IF YOU happen to be travelling down the Old Transkei Road, look out for Shaune Sithole who sells his beautiful art on the side of the road.
His unique and magnificent art is made out of old, rusty material, as well as cooldrink, vegetable and fruit tins.
All the paintings on display feature Table Mountain in the background with shacks highlighting the living conditions of township dwellers as the main focus.
“I lived in Cape Town from 2014 to 2016 in a township and that is where my inspiration comes from. That is why I have created something like this [referring to his artworks].
“Townships inspire me … I love it there,” he said.
In East London, he lives in Gqobhas Location near Gonubie.
“Soon, I will be doing something that represents East London. I am still checking the place out and getting [to know] the area,” the 23-year-old Sithole said.
He only did art as a school subject, but other than that, everything he does is self-taught.
“My father was also an artist, but he doesn’t do it anymore,” Sithole said.
“He sometimes helps me and advises me on what I need to do. He also comes up with ideas [for me],” he said.
Business is not a bed of roses for the Zimbabwe-born artist, he told the Go! last week, saying that sales only pick up during the second half of the year.
So for now his struggles are real as the sale of his artworks is his only way of putting food on the table for him and his father.
The price of his artworks ranges between R250 and R1500.
