Kutlwano Monyai Photo: Supplied
An ongoing solo exhibition by the youthful, talented visual artist Kutlwano Monyai at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein will close on Sunday, 8 September, having started on 2 July. Titled “Lefeloboiketlo (A place of rest)”, it is opened for public viewing at the museum.
The title speaks of “collecting” slices of time, heterotopia (spaces) that can cause transformation, as well as the idea of waiting and the phenomena of rest. Monyai’s creative artworks highlight women’s labour within society, the community, personal household dynamics, and the laborious processes of weaving, crocheting, and braiding. She drew inspiration from her upbringing and domestic, cultural, economic and spiritual environment to narrate stories from her maternal lineage.
Monyani (27) pointed out her mother was the source of inspiration and fountain of the creativity she is now exhibiting. She reflects on the history of women’s experiences and re-imagines the future.
“As a sculptor and painter, I use some of these skills and techniques to form and crochet sculptural objects that remind me of the tedious tasks within a domestic space such as doing laundry with my mother or cooking. These tasks would not go without having a conversation or sharing knowledge; even in moments of silence the communication is evidently loud from routines,” Monyani explain.
The talented artist uses “domestic plastic materials” to navigate and express memories of growing up, conversations with her maternal support system, and to indicate the personal economic and environmental contributions made by women.
A graduate of diploma in Fine and Applied Arts, Monyai was awarded the Young Woman Studio Residency (YWSR) in 2021.
