Artists can be in cahoots with business

Most corporate arts sponsors choose to work through NGOs and steer away from one-on-one relationships with artists. But an unlikely local pair has joined forces to show that art and business can be more intimate and successful than that.

The relationship between leading local sculptor and fine artist Thomas Ngulube and SYSPRO, an ERP software provider, has debunked the perception that individual artists and business will never forge a genuinely close relationship. Most art/business arrangements occur via funding organisations and NGOs, as businesses are wary of a flood of requests for support from individual artists. However, SYSPRO's relationship with Ngulube has been a notable exception to this rule.

Ngulube's unique signature is his use of scrap metal, discarded steel, old car parts and other recyclable metals to create alluring metal sculptures and large industrial pieces. He has held solo exhibitions in Vienna, Belgrade and Moscow, and has exhibited extensively within South Africa. His work hangs in the homes of many notable figures, including The Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler.

SYSPRO's relationship with Ngulube began in the mid-2000s when the company's Marketing Director, Meryl Malcomess, commissioned him to produce various steel sculptures for the company, which are now proudly displayed in and around its multinational's headquarters, in Sunninghill, Johannesburg.

“Thomas is a business savvy individual, and at the same time, has a great deal of artistic flair. This kind of balance is what made him an ideal choice for SYSPRO to have a relationship with,” says Malcomess. “His smarts about the business of art puts him ahead of the curve, and has added a lot of value to our company's relationship with him.”

Ngulube made an appearance at an international SYSPRO event, hosted at Sun City. Here he explained the informal city arts supply chain to attendees, who gained a lot of insight through this alternative take on their business. He also 'performed' live at the venue, showing attendees exactly how he sets about creating his masterpieces.

“Meryl visited my studio about five years ago. She saw the pieces I was busy with and fell in love with them. Many of those exact pieces are now displayed at SYSPRO's offices,” says Ngulube. “SYSPRO has been a great ally over the years - and I look forward to working with the company well into the future.”

Ngulube's collaboration with SYSPRO has been an important springboard for his career. Having recently returned from Vienna, he is now in the process of setting up his own art gallery, where his artistic and entrepreneurial pursuits will thrive further.

All of which goes to show that the status quo is not necessarily the only way for businesses to engage with the arts. “Absolutely,” confirms Ngulube. “For businesses with the right culture and attitude, engaging directly with artists and creatives can have a lot of value. Obviously, NGOs and art funders will always be very important, but I believe there's a lot of room for artists and business to get to know each other much better, and to profit as a result.”