NWU Gallery is pleased to present:
He believes that making art is a vehicle for the expression of his thoughts, memories and everyday life experiences. Growing up in a rural village has offered him the perfect opportunity to observe nature, that includes animals and birds especially the African pied crows. His work is mostly inspired by nature and his environment.
His work explores the everyday life experiences, thoughts and memories including socio-political issues, identity, inequalities, Social-status within the social political spheres. He investigates the way our identities have been imagined and shaped within a social and political commentary in the country. Furthermore, the challenges facing us in our everyday life as South Africans. His art making process combines ready-made objects, manipulated polymer, metal and soil. His is interested in using children as a symbol hope and strength. Objects are juxtaposed and placed in dialogue to stimulate a certain emotional response in the viewer. Birds and found objects such as shovel are used as symbols and metaphors. Simultaneously, the work is also open-ended and allows the viewer to interpret it in terms of his or her own experiences and personal narratives.
Batswana History and Heritage Preservation – United Communities
18 November 2020
“United Communities” is our 2020 theme, which displays the long prevailing unity among an African grouping of the Batswana speaking community of the Royal Bafokeng nation. The exhibition narrates the historical events that positioned the nation and its people to their current status. Displaying integrity and good governance by our leaders and the involvement of the community. The show displays images of Dikgosi tsa Bafokeng from the times of the legendary Kgosi Mokgatle to the current Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi. The community participation and involvement through various traditional structures is represented through paintings and sculptures like; Kwena (Bafokeng totem), Bafokeng men who went to Kimberly, Tiro ya kutle (clan duties).
Tshepang Maelangwe
Paintings and Sculptures representing community participation and involvement through various traditional structures are created by Rre Tshepang Maelangwe. In his artworks, Rre Tshepang used the traditional mediums of painting and wood carving. The traditional approach emphasizes the Bafokeng traditional structures, customs, morals and values that encourage unity amongst the community members. The images are well painted using two different colour pallets; the ethnic pallet and the natural pallet. He used the ethnic pallet to indicate ancient mythology, traditional customs and heritage while the natural pallet is used to display historical practices which are still embedded with in this cultural community and the current influence. While he carefully selected and used wood to resemble the ancient traditions of the Batswana mythology, spirituality and proverbs.
Princess Motswana Molotlegi
The choice to use digital art breaches traditional values with contemporary structure of life today. Princess Motswana’s paintings are well created artworks with layers on top of layers of vibrant colours resembling wisdom and integrity of our previous and current Dikgosi. The use of the computer emphasizes the prolonged ability of adaptation, competitiveness, innovation, visionary and ownership embedded in our Dikgosi. This pattern of leadership, relayed from generation after generation is well captured with ethnic and cool colours. The bold vivid colours and background resembling unique approaches by individual Kgosi and the unique contributions. Our Dikgosi, from as early as Kgosi Mokgatle to the current Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi, are extra ordinary men who steered the community to archiving greater things.