Batswana art students exhibit in Malaysia

Gasebalwe Seretse
Staff Writer | Friday March 5, 2010 00:00

 

According to the organisers, the event is being held to exhibit the skills and talents of artists from various fields and also to promote Botswana tourism, crafts and arts through artworks display, arts installations and other activities performed prior to the opening of the show.  One of the organisers said in an e-mail to Arts & Culturethat incorporating cultural displays, installations, cultural performance and exhibition of artworks has given the young artists more experience and international exposure.

According to David, the theme for the exhibition, 'Tradition' was chosen in order to do an exhilarating art exhibition so that the artworks can portray the nature, life and cultural background of the artists. The artworks themselves depict the real culture and life in Botswana where they come from.  Following are the profiles of the students participating in the exhibition.

Gape ModiegiGape Modiegi was born in Selebi-Phikwe. He started his art at primary school and he developed his skills at Semane Community Junior Secondary School (CJSS) and Swaneng Hill School in Serowe, where he did fine art as a core subject.

Modiegi has participated in several student exhibitions, and art competitions like Botswana Regional Art Fair (CREATE), and Botswana National Art Fair (BONAFA) where he won several awards. He also participated in Botswana Telecommunication Corporation (BTC) phonebook cover design competition of 2004.  He has undertaken many exposition projects with LAHUPA, which is a culture promoting group in Serowe.   Modiegi did fine art at Limkokwing University where he studied painting, sculpture, printmaking and digital arts. He is a fine art diploma holder, who specialises in acrylic painting for his semi-abstract works.

Modiegi's Our Traditions is a series, which displayed at the exhibition, reveals the cultural and traditional concepts like pottery, carving, beads, textile, nature, history, and patterns about Botswana through its most outstanding and well-known icons and elements. These drawings are on watercolour paper done with graphite. The drawings have been done with great consideration of the feeling and the mood that someone can see and also where you can see the texture on the drawing. The rough graphite texture makes the drawing attractive. Zebra is the subject matter of the artist, but here it is not that dominant as it is  only represented by flat stripes. His works at the exhibition include, Our Traditions I, II, III and IV.

Botho DavidDavid was born 23 years ago in Lobatse. He grew up in this small town, but did his secondary education in Gaborone. The artist has an appreciation for oil painting and is currently working with this media on canvas. He also works with pastels and charcoal to produce expressive portraits. He is currently studying for adegree in Multimedia and Design at Limkokwing University of Technology. This course usually focuses on motion graphics and graphic arts. However, he practises fine art from home and with his painting he does not mix media and follows the traditional painting techniques as well as drawings. He makes digital drawings and cartoons for leisure at times. So far he has not done any major exhibitions, but has collaborated in various projects in Botswana, mostly school art competitions. Though practising semi-realism art, he is inspired by the Spanish surrealist painter, Salvador Dali. David's works at the exhibition are, Best Teacher, His Pearl Is You, Breadlosers, Separated, Food For Thought and Carrier To Be.

Batlang SenabyeSenabye was born in 1988 in Mmadinare, where he grew up and  did his primary  education. After his primary education, he proceeded to Baitlotli CJSS and Kagiso Senior Secondary School in Ramotswa.  He did fine arts from junior school to senior school, scooping a number of awards in the process. He participated in Regional Art Fair 2004, Botswana Water Utilities (WUC) Annual Art Fair 2004.Senabye went to Malaysia in 2007 to do his studies in Interior Design (architecture).  'At this stage I'm open to challenge myself in order to broaden myself and sharpen my skills that is why I openly welcomed the invitation of participating in this 2010 Botswana Young Artists Exhibition in Malaysia with a group called Disclosed Wits,' he told Arts & Culture in an interview. He further says as he is in the field of architecture, he does his paintings and drawings with the styles and concepts related to architecture that is why he found it necessary to collaborate with his colleagues from other fields like fine arts and graphic design in the exhibition. His main focus in this exhibition is Botswana's decorative display that portrays Botswana culture and arts as a whole. His works at the exhibition include, Storm, Sunset Voyage, South Tales, Ruler and High Store

Omphile MbaiwaMbaiwa, was born in Francistown in 1989. He was brought up in the city where he also did his basic education before proceeding to Malaysia for his tertiary education. 'My dream of becoming an commercial artist became so strong by the year in September 2008, when I started my Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design) at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology,' he said in an interview with Arts & Culture. Mbaiwa says he was born an artist because at the age of five he was already good at moulding domesticated animals, using clay, then applying colours and stripes using ash.  'I even developed the skill of designing some cars made of fencing wire. I soon became a small-scale commercial artist generating some little income.Then gradually the talent started to evolve until I realised that I could paint on canvas,' he said.Mbaiwa's works at the exhibition are, Desert Wizards, Sand Lizard and Rhino.

Segolame MmopiThe 25-year-old Mmopi is originally from Serowe but grew up in the city of Gaborone.  She went for her high school and diploma in Johannesburg where she trained as a graphic designer. She then proceeded to Malaysia for her degree.

'I started my creative studies at a very young age.

My family saw my calling in life and encouraged me by supporting my talent and ambitions in the creative sector; so I started taking my oil painting lessons at the age of nine.

I continued with different styles of art but now at an advanced stage where I meet globalisation and creative experts,' she told Arts & Culture.In high school, she took many subjects amongst them, art history and art practical. Her major for art practical was sculpturing.

In her endeavour to realise her strengths in the art field, she wanted to explore all areas of art; she then pursued her studies further by attending Vega, the brand school of communications in Johannesburg where she gained a diploma in copy writing.

'I took a stand in the art and design field when I was accepted at Curtin University in Malaysia where I completed my BA degree in graphic design.   I learnt that technology could be a form of art, as well as industrial cultivation and this fascinated me,' she said.

Mmopi is currently teaching design theory at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia.