16 Aug 2022

Botswana’s renowned visual artist, Wilson Ngoni celebrated his 44^th birthday on Sunday in Kopong by hosting a mini exhibition.

The genius of paint, brush and canvas’ mini exhibition was graced by friends, artists and children in large numbers.

The mini exhibition was an activation of the main event titled: Brush night with Wilson Ngoni, slated for September 17.

In an interview with BOPA, one of the children who attended the mini exhibition, 11-year-old Vincent Lebotse, said Ngoni’s drawings were a reflection of the true nature of Botswana, especially the painting of animals and nature.

Vincent, who aspires to be an artist, said he was intrigued by how real the paintings looked, adding that they showed that Ngoni’s works were influenced by his surroundings.

“Look at the pictures from afar, the plants are blooming and this is the kind of art that helps someone to unwind,” he said.

Nine-year-old Rafiwa Maswabi said she enjoyed viewing Ngoni’s animal paintings.

She said as an aspiring artist, she was always drawing animals, especially dogs and cats.

Rafiwa said Botswana was blessed to have such an artist and believed that many children looked up to him.

As a young artist, she believes that attending such exhibitions could also help children who, like Ngoni, were gifted in painting.

Bokang, who is Thapong Visual Arts director, Reginald Bakwena’s son, said he was intrigued by Ngoni’s own picture, which stood majestically outside the studio as if to greet guests.

The 10-year-old aspiring artist said the picture looked so real it could almost speak.

He said he loved the colour combinations used and hoped that one day he would draw pieces just like Ngoni.

Ngoni’s daughter, Natasha said even though she admired what her father did, she would turn the creative side she inherited from him to fashion designing.

Her father, she said, told a story through paintings, but she would tell hers through the beautiful designs she would make in the future.

Natasha also said her elder sister, Melissa, enjoyed singing, which she believed she also got from their father, though it was a different form of art.

In an interview, the painting maestro himself said his birthday exhibition was a way of showing that he was really born for the brush.

He added that it was also to show the world that ‘there is no history without art’.

Ngoni said the mini exhibition was just to give the audience a sneak preview of what they should expect at the September main event.

He also gave art lovers a glimpse of the paintings that were hanging on the wall during his birthday exhibition on his Facebook page.

One of the paintings that moved the audience was that of an old Khoisan man, titled Rusty soul, with many taking pictures as keep sakes.

It also received more than 1 000 likes in a short space of time on his Facebook page. ENDs