Of Khama, orphans, modernity and Motsu

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Friday November 9, 2007 00:00

One such artwork is Probability, a sculpture whose subject is Vice-President Seretse Khama Ian Khama who looks set to succeed President Festus Mogae early next year.

The 26-year-old artist from Tutume in the North East District did the sculpture, which depicts Khama addressing Parliament.

Motsu, who says that he is a staunch member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and hero-worships Khama, is already envisaging his hero occupying the highest office in the land.

One of the interesting things about the piece is that it is done on a door of a vintage car and relief of the Khama face and the Parliament Building are made of fiberglass.

The artist says that the reason why he used a vintage car door in the artwork was to demonstrate the staying power of the BDP, which has been leading Botswana since independence in 1966.

'I am looking forward to a time when Khama will be president and that's why I called the piece Probability because if everything goes according to plan, he will be the next president and we can all have a bright future,' says the artist.

The talented artist hopes to present the sculpture to the vice-president very soon.
It is evident that Motsu, who is a professional computer technician, is passionate about children because most of his paintings depict issues surrounding them.

Feed My Children portrays two children sharing food from a pot. The food is barely there and the poor children have to make do with the little portion.

Another piece, Abandoned children depicts miserable 'abandoned' children sitting outside a dilapidated house. The artist explains that the little ones are not abandoned in the real sense of the word. Their parents and relatives have been wiped out by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, leaving them to their own devices.

'If you look around, you will realise that many children in this country are suffering because they do not have anyone to look after them. People should do something about the situation because children are the leaders of tomorrow,' the artist says philosophically.

Motsu says that he is a father himself and he does his best to make sure that his daughter leads a comfortable life.

So passionate about children is the artist that he promotes parental care in the painting Child Nurture, which shows a woman carrying a baby on her back. Motsu points out that every parent should try by all means to take care of his or her offspring.

One of the subjects of Motsu's paintings is the many facets of development.
Although Motsu cannot single out an artist, who has inspired him, he says that he enjoys working with Serowe-born artist Isaac Chibua.

The two have influenced each other's works since meeting at Thapong Visual Arts Centre in Gaborone. Interestingly, the deep voiced artist says that he has never been to an art school and his talent is God-given. He started being active in both sculpture and painting in 1997and he has never looked back.

Motsu's pieces do not have fixed prices. 'To me, art is not about money. I want to make my works affordable to people out there, so I bargain with my clients,' asserted the artist.

Some of Motsu's artworks that sell quickly are portraits, which clients commission him to do. He says since portraits are commissioned, clients always collect them.

In his makeshift studio, there is an almost life-size portrait of the painter that looks startlingly like him.

On the other hand, non-commissioned artworks sell slowly although this does not discourage him.

One of his dreams is to see art grow in Botswana, so he mentors aspiring artists at his home. The artist confesses that he has little patience with people who are lazy.

'I want young people to know that they should work hard in order to realise their dreams,' says the artist, whose motto is 'hard work and determination'.