Mogomotsi Makukumare
I am a self-taught artist who experiments with many mediums to tell imaginary stories or real stories. I was introduced to art by my brother, but back then, I didn't know it was called art. The topics I like speaking of in my artworks are African spirituality, politics, and how the world has taken away the true happy face of an African child and replaced it with a sad face. I use paper in most of my work because it reminds me of my childhood. I use charcoal, graphite, and other materials to portray my interpretation of things based on my African spirituality. I am an ever-growing artist.
Self-portrait - seeing oneself
“Break up trauma”
The traumatic experience is when your parents separate when a war is between them, but it affects you heavily as you are their son, and both are angry with each other. They even forget that you exist because we are all human beings, and it doesn't matter what age you are; you will. never forget what happened while you were growing up. You will question everything family-related and sometimes have unanswered questions, but we must be brave and face the world.
Homage to the Departed – working with the Museum collections
“Skeletons are not objects”
This piece shows that the dead should be respected because skeletons have spirits around them. The miniature little Skeleton in the eye is how ancient people used to be buried. The people walking around symbolise the spirit around the bones, with the spiritual eye having the power to see what the physical eye cannot see.
In my language Setswana, we say "batho ba tlhokahala, " meaning people go missing in the physical world (meaning only their bodies die, but their spirits still live). That is why we need to have great respect for the dead people. It doesn't matter if we know them or not.
Shadows of the Memory - monochrome past at Duggan Cronin Gallery
“The journey”
This work is inspired by a mixture of Duggan Cronin's pictures he took while travelling. I was inspired by the fact that he took pictures of people around South Africa at a time when they were not influenced by a lot of things. I love portraits, so by the time I saw these portraits, I saw myself in those portraits. I took some inspiration and came up with a solid project.
Tracing the Past - Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre
Light "kganya"
This piece is based on the research we did when we visited the rock art centre. I got inspired by how Prof David explained to us how the paintings had a deeper spiritual meaning to the people who painted them or engraved them. The main sign in the middle depicts light, and the other animals around it were born from memory while the piece was coming. together, but I had a strong feeling that I must not place them randomly, which made the piece even stronger. This piece can be read in many different ways.
Reflections on the project (May 2024)
This project has been one of the best programmes I have ever been a part of. It has changed my approach to work and even influenced my style. Now, I can interpret information and express my thoughts without fear. I have learned to research topics that interest me and incorporate my feelings into my creations. For instance, while researching "Is it a good thing or a bad thing to depict human remains in a museum?" we were encouraged to refer to our cultures. I discovered that my answers are different, and this is because I drew from my cultural background. The challenging aspect was translating our observations and research into art pieces. The mentorship provided by Anna Suwalowska, an experienced artist, was a highlight of this project. This project has inspired me to pursue further education in art and design, and I am currently studying this field in college.