'Having grown up on a farm in Africa, in particular South Africa and Swaziland, I feel that I am a part of Africa and its' people - its' ways, joys and tragedies. Also, growing up in a time without technology such as computers and cellphones, my enjoyment came from making my own toys thereby creating my own entertainment and using my imagination. So from early on, I was using my hands and ingenuity to make go-karts, model airplanes and wire cars. I was taught by my father how to use tools to create and build my own inventions. This gave me a great platform to express myself as a sculptor.

I feel inspired by the emotional expression in the human form. The slightest tilt of a head, or positioning of the hands can completely change the mood of a sculpture. The greatest pleasure I get is watching peoples reactions and hearing their discussions when looking at my pieces, as the same sculpture can have a different effect on different people.'

The following is an extract from: House and Leisure - April 2009

POLISHED ACT

‘I am a sculptor – a hands-on person,’ says Louis Chanu of the art he has been passionate about since he was a child. ‘I love creating new things, and with bronze you are unlimited in what you can achieve in terms of colour, shape, texture, movement and delicateness.’ His favourite piece is ‘Attitude’, the first work he ever completed. ‘When I finally rubbed the beeswax on that sculpture I couldn’t believe I had done it.’ He’s not the only person enthusiastic about his sculptures – Louis was the featured artist at the opening of the Kanonkop Wine Estate Art Gallery last year, and Johann Rupert and Richard Branson have both added his pieces to their art collections.