Mthetho Sono is a young artist from Cape Town and a Michaelis School of Fine Arts graduate. He works with a variety of media to combine classic and contemporary artistic expressions. His artwork articulates the combination of form and narrative in a distinctive way, drawing inspiration from impressionism, realism, and contemporary art. Mthetho expresses his goal through dynamic composition, the subjective use of colour, and emotive figures.
His work is centred around societal commentary and the human condition, with writings that address issues like morality, fear, and the mental states we frequently experience. Mthetho’s artwork was chosen for Cape Town’s Firsts’ tenth anniversary celebration. The artist shares with us the inception of his artwork exploring the rawness of a moment as well as the harsh contrasts it may reveal within us.
Whose mirror is this?
Whose mirror is this? She asked
She asks as if someone Is responsible
Whose mirror is this? She kept asking As I sat there…observing
Watching her misinterpret the view. Would it make a difference
If I answered?
I thought to myself,
Maybe she’s asking the wrong question. Instead she questioned
Who the mirror belonged to.
Champion syndrome
In this scene we see the figure stretched out across the canvas as she heavily rests on the table. Unbothered by the crowd fighting to enter her room , she knowingly looks away as she sits in her scrapper knees and vintage wrestling helmet. Her figure confidently demands the viewers gaze. The sports bag and helmet on is a representation of her “ ready to go “ attitude, energy and willingness to preserve through. Even though she’s just come back from doing her thing, she’s still ready. Wrestling is an ancient sport as well as one of the most physically and mentally gruelling sports. It demands a physicality and mentality many cannot perceive. It’s a symbol of her perseverance and grit.
