Qore Exhibition on at the National Museum

This exhibition of contemporary artworks is dubbed 'Qore Exhibition'. Qore is a San word for the hunting and gathering season when the young San go out and collect food for incapacitated elders.

Explaining why they chose the theme, Moses said: 'After the exhibition, we hope to each contribute a portion of the proceeds and host a small party where we will celebrate and thank the elders at Thapong for their support ever since we joined the centre.'  Guest speaker and Thapong coordinator Reginald Bakwena lauded the two artists for holding the exhibition despite many challenges, including financial constraints.

'These two artists were determined to go ahead with the exhibition so much that they financed it from their own pockets,' said Bakwena. Bakwena added that Moses and Piet are role models to many upcoming artists as they are offering free lessons at the exhibition. Moses is a leading San artist, whose works are a favourite among ardent art-collectors, especially from the West. The late internationally acclaimed san artist Thamae Setshogo mentored the artist.

 He cut his teeth at Kuru before moving to Thapong. Like most San artists, the theme of his work depicts the San way of life. The artist has been greatly influenced by nature and like storytellers of old, his artworks tell tales of animal life in the Kalahari and elsewhere.  Moses, whom Bakwena describes as a hard worker, has mounted 59 pieces. Of the artworks, eight are paintings while the rest are prints. Although all of Moses' works are captivating, it is his prints that are most outstanding. Most of them are either in black and white or brown and white.

The artist's paintings are larger and bright lycoloured.  Some of the paintings to look out for are Porcupines and Flamingo Babies.   Flamingo Babies is Moses' most expensive piece costing P 4,000.  In the prints category, pieces to look out for are Family, which comprises Ostrich With Young, Tortoise With Young, Tortoise With Young and X'gane (Guinea-fowl) With Young.

Family is all about how animals and birds nurture their young in the wild. Interestingly, Moses likes to portray guinea fowl, which he calls x'gane in his works.

  The artist gave his pieces a good finish by collaborating with Gallery Ann who framed them. According to Moses, it was a challenge to put the exhibition together since he and Piet did not have much time to raise funds.

 Another challenge that the two exhibitors faced was that Piet was roped in at the last minute because, according to museum requirements, they can only host two exhibitors at a time. Initially, Moses had wanted to hold a solo exhibition.

'Joseph came to my rescue and offered to take the floor space while I mounted my pieces on the wall,' the artist says.

He hopes to raise enough money during the exhibition to pay Gallery Ann for the services rendered. Despite their international appeal, Moses' works are affordable with prices ranging from P 360 to P 4, 000.

The other exhibitor, Piet, is a contemporary sculptor who works with mixed media. However, the young artist prefers to use metal and fibreglass.  The sculptor says he fell in love with metal when he, as a young boy, watched his blacksmith grandfather and father working in the family smelter. The older men banished him from the smelter but that only fuelled his passion to learn the art of working with metal.  The artist joined Thapong in 2003 and is well known for his beautiful lampshades made in shapes of shields, horns and African masks amongst other things. At the Qore Exhibition, Piet has displayed a few pieces namely Springbok, Leopard, Woman, Matlhola a dibona, Sethakga, Tlhabo ya letsatsi and African mask.  Springbok, Leopard and Woman are life-size with Leopard being the priciest piece on display costing P 15,000. All the life-size pieces are made of fibreglass.

Interestingly, it is Ditlhakga that has got art-lovers talking. The exquisite fibreglass relief piece showcases a man playing the guitar.  The event was blessed by St. Peter Apostolic Church, a brass band from Newstands, Gaborone, who performed a number of spirituals.  Moses who also happens to be a member of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) invited the band, which was clad in colourful church gear.