Jurassic park for local children
He has turned his home into a community museum with sculptures of dinosaurs, snakes, rhino’s, farm animals and etc.
No need to wait for school trips to learn about all sorts of animals and even those that are extinct.
Unemployed, Joseph Bila (45) from Amanda Park informal settlement in Mamelodi East has brought almost all the animals to the community through his artwork.
He has turned his home into a community museum with sculptures of dinosaurs, snakes, rhino’s, farm animals and more.
The community members have even named his house Jurassic Park Museum.
He said he was inspired by TV shows to create the sculptures not knowing that he was busy creating a small Jurassic Park.
“I started by collecting empty crates, wires and boxes to create sculptures. It took me three years to complete my first dinosaur,” Bila said.
The father of two children, 18-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, is also a carpenter and survive by helping out around the community.
He said he also made a big crocodile that took him about a year to finish, a rhino took about six months and a hut three months.
Some of the animals he also made were an eagle and a duck. He is currently working on a big cow.
Bila added that the community members and children love his work and they come almost every day to see his work.
“My work is so real that the small kids in the community are afraid of the anaconda and snakes I made,” said Bila.
“I never went to school. The love for nature motivated me. I do my artwork when I am not doing any carpentry work, he said.
He said it made him happy when people stopped to take a look at his artwork.
“Many people are amazed by my work and some don’t believe I made it. People are welcome to buy my artwork for home decorations.”
Bila said he will soon start working on a statue of former presidents Nelson Mandela as he is his inspiration.
He said his challenge is to get materials to make the sculptures like silicone, glue paint and brushes and transport for his artwork to take to places where he could sell it.
Bila concluded that he wants to share his talent with community members who are interested in his work especially the youth.
Anyone who wishes to help Joseph Bila with material or want to buy some of his work can contact him on 067 170 8654.
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