23 Mar 2022

After he completed his secondary education, Gosego Motlogelwa who did not do well thought of what to do to make ends meet, and the idea of sculpting came to his mind. 

The 37-year-old Tswapong native who is a member of Thapong Visual Arts Centre has established himself as a force to reckon with when it comes to designing metal sculptures, an activity he now regards as a form of self-empowerment means. 

The sculpt designer folds and shape wires into the desired pattern with his bare hands so as to come up with a complete desired item, and uses pliers for cutting. 

Although Motlogelwa’s career is still in its infancy, the cues and feedback from those who frequent his workplace boost his confidence that he was on the right track. 

His finished products also demonstrate that he is one of those who is open to professional criticism and expert advice from fellow artists and those who have been in the industry for a long time, allowing him to advance professionally. 

“I have always desired to be counted among those who engage in a white collar job to earn a living. 

However, due to my academic performance, I could not afford to fulfil my dream, but nonetheless, I had to look up to a meaningful activity to earn a dignified livelihood, so I engaged in designing metal sculptures,” he said in an interview on Tuesday March 22. 

When narrating his story, it was relatively easy to deduce that Motlogelwa’s entrance into the world of creative arts was driven by his passion for sculpturing with the desire being to be innovative and break away from the traditional techniques of sculpturing with wood. 

Motlogelwa asserted that, notwithstanding his deep devotion for the arts, he challenged himself by designing complicated items such as wild animals and birds among others, which allowed him to hone his creative abilities. 

The soft-spoken lad said his moment in the spotlight came when he scooped the first position and a cash prize of P15 000 during the Presidential Arts competitions for three years in a row. 

His innovations became apparent recently when the Ministry of Investment Trade, and Industry through Thapong Visual Arts Centre officials purchased one of his sculptures worth P34 000. 

Had it not been for the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I was hopeful that one day I would cross borders to showcase my artefacts in neighbouring countries, but the pandemic thwarted my plans. 

Despite this, I remain optimistic that something positive will emerge, especially given the recent opening of our industry,” he said. 

A father of three children stated that while the pandemic was difficult to deal with, the mentorship and motivational workshops organised by the Centre enabled him to find ways to survive during the pandemic. 

The workshops also encouraged him to revisit and improve on some of the ideas he needed to work on in the future. Ends