Mmegi

Arts giants showcase at Protea Hotel

Ron de Artist.
Ron de Artist.

As a way of promoting and supporting local art and talent, Protea Hotel will be hosting an art exhibition for three talented local fine art artists on Saturday.

The exhibition will feature Wilson Ngoni, Prince Tom, and Ronald Kegomoditswe, also famed as Ron de Artist. In an interview, Kegomoditswe explained that the exhibition is a collaborative effort to put their work out there for public consumption. He said Ngoni is a well-established artist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, adding that it is an honor to exhibit alongside him and tap into his experience. “I have worked and exhibited with Tom when he was still at senior school. I love his consistency and dedication to his craft. The exhibition means a lot in terms of exposure. People need to see our work more often so that they know that we exist; that is how they can support our endeavors. I am also embarking on a journey to raise awareness and teach people about the importance of art in our communities and lives,” he said.

Furthermore, he explained that they are looking to have more strategic collaborations in the future. Kegomoditswe pointed out that despite the talent that exists in the country, there is a limited market for art. “Botswana’s art market is relatively small, making it challenging to gain widespread recognition and financial stability,” he said. He added that limited funding opportunities, securing funding or grants for artistic projects is difficult, thus hindering creative freedom and project scope. He also said the cultural and artistic infrastructure and limited exhibition spaces, galleries, and art institutions in certain parts of the country restrict opportunities for showcasing work. Moreover, he said the first exhibition that he spearheaded was ‘The Life Of An Artist’, which was in Selebi Phikwe in 2016. He explained that it was followed by ‘The Genesis’. His first solo, which was curated by his mentor MotherK Masire in Gaborone between 2016 and 2017, where they did ‘The Best In Us’ at Selebi Phikwe.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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