Khehla Chepape Makgato
Gentleman, 2016.
About:
Boy, 2016.
Khehla Chepape Makgato was born in Kensington, Johannesburg and raised in Makotopong village, outside Polokwane in Limpopo. Chepape has a diploma equivalence for Fine Arts majoring in Printmaking from Artist Proof Studio. He is currently studying for his 3-year Diploma in Media Practice majoring in Journalism through Boston Media House, Sandton Campus, and will complete the course in 2014. Chepape was one of two South African delegates and one of three SADC regional youth delegates to the 2012 Africa Utopia Youth Arts, Cultural and Olympia Festivals of the World at the Southbank Centre in London, UK. He has participated in numerous art exhibitions both locally and internationally (Johannesburg, Polokwane, Cape Town, Washington DC and London). He has collaborated with William Kentridge on a project in January 2015. He has had two solo shows in 2013 and 2014. He has won a studio art bursary from the African Arts Trust to be a resident artist at Assemblage Studios from June 2014 to May 2015.My new body of work explore the childhood memoirs, reflections and memories of my practice as both artist and arts educator. I am using my portrait as a medium or model of portrayal to finding peace and harmony in my practice. For an instance in my new collages, which I use my old prints to develop images – sometimes abstract, I see the entire process as a psychotherapeutic/psychoanalytical process which was inspired by art workshops I attended and facilitated with Lefika La Phodiso Art Therapy Centre. I am having fun and at the same time creating art that speaks to my soul.
Selfportrait, 2015.
Installation view, 2015.
Statement:
In the body of work titled The Rituals I am actually looking at the African cultural way viewing specific animals as the element of ritual purposes. The series is inspired by the Marikana Massacre where certain rituals are performed using goat as a tool of communication between the living and the dead. Some people believe that killing a specific goat can help them communicate with their ancestors. The exploration and experimentation is still ongoing.He is also using birds in his recent work to narrate his childhood memoirs.(Assemblage website)