Tshepiso Mazibuko & Sibusiso Bheka: Ubusukunemini (Day and Night)

As part of the Of Soul and Joy project—a photography-centred social and artistic mentoring programme created by Rubis Mécénat in the township of Thokoza in Johannesburg—the endowment fund presents the work of two emerging South African photographers in Paris for PhotoSaintGermain festival, timed with the 30th anniversary of democracy in South Africa (1994–2024).  The exhibition Ubusukunemini (Day and Night) curated by Valérie Fougeirol brings the work of Tshepiso Mazibuko and Sibusiso Bheka, beneficiaries of the Of Soul and Joy programme, into conversation with regard to current events in South Africa.

Of Soul and Joy was created by Rubis Mécénat in 2012 to enable young people from the township of Thokoza and surrounding areas of Johannesburg, to benefit from a framework and training in the field of photography. This tailor-made support system allows them to cultivate artistic expression and access new professional paths, so that they can in turn have a positive impact on their communities. Among them, Tshepiso Mazibuko and Sibusiso Bheka, members of the “born free” generation—black youth born after South Africa’s first non-racial democratic elections in 1994, use their photographic practice to examine the symbolic promise of a free, more egalitarian South Africa.

“Ubusukunemini (Day and Night)” is an invitation from Mazibuko to Bheka to weave together a vision of Thokoza today. Both were born and raised in this township where, overnight, they were “born free”. The exhibition showcases an intimate portrait of the township, exploring its community via its present, its history and its memory. The two photographers, intertwining their sensibilities, take the pulse of the nascent South African democracy, deeply questioning the very meaning of “born free”.

“Tshepiso Mazibuko and Sibusiso Bheka are the sensitive seismographs revealing the pulse of the young South African democracy. At age thirty—existing between hope and disillusionment—both deeply question the very meaning of “born free”” —Valérie Fougeirol

Rubis Mécénat hors-les-murs, 10, rue Jacob, 75006 Paris. Tuesday/Saturday, 11am/7pm.

About Tshepiso Mazibuko
Born in 1995 in Thokoza, South Africa, where she currently lives and works, Tshepiso Mazibuko understands the photographic medium to be a tool for observing political, societal, historical and even topographic sectors. She discovered photography in 2012 with Of Soul and Joy and completed her photography studies in 2016 at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg.  She was awarded the 2017 Tierney scholarship and received the 2018 Prince Claus Award. She is a founding member of Umhlabathi, a collective of South African photographers. Her work was exhibited at the Rencontres d’Arles as part of the 2024 Discovery Award Louis Roederer Foundation, for which she received the Public Prize as well as the Prix de la Photo Madame Figaro.

About Sibusiso Bheka
Born in 1997 in Thokoza, South Africa, Sibusiso discovered photography in 2012 with Of Soul and Joy and continued his studies at the Vaal University of Technology. He was shortlisted for the Magnum Foundation Fellowship for Photography and Social Justice in 2018. In 2019, he was nominated for the Joop Swart Masterclass and the CAP Prize. More recently, in 2023, he presented his work at the AKAA-Art & Design fair in Paris. In 2023, he was in residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris with the Institut Français. Sibusiso Bheka is represented by Afronova Gallery.

About Rubis Mécénat 
The Rubis Mécénat endowment fund, created by Rubis in 2011, carries out committed artistic and social projects. Their aim is to promote contemporary creation, support emerging artists, and empower disadvantaged youth through art. Since its inception, Rubis Mécénat has been committed to highlighting contemporary creation —both exacting and democratic— by providing production assistance to emerging and mid-career artists to create new work.