MmaBotswana comes to life
You might have seen her costumed and bursting with vivid color. She looks fearless, highly competitive, outgoing, and immortal.
For a moment, one would think the description suits Wonder Woman/Princess Diana, a member of a tribe of Amazons that live on Themyscira.
Not even, this is not a famous comic book or Hollywood blockbuster character but MmaBotswana, a brand and concept that was created by talented fine artist and fashion designer Wabi Blues real name Tshegofatso Tlholwe.
Wabi Blues’s vivid illustrations of MmaBotswana draw from personal accounts, exploring her identity as superwoman, a heroine.
‘’I have been working on this MmaBotswana for sometime in toned-down manner but now she is blossoming.
I decided to personify Botswana and give her a character. As an artist I wanted to make Botswana a person, a woman.
I wanted people to relate to this image I have created,” She said. Wabi Blues said MmaBotswana is living as a creative who is a fashion designer, musician and model. She added her target market with MmaBotswana is the youth.
“I am looking at young people who haven’t done well in their secondary schools studies.
I want them to unleash their talent. I failed my BGCSE exams but when I started I gained skills through workshops and learnt how to make money using my own talent,” she highlighted. Wabi Blues also said she is currently exploring the MmaBotswana brand and now looking at various projects such as movies, animations and reality TV shows and charitable jobs. She said she is currently working with 15 children who are talented.
“MmaBotswana has a voice and we are trying to raise that voice and coming out of the shell,” she revealed. As a visual artist, Wabi Blues specialises in portraitures and other figurative works.
Wabi Blues’ works challenge the traditional female role in the society and examining notions of freedom and gender.
With MmaBotswana Wabi Blues has shown that her talents extend beyond visual art.
She is discovering novel ways to portray the character through empowering depictions of gender and diversity.