Sculptor creates 30 life-size wax statues to celebrate Mandela
“T his is a dream come true. Finally these statues found a place they deserve to be – in the Nelson Mandela Museum,” says artist and sculptor Lungelo Gumede, whose 30 life-size wax works are on display at the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.
The statues celebrate the life of Madiba, from his childhood to his death in December 2013, the 35-year-old artist said.
The museum is preparing to celebrate Madiba’s birthday on 18 July.
Gumede runs a wax museum in Durban where sculptures of people such as the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, the late amaZulu king Goodwill Zwelithini and the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela are on display.
Gumede said creating statues was a way to remember people who have died. He said his statues “speak of the history of black African people”.
He said some people believe that making statues is a waste of money, but he hopes to make wax figures “fashionable” again – especially to young people.
“People are always asking, why are we ‘wasting money’ making statues instead of building schools? But, for me, statues preserve history. That is what we do,” Gumede said.
Speaking about the statues exhibited at the Nelson Mandela Museum, he said: “We are doing statues of Mandela from the time he was born until his death. These statues speak of Madiba’s journey from his childhood to his death.
“I spent more than R1-million to do this installation at the Nelson Mandela Museum. It is a partnership. I bring my statues and display them at the museum. This will give me exposure and, for Nelson Mandela Museum, having my work will also attract more tourists.
“These statues have finally found a place where they deserve to be, which is in the Mandela museum,” he said.
Gumede employs six young people and says he trains hundreds of graduates from various universities, including the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
The Nelson Mandela Museum said the sculpture exhibition formed part of their programme to give artists opportunities to showcase their work. The programme has been in place since 2019.
Nontlahla Tandwa Dalindyebo, the museum’s senior manager for public engagement and marketing, said: “This is a continuous partnership as Lungelo also has a programme to empower upcoming artists. If there are artists in Mthatha or the Eastern Cape who still want to join, they must contact us and we will link them to Lungelo.”
She urged to students to visit the museum to see the statues “to understand the history of South Africa”.
Dalindyebo said the museum was planning to have an open day where people from across South Africa could come to view the art work.
“This is a rich history,” she said.
Gumede was born in Clermont, kwaDabeka, west of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
He obtained a national diploma in fine arts at DUT.
Gumede is working with the son of Kenneth Kaunda to create a life-size statue of the late Zambian president.
“We are also doing seven statues for the national history museum of the Seychelles for their slavery section,” he said.
Gumede is also working on a project with Omu Resort in Lagos to create a wax museum of Nigerian heroes.
Gumede has sculpted the likenesses of many people. In 2008, he presented TV talk-show host Oprah Winfrey with her portrait in Chicago. In 2012, he presented the late amaZulu king with a wax and bronze statue to mark his 40th anniversary as the Zulu monarch.
In 2015, he unveiled the life-size wax statue of Isaiah Shembe, the founder of the Nazareth Church. He also presented American preacher TD Jakes with a life-size wax statue in 2016. In 2017, he unveiled a statue of Joseph Mshengu Shabalala, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
In 2020, he presented President Cyril Ramaphosa with his wax statue in his presidential office in Parliament in Cape Town.
Besides the Lungelo Wax Museum in Durban, Gumede also runs a small Durban-based company called Lungelo Visual Arts and Design, working with groups of artists.
The company currently employs more than 30 people, both temporary and permanent.
He urged young artists never to give up on their dreams. “It’s unfortunate that some artists give up on their dreams because of money,” he said.
The exhibition will be on show at the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha until 31 July.
People are always asking, why are we ‘wasting money’ making statues instead of building schools? But, for me, statues preserve history. That is
what we do