Mokoka finds solace in abstract paintings
Although abstract paintings are not popular in Botswana, Amantle Mokoka says there is nothing more liberating and exciting like being able to experiment with paint
Although abstract art is not popular in Botswana compared to realism, Amantle Mokoka, an artist who started art at a young age says she does it to freely express her feelings.
Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead uses shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect. “I chose to specialise in abstract paintings because I discovered that I could freely express my thoughts and emotions through it.
There is nothing more liberating and exciting like being able to experiment with paint while in the process communicating your thoughts and emotions, which can be difficult to say out loud,” Mokoka told Arts & Culture in interview.
Mokoka also said she uses acrylic paints on canvas to create her artworks.
She revealed that she learnt abstract painting by watching international artists on YouTube
and other social media platforms like Facebook
and Instagram.
“I pushed myself to learn more about abstract paintings because I did not dwell much on paintings back in junior and senior schools. I have been doing abstract paintings for a year and several months now,” she said.
Furthermore, she explained that most of her inspiration comes from how she feels, her life experiences and colours found in nature. She also explained that she did not have any particular artwork that was her favourite. She believed each artwork was unique, carried value and a piece of her soul.
Although abstract paintings are not popular in Botswana, Mokoka stated that she received good reviews from the public and potential clients who were interested in buying her work.
She said she mostly paints intuitively without having an image or model to paint from. She added that the end results comes from a spontaneous play or experimentation with paint brushes, colours and texture.
Speaking about the challenges she faces, she said she did not have a place where she sells her artworks at the moment but stated that she currently advertise her artworks on her social media pages.
Other challenges she encountered include the inability to remain consistent with creating
artworks due to long working hours in the corporate sector. However, she said she tried to create artworks with every chance that she gets.
“As a new upcoming abstract artist, I am glad
to have sold three paintings especially during the pandemic. I have managed to exhibit some of my artworks at the Thapong Visual Arts Centre. I have goals that I still have to meet like holding a solo exhibition that is scheduled for next year. My long-term goal is to establish my own art gallery in Botswana and globally,” she said.
Mokoka was born in 1997. She grew up in Selebi-Phikwe and it was during her primary school days that she started to do Zentangle art. Looking back, she said her passion for art compelled her to choose art as one of her subjects at junior to senior school.
She said she did exceedingly well in the subject and won several awards.
Those awards included the Botswana National Art Fair for Secondary Schools where she scooped position one for her Zentangle artwork in 2013. Other awards include overall Best student in Art which she attained in 2012 and 2013. However, at Tertiary level, she took a different career path where she studied Bachelor of Information and Knowledge Management at the University of Botswana.
She said it was on her third year of University when she decided to continue with art and specialise in abstract paintings.
For inquires she can be contacted on her Facebook: Amantle, Mokoka Art,
Instagram:amantlemokoka_art, Twitter: AmantleM_Art. She is however in the process of setting up an Amazon website for her artworks.