Banele tries to help out struggling fellow artists
Successful artist has curated an exhibition featuring letters to their younger selves from contributors
Making a living through art has always been associated with struggle.
Images of bohemian souls who fight to make ends meet are consistently portrayed in our favourite films and plays. Art often imitates life in this regard as the struggling creative trope is very true. Having lived this reality is what prompted artist Banele Khoza to do something about it. Khoza is hoping to raise funds for his newly established NGO, BKhz Foundation, which aims to help young creatives who are struggling with course registration fees, transport money and food. He hopes that over the years he will be able to provide scholarships through the foundation.
“For me it’s important regarding food, because I know what it’s like to be hungry while in class and no one is there to help you or you’re even afraid to ask.”
He’s curated an exhibition titled A Letter To My 22-yearold Self featuring his works and the donated works of 34 other artists.
Also part of the exhibition are actual letters that the artists have written to their 22year-old selves, but these are not for sale. The topics range from self-motivation to briefs on finding love and learning to love. Artist Matt Hazell donated a work that he started when he was 22 years old, a work that he informed Khoza he wasn’t aware he’d finish, but he did.
“That’s the general anxiety
we all have as creatives, just that we don’t know how this is going to work. Our work is more than us, it’s a collaboration with a higher being. It ends up working,” Khoza reflects. The exhibit was two years in the making, Khoza thought up the concept at 22 years old. He was inspired by a programme titled A Letter To My Young Self.
“Oprah speaks, Maya Angelou speaks and to know that they came not also from the best conditions to where they are, it affirms you that it’s possible, that if you have a crazy dream or something like that the universe will actually conspire with you to do that.” The eSwatini-born Khoza says that he is one of the lucky few that can make a living from his art.
“The students I started out with, we’re not in the same space right now. Some are finding it harder to go about with their work… I know that this is my calling, I just trust that everything is OK.” The artist has a calming air about him. He takes his time as we walk around the exhibit. There’s a pink semicircle bench he points to as he shares that pink is his favourite colour. There’s also a pink wall and directly opposite it is a purple one, where the artists’ works hang.
Most striking is a wall dedicated to intimacy, with art work by Lady Skollie and a photograph of a young couple, taken by Nikki Zakkas, that you feel almost voyeuristic looking at. Khoza collaborated with celebrated artist Zanele Muholi, and this work is also on show. Khoza is by far one of the most spiritual people I’ve come across. His philosophy of asking and believing you’ll receive seems to have yielded remarkable results. One artist, Nelson Makamo, donated three pieces of art that are more than R600 000 in value when initially it was just supposed to be one.
A twist to the exhibit is a letter to present-day Banele from his future self at 34 years old. Most noticeable is the line ‘You are love’. When asked why that, he said he’s realised that loving people is his religion.
“Because we all love, we are love. I think our spirits need to give out love and we’re also yearning to receive love. Out of every human that’s the one common language.” A Letter To My 22-year-old Self opened at the Absa Gallery on Sunday, November 11 and runs until January 25.