given the same honour and respect by an academic institution.

Her journey is that of resilience and focus, practicing as an artist for decades and doing a damn good job at it, and hence the prestigious awards she continues to accumulate.  Mabasa who turned 84 this year is a self-taught artist from Vuwani in Limpopo. Her success should make many a woman see that with resilience and focus, no area of life is beyond the grasp and reach of a determined woman. In the art scene, she has been a trail blazer creating great sculptures appreciated by both collectors and critics.

Mabasa credits well known artist and art academic at UJ Gordon Froud, for writing the motivation that earned her the honour. She met Froud during a residency at Nirox Sculpture Park in the West Rand in the recent past.

“I realised that even though this beautiful place wasn’t a church, it wouldn’t be surprising to meet an angel because of the energy it carries. Little did I know that the angel was already with me. Gordon is that angel. I’m deeply moved that he championed the cause to have me recognised in this manner. I have done this work for years and it has put me in many different places. Today, it has led me to UJ-that has placed me among the stars. I am deeply humbled to have this honour bestowed upon me. My legs ache now from old age, but my hands are pretty strong. And I look forward to continuing my work for as long as I can. I am so happy to have this honour from UJ,” an overwhelmed 84-year-old Mabasa is quoted saying during the graduation ceremony at UJ.

“Dr Mabasa accepted the Honorary Doctorate in Art and Design conferred upon her by the University of Johannesburg (UJ), on Wednesday 19 April 2023. Her conferral was part of the graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA).

Dr Mabasa was visibly emotional as she had the crimson hood draped over her shoulders amid cheers and ululations. Her family, that accompanied her from Vuwani in Limpopo, could not hold back their joy as they witnessed this poignant moment,” said UJ in a statement after the event

Her resilience as an artist is one to admire as “Dr Mabasa has been practicing and perfecting her artistic practice as a sculptor since 1974.  She is a custodian of indigenous knowledge and is a respected teacher who willingly shares her knowledge and skills. Known for her pottery and wood sculptures, she is a recipient of the 2002 Silver category of the Order of the Baobab, also receiving several other national and international accolades and awards for her outstanding artistry and creativity. Motivated by a series of dreams in which her ancestors spoke to her, she turned to wood as her chosen medium,” UJ pointed out.

The university also noted the fact that she was able to make a success of her career in a field that is male dominated, but she stood out for her excellence in it over the years.

As the first Tsonga woman to work in wood, she broke cultural and gender stereotypes as the material had always been the preserve of male sculptors. Mam Noria’s carvings depict Venda mythology and spirituality, as well as portray traditional ceremonies and the daily lives of those in her community: women, children, and babies. She explores the hardships women suffered under apartheid: violence, loss, and displacement, while dealing with themes of race and gender. Her artworks depict the harsh realities of life in rural areas and strives towards social transformation, the citation added.

The sculptor during the ceremony was introduced by UJ’s Registrar, Professor Bettine van Vuuren, to a packed audience, who accordingly acknowledged her valuable contribution in the area of the art practice spanning decades.

“We applaud the way Noria Mabasa has courageously encouraged other women to explore artistic labour, outside of the conventional domains of male art. She has also shared her indigenous knowledge with her community, and the wider world. We believe that it is timeous that Noria Mabasa be recognised for her valuable contribution to cultural life, education, and contemporary art over the last 50 years,” said Prof. van Vuuren.

With this honour Mabasa joins a list of distinguished individuals the university has honoured over the years for their contribution in the field of art, with the artists being the second individual to be honoured with a doctorate in 2023, by UJ, following respected scholar and academic leader Professor Chris Brink.

Others that have received honorary doctorates from the same institution include Nigerian scholar-diplomat Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies, Sir Hillary Beckles.

With this latest honour, it is perhaps time for women artists to take note in South Africa and thrive to be the best they can be, even in a male dominated field of the arts. If Dr Mabasa could do it, they too can.