Low pay won't deter young Modane

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday November 18, 2010 00:00

One such budding artist is Gaborone-based Solly Modane.  Modane might not be a well-known name within art circles, but he is an emerging artist trying to find a niche in the market.  Unlike some of his peers who aspired for more glamorous professions, Modane always wanted to be an artist.  This was what he was going to do upon completing school, he had always told himself.  Today he has no regrets about choosing to work with the brush. 'I started doing art as a student at Rakops Junior Secondary School,' said the 23-year-old. 

He continued with his favourite hobby when he entered St Joseph's College near Gaborone.  After completing school in 2008, Modane decided to work as an artist on a full-time basis.  Modane said he was inspired by his artist uncle, Taupane Botewang.  Although Botewang has joined the Botswana Defence Force (BDF), his nephew says he is still painting.  Modane said his uncle also encourages him as an artist and helps with professional tips here and there. Besides his uncle, local artists like Wilson Nguni, Mothusi Tau, Mmoloki Matlala and Bonolo Baemedi have been equally inspirational, he says.

Modane is not only doing drawings and paintings but sculpturing as well.  In this regard, he was influenced by his environment in his home village, Rakops, hence that noticeable rural bias in most of his artworks.

'The rural environment has inspired me so much that I like to depict culture in my works.  My emphasis is on culture.  I don't want our culture to disappear,' says the young artist.  As an artist who is not fully trained, Modane is aware of his limitations.  This is why he has been working hard to raise funds so that he could go and study art.   His ultimate dream is to open a studio and train young artists. 

Modane says he has been selling his work to government departments, thanks to President Ian Khama's directive.  Establishments like lodges are some of his customers as well.  He has also sold his artworks to individuals.  However, Modane feels that artists are ripped off because people want to buy their pieces for peanuts.  He said customers do not take into consideration the amount of time they spend painting a piece.  He added that even the materials that they use are expensive.   'When you tell somebody that an art piece is P850, they start complaining,' he said.  To him, it seems that people do not appreciate the value of art.  Modane has commended Thapong Visual Arts Centre for the assistance they render to artists.  As an aspiring artist, he has learnt so much at Thapong. 

Modane has also been contesting for the Thapong Artist of the Year award.  Although he has not won anything he feels that he and his peers benefit much by interacting with veteran artists.  The piece that he submitted this year was entitled African Trumpet (lonaka).  Last year he submitted a piece entitled Adult Literacy, which depicted an old couple doing adult education at home.  Modane said as a young artist, he is still interested to learn especially from his more established colleagues.