‘Lesego’s work aims to question postmodernity, as well as reflect its realities in present African life.’

Lesego Seoketsa is a multidisciplinary artist who lives and works in South Africa.
She was raised in Kwa-Thema, a township in the east of Johannesburg and currently resides in a town called Springs. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion degree from LISOF.
Her practice consists mainly of photography, collage and painting, and she uses a variety of media such as acrylic paint, oil paint, charcoal, chalk pastel and digital photography.
Lesego’s work has been shown in a group exhibition at the Gerard Sekoto Gallery, curated by Soraya Karimi through the Alliance Francaise Johannesburg. Her work and persona have been featured in publications such as Bubblegumclub, Vogue, Sunday Times, Unlabeled Magazine, Faculty Press by Thebe Magugu, WePresent by WeTransfer and Glamour Magazine.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Through my artistic work and practice, I engage my own critical thinking on postmodernist theory, and what living in a postmodernist world really means for equality and liberation among Africans, particularly Black women. I consider feminism, Black liberation and identity, as I make work that directly addresses those themes, both from a theoretical perspective and a deeply personal one too.

To break from modernism, postmodernist theory deconstructed traditional ideals of gender and racial identity, but what actually happened in practice? Black voices, especially those residing in Africa, are often excluded from conversations about social progress and equality. As a feminist, I need to explore and question how Black women in Africa fit into the global feminist movement.

Women across the world experience similar cases of sexism and misogyny, however, women of colour, especially Black South African women, experience racism institutionally, as well as other nuances such as colourism. It is incomplete to look at women’s liberation without looking at geographical, historical and racial factors. If we truly want all women to be free then our activism cannot stay within the feminist movement; the suppression of women, particularly Black women, is also a result of capitalist and racist structures within our societies.

There is no solution in critical thought without action. The process of deconstruction is important, but so is reconstruction, which is my response to postmodern thinking. How do we reconstruct philosophies and ideologies that are inclusive and compassionate towards marginalised people? Where do we begin to build new foundations of a society that allows every voice a chance to be heard and treated equally?

In my work, my South African heritage is a constant presence. It is something I embrace as a key part of my artistic expression. Raised in the post-apartheid era, I still read Western textbooks and am influenced by Western traditional artists. But importantly, through my art, I am able to use these artists as reference points to distinguish the visual language of my own art as an African woman.

ART RESIDENCY

Makwande Art Residency, Mandelieu La Napoule - 2021

MEDIA LINKS

Visual Art Related Work

Wanted Magazine Visi Magazine Between 10 & 5 Orms Bubblegum Club Unlabeled Magazine Faculty Press by Thebe Magugu Vogue Planet Afropunk