Visual artist turns street scraps into heartfelt homes
Brilliant Manje | Wednesday December 17, 2025 06:00
He unveiled mixed –media masterpiece that redefine Home using recycled street tins and traditional Tswana techniques. The exhibition, part of the contemporary Art Botswana 2025 and funded by Companies And Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA), showcased Motoloki’s solo work that explores cultural identity, resilience and the human experience.
Motoloki incorporates recycled materials and found metallic objects into his vibrant pieces, reflecting both African urban and rural life.
His work has been showcased in Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, France and China.
Motoloki represented a mixed-artwork titled Open Hert, constructed from metallic, rustic tins collected from the streets and assembled to resemble shelters.
“My artwork is made from the metallic, rustic tins picked from the streets to build shelters,” he explained.
‘Open hearts reflect home in the sense that we will always be welcomed back home. Whether we fail or succeed in life, we always have a place to return to. The sunshine reflection on the artwork represents hope for home.’
He further highlighted the value of collaboration during the project, noting that working closely with fellow artists allowed for shared learning and inspiration throughout the creative process.
“Through these collaborations, I get to learn from other artists and get inspired by the whole process of creations without missing any details and by visiting art museums and exhibitions, which is very important to every artist,” Motoloki added.
The artist also collaborated with Moratiwa Molema on an artwork titled ‘Ko Motseng’, which captures the warmth and comfort of a traditional Botswana (Tswana) yard.
The abstract piece draws inspiration from the decorated huts and incorporates paints made from specific types of sand, creating varied hues that reflect Botswana’s distinctive earth tones.
The artwork features two distinct textures and includes traditional wall patterns commonly create by women.
Using a traditional technique known as Lekgapho, the artists aimed to evoke cultural heritage and personal memories among viewers.
“Through this piece, we hope to reflect people’s experiences and memories of their own yards, while celebrating the beauty of traditional Botswana architecture and deep sense of belonging it represents,” he said.