A man of many hats, but wears them with pride and honour since he stands and believes in himself. In this issue, we look at 2 things; how culture has managed to shape creativity and how one illustrator has managed to successfully do that in a country where most illustrators look up to the Western for creativity.
Gracing our cover this month is none other than 26-year-old versatile visual artist and illustrator, Masonwabe Ntloko. If you’ve been following the Creatives Network this year, you will realize how much this fine, young creator is owning the year 2023.
So much has been said and written about him, but what captures our hearts is the fact that most of his creative juices that turn a blank canvass into a story, are deeply rooted in his culture. Masonwabe is a proud Xhosa man who has taught us (and the rest of the creative circle) to identify how culture shapes creativity from his work and perspective.
If you’ve been following Masonwabe, you will realize that he has become as important as the art he creates because he tells a story of what’s real. We live in an era where there is a high demand of deeper understanding of the different cultures in the motherland, where people need to see something they can all relate to.
For example, earlier this year when he hosted his first ever painting solo exhibition titled “ILISO LO MOYA”, our attention drew closely to a prayer on the wall in his native language (Isixhosa) by the artists mother which he said will continue to be featured at every exhibition he holds.
Bawo oyingcwele oziqu zithathu, emnye ungowokubongwa wena ngamaxeshaonke. Ndiyakubulela Ngesipho omphe sona nangomsebenzi omhle kangaka umntwana wakho uMasonwabe. Ndiyakubulela nangokuwukhulisa, uwandise umsebenzi wakhe ude waziwe zizizwe naziintlanga zonke. Mncede ke nkosi akhule nangakumbi umbono wakhe. konke akwenzayo bawo, makukhanye ngegama likayesu kristu wasenazareth. Konke ke bawo sikucela sikuthembile ukuba uzakukwenza. Nditshiza igazi likayesu kristu phezu kwempilo yakhe, uqhubele phambili lomsebenzi wakhe aye esonyukela ngakumbi – ndiyayazi ukuba ukwelizinga likuwo nj kungokwenza kwakho. Ungabisayeka ukumthwala, umfihle ngalomaphiko akho ngegama likayesu kristu, Amen”
For those of you who do not have much context, ”Iliso Lo Moya” directly translates to “the Eye of the spirit”. “This body of work focused on his spiritual growth and experiences of the world he lives in.
During our sit-down (literally sat on the carpet) interview with him, Masonwabe recalls the year 2017 when a creative pioneer Jay Kayembe spotted him and gave him his first opportunity. His breakthrough came about after winning the Yogi-Sip Designer Competition where he got to design packaging for the brand… ever since then, the illustrator has never looked back.
Masonwabe today boasts a string of achievements and notable collaborations such as Rocking The Daisies, a collabo with Katmo Gallery, Markham, Mandela Legacy Commission and owning his own studio to name a few.
You can connect with Masonwabe on the following platforms:
Instagram: @masonwabentloko
Facebook: Masonwabe Ntloko
Twitter: @masonwabentloko
Or visit his website – masonwabentloko.com
Main Image: Masonwabe Ntloko
