Simphiwe Mlangeni is from Soweto, South Africa. He comes from a creative family, with a father who was a sculpture and theatre performer. His art is as diverse as his background. He works in a variety of mediums including printmaking, sculpture, and of course, painting. He also does physical installations at art galleries and produces art-exhibit video clips. He believes that art is a lifestyle.
His family features strongly in his work. He uses metaphors like trees taps to capture memories from his childhood. He was raised by his grandmother, who has a powerful influence on his paintings. He uses landscapes to portray the foundation of and background to a memory. He sees himself as the tree, being nourished from seed by the water from the tap, which represents his grandmother.
Simphiwe has created an art movement he calls, Superblur. The manifesto of Superblur reads as follows:
- Superblur refers to a method of creating art using the definition of the word blur.
- Thus the focus of the art will be to make the object or classification of the art unclear or less distinct.
- Superblur will also focus on elements that cannot be seen or heard clearly.
- When photography is used with the elements of Superblur in mind, the camera will be manipulated or even be shaken to blur the picture and the aim is to produce images that are similar to abstract art in painting.
- Instead of creating art for the sake of art, elements of art movements such as Superflat, Superstroke, Cubism and so forth, will be blurred in an attempt to create art that will be known as Superblur art.
- The symbol for Superblur is the abstract bar code to differentiate it from other art movements such as Neo-Expressionism.