Where do you see yourself in terms of your career in five years from now?
I see myself telling more stories through the eyes of more people. I have a photography series I do called ‘Travels to’, which I use to show my experiences of the places I go to - the people, environment and spaces. I plan on expanding this series. I would also like to work more on my conceptual pieces - those are good for healing because they come from such a deep place.
What has your#DI Emerging Creative journey been like?
Being chosen to be part of the Emerging Creatives Class of 2021 has been amazing. The scale of the platform has helped me to become recognised for my work and I've evolved as a creative person in terms of my style, technique and conceptual depth.
What do you think being adept at multiple media brings to your work?
Being a multimedia artist allows my creativity to flow as freely as I want it to because I am not limited to a specific medium of expression. It gives me room to choose from various modes of expression, like photography, videography, illustration or writing, to convey my message in the best way possible. I also have a broader understanding of art and design as a whole because I work on different platforms with different rules and principles. For example, understanding light in my photography makes it easier to break the rules in some of my video work.
What do you aim to say with your work?
My work is often linked to something that's going on in my personal life and my surroundings. For as long as I can remember, I've used my creativity as a means to express what I couldn't quite put into words, and often people relate to those experiences. For some, it offers inspiration, and for others, it offers healing.
What do you think brings out a creative's best work?
I'm an expressionist, and my best work comes from an emotional place. Be it joy, pain or fear. When I need an outlet, or feel the need to be heard, my art comes alive. Almost as if the emotion felt at the time becomes trapped in the piece I've created, and when others see the work, the same emotion is evoked in them. I think each creative has their own method that helps them create.
What do you think South African creatives do well?
I think as South African creatives we are truly coming into ourselves. We're at a place where more and more of us are telling our own stories through various mediums. We aren’t trying to imitate what we see internationally, but instead have realised that the international market is interested in the authenticity of who we are and what we bring to the table. Our creatives have become really good at sharing our own lived experiences and moulding them into art.
Credits:
Kgothatso Malatjie
