LEFIFi TLADI – curriculum vitae
born 4 January 1949, Lady Selborne, Pretoria
1968 Achieved second position in a Local Traditional Art Competition in sculpture held in Ga-Rankuwa
1969 Co-founder of the music band Dashiki (previously the Malombo Jazz Messengers)
1970 Opened a small museum for contemporary Black Art in Ga-Rankuwa (closed in 1974, due to the onslaught of the security police)
1980-1983 Studied art at Gerlesborgsskolan, Stockholm
EXHIBITIONS
1970s-1976 Organised group exhibitions of African artists from the then PWV area at the private homes of American, Canadian, Australian and French diplomats in South Africa and participated in the above.
1972 Organised the first touring exhibition of Black Art in some of the black secondary schools around Pretoria
1972 First educational Group exhibition held at the GSC (General SASO Conference), Hammanskraal under the auspices of Dashiki
1975 Group exhibition held at Arcadia Shopping Centre in Pretoria
1976 Went into exile in Botswana
1977 Organised a group exhibition of Black South African Art at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Gaborone, Botswana, under the auspices of Dashiki Cultural Unit
1978 Organised a Group exhibition of South African art at the National Museum and Art Gallery in Gaborone, Botswana, under the auspices of TUKA
1979 Co-promotoed with Geoff Mphakati a touring exhibition in Sweden of works by artists from Pretoria and artists in exile under the auspices of TUKA and SIDA
1980 National Museum and Art Gallery, Gaborone, Botswana –Mosima Mothaela Thupa, a one person exhibition of washes, drawings and paintings
1980-1988 over 100 one man shows at galleries and musea in more than 15 countries including Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Botswana, France, Belgium, Norway, England
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:22 pm
To High As High As Africans ,,It Is A Pleasure For Me To Be An African ..My Name Is Puleng Matlala,And I Am Born And Bred In SouthAfrica Ko Tshwane Y a Mamelodi,Ga Bo Mogale Tabane(Yena Wa Malopo)Ga Bo Mogale Makgalemele(Yena Wa Dinoto)Ga Bo Mogale Mahlasela)Yena Wa Direto).Even Though Currently Living In The States.I Will Like To Let Lififi Tladi Know That He Is The Shining Light For Us And A Great Inspiration ,And We Are Truly Inspired For All His Work And Time He And Many Others Has Commited To The Enlightment Of The Masses Around The World.(Re A Leboga Mo Africa Ya Kgabane,Re Re O Gole O Fete Le Tlou)