Lebohang Motaung
Lebohang Motaung’s creations address black femininity from a stance of positivity and pride. By using the intricate aesthetics of black hair designs, she is able to subvert and reframe many negative stereotypes thrust on black woman.
Her works embrace and champion the aesthetics of African beauty even in an environment like Johannesburg that straddles two worlds: an African and western existence.
This locational identity crisis often manifests itself in the form of portraying black African aesthetics as lesser than those of a more western perspective.
Motaung bucks the narrative of black African aesthetics being inferior to western aesthetics. Rather than parroting the view that weaves and wigged hairstyles are more professional, acceptable and refined, her art serves as a voice for the voiceless, reminding viewers of the beauty, depth and appeal of our own aesthetics.
Her works often reflect on how easy it is to lose one’s identity in this city, but also serve as a reminder of why it is so crucial to grasp onto one’s identity – in today’s world more so than ever before.
She has developed a unique artistic style over the years, centred on championing identity preservation of women in the politics of hair. Through her unique medium of synthetic hair, her work calls for women to remain unchanged and unshaken by the judgement of how they wear their hair.
Motaung, originally from Sebokeng, has a BTech in Fine Arts and a printmaking major from the Vaal University of Technology. She has rapidly established herself as a fine artist after completing a certificate of excellence in printmaking at Artist Proof Studios (2015).
Her career has since been propelled through local and international opportunities, including a four-month residency at The School of Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, USA in 2015. There she learned advanced intaglio techniques and contributed as an assistant teacher to the School’s programme.
In 2018, she took up an 8 month residency at The Project Space and was fortunate to be mentored by the legendary, late Benon Lutaaya.
Exhibitions/Shows: | Inner City Views Asisebenze Group exhibition in collaboration with Sanlam Private Wealth (2023) |
Turbine Art Fair: 2014 - 2019 | |
FNB Joburg Art Fair: 2016 & 2019 | |
Black Hair Matters at Eyethu Art Space in Soweto: 2018 | |
A Flagrant Arcade: Contemporary Art as part of Art Africa Fair in Cape Town: 2016 | |
Mural project for the Johannesburg Hollard building: 2016 | |
Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA) Research project on Cosmo City: 2015 | |
SMFA Art Sale, Boston, USA: 2015 | |
Twenty: Art in times of Democracy at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at the Appalachian State University, North Carolina: 2014-2015 | |
The Zazi Campaign Bill Board Designing that promoted an awareness and use of contraceptives by young girls: 2014 | |
Awards/Achievements: | Named In the Top 100 artists for the ABSA L’aterlier annual art competition: 2016 Lebohang coordinated a Human Rights Mural in Johannesburg: 2014 |
Qualifications: | BTech in Fine Arts and a printmaking major from the Vaal University of Technology |
Three Year certificate in printmaking from Artist Proof Studio (2016) |
