Leon Botha

South African artist (1985-2011)

Painter
entertainer

Years active2007–2011

Leon Botha (4 June 1985 – 5 June 2011) was a South African painter and disk jockey. He was known for his close association with the hip hop group Die Antwoord, as well as for being one of the world's longest-lived persons with progeria.^[1]

Biography

Botha was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and lived there until his death. He was diagnosed with progeria around the age of 4 years. He had no formal training in art beyond high school courses at the Tygerberg Art Centre, but became a full-time painter after graduation, doing commissioned works.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, Botha successfully underwent heart bypass surgery to prevent a heart attack due to progeria-related atherosclerosis.^[2]

In January 2007, Botha had his first solo art exhibition, entitled "Liquid Sword; I am HipHop", revolving around hip-hop culture as a way of life.^[3] It took place at the Rust-en-Vrede (which translates to Rest and Peace) gallery in Durbanville and was opened by Mr Fat of the South African hip hop group Brasse Vannie Kaap.^[4] His second solo exhibition opened in March 2009 and featured pieces of the artist's life. Botha was asked if the title "Liquid Swords; Slices of Lemon" referred to the adage "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Botha said no, adding, "Lemons? I slice 'em and serve 'em back!"^[5]

In January 2010, he hosted the first exhibit of Who Am I? Transgressions, a photo collaboration with Gordon Clark, at the João Ferreira Gallery in Cape Town.^[6] Botha said of the exhibition, "I am a spiritual being, the same as you, primarily. Then I'm a human being and this part of the human being is the body, which has a condition."^[7]

Botha was also engaged in deejaying and turntablism under the name DJ Solarize.^[8] He was featured alongside Watkin Tudor Jones, aka Ninja, in the music video "Enter the Ninja" from Die Antwoord.^[9]

In November 2010, Botha suffered a stroke.^[10] Botha died from complications of progeria in Cape Town one day after his 26th birthday.^[11]

Botha was the inspiration for the one-act opera Solarize, by Marcin Stańczyk, libretto by Andrzej Szpindler, which debuted in Warsaw in April 2014 at Teatr Wielki, the Polish National Opera.^[12]

References

^ Staff report (14 January 2010). Transcend and Transgress, Mail & Guardian
^ Sampson, Lin (17 October 2009). "Coming of Age: Cover Story", The Times
^ van Zyl, Peter (11 January 2007). Art from my hip-hop heart. YOU
^
- Scholtz, Vennessa (18 January 2007). Leon uses the paintbrush as a 'weapon.' Tygertalk
- Harris, Simone. Leon Botha: Time to work. HYPE magazine (South Africa)
^ Peters, Melanie (11 April 2009). Progeria victim finds life in art. Independent on Saturday, South Africa
^ Clifford-Holmes, Lauren (15 January 2010). The Fibre of Reality, Mail & Guardian
^ Clark, Gordon, and Leon Botha (2010). "Who Am I? ...Transgressions" via YouTube
^
- Music (6 June 2011). Leon Botha Passes at 26 Years Young. Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Dont Party
- Barshad, Amos (2 March 2010). Mysterious Internet Sensation Die Antwoord on Why They’re For Real, Maybe. New York (accessed 20 March 2010).
^
- Niesner, Chase (19 February 2010). Thank God for Die Antwoord. Archived 23 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine Yale Daily News
- Jardin, Xeni (3 February 2010). Die Antwoord, S. African zef-rap, and Progeria survivor Leon Botha. Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Boing Boing
- Barna, Ben (26 August 2010). Straight Outta Cape Town, Die Antwoord Invades America. BlackBook
- Marchese, David (August 2010). Breaking Out: Die Antwoord, p. 50 SPIN.
^
*Morris, Christopher (7 June 2011). DJ Leon Botha dies at 26. Variety
- Staff report (6 June 2011). Local artist dies. Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine iAfrica
^
- Staff report (6 June 2011). Die Antwoord collaborator Leon Botha dies, age 26. Mail & Guardian
- Aboobaker, Shanti (7 June 2011). Cape DJ dies of Progeria. Independent Online
^ "404". {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)