Disono engages in eco-friendly art
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday September 29, 2025 06:10
In an interview with Arts&Culture, Disono explained that his art is about reusing nature’s products and wealth to create art that speaks to the soul. He added that his aim is to create a positive impact on one's life. He also said it is about remembrance, and it is influenced by the pain, the joy, and the kind of social ills he sees as he moves around his people.
“It (my art) addresses issues of gender equality, change in mindset, embracing individuality, authenticity, and our differences as a rare human species. My art is inspired by nature, our culture as a people, and how we ought to protect these from decay, erosion, and extinction, the sole reason why I chose to do it. For example, we must protect, preserve, and continue to teach children about our culture, where we come from as a people. We must preserve the Setswana language. We ought to teach them about “respect, self-love to respect each other regardless of social status, I express this through art and craft,” he said.
The Kanye-born explained that he started doing art during his time as a student at Tsogang Primary School. He later continued to Marang Junior School, then Ledumang Senior School. Disono says he currently resides in Matebele with his father, who inspired him to be an artist. He believes that art is a calling, explaining that to say he chose it would be an understatement. He said he was called and chosen to be the instrument, the vessel, a call he answered.
Regardless of the times he might try to run away from it, Disono said he would still go back home (to doing art) because art was his life, path, and destiny. Disono has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Botswana. Amidst all his academic achievements, he said he chose and dedicated his life to art and became a full-time artist because of the love, zeal, and passion he has for it.
“A lot of the time I have to explain to the viewer, audience, and spectators what I am communicating because most times my art is spiritual, abstract, and one has to really pay closer attention to decipher what it really means. So, in many cases, the public does not understand but is intrigued because they would be seeing something and interpreting it in their own unique way. I believe they will catch up with time,” he said.
He pointed out that one of the main challenges is mostly financial because the public was still not accustomed to the value of art. He said a couple of times they wanted things for free or at a lower price, which was, in a way, a drawback because if they were to see the amount of time, energy, and money invested in the materials and labour towards having a finished product, maybe they would understand the value of art. He added that to see art beyond, not just “it's a piece of painting,” was very important and would make people appreciate artists. He therefore pleaded with the public to support artists by buying, attending exhibitions, and attending art-related shows and efforts.
To him, being an artist is an achievement because he said it was beyond being a mere human being, but about using his God given ability to be the creator. He explained that being able to create using his hands, mind, and the ability to think and create something out of nothing was God given.
Among his achievements is hosting Molaletsa art exhibitions, which featured more than 30 artists around Botswana, live music shows, releasing an EP last year titled Kundalini, which was dedicated to his mother, and The Unfinished Hand exhibitions, just to mention a few. Disono said he was currently working on an album called Transfiguration, which will be released next month.