17 Mar 2015

Wood carving artist from Lerala, Gosego Motlogelwa, is scheduled to attend a World Wood Day competition scheduled for Turkey on March 21.

In an interview,  Motlogelwa, who is an active member of Thapong Visual Art Centre, said last year he attended the same competition in China and before then it was in Tanzania.

“The only things I need to take with me are my tools and a piece of wood that I will work on,” he said, adding that he will be in Turkey for 10 days. He said the theme for this year’s event is ‘bridge’ and one needs to interpret that in his/her work. “There are different categories and I will be in the wood carving category,” he said.

Motlogelwa said the competition also doubles up as a workshop or symposium for wood carvers. On what he learned last year in China, Motlogelwa said he picked up some new techniques and skill that gave him an edge in a few competitions locally and even won.

“I entered the President’s Day competitions and also the Thapong Artist of the Year competition and I won in my own right,” he said. He further said the World Wood Day competition works in a way that when it commences, artists are given three days to come up with a piece and after that they make presentations.

He also indicated that the competition acts as a cultural exchange between participating countries. “The event also promotes, educates and encourages research on wood culture,” he said.

On being quizzed on when he started wood carving and how business is, Motlogelwa said he started wood carving in 2007 while in Selebi-Phikwe and he has never looked back.  “As for business, yes I sell a few pieces but not that much. What I have noticed is that the market is there, but people still do not appreciate good art and are not willing to pay for it,” he said.

He further said he plans to hold an exhibition at Thapong Visual Art Centre in the not so distant future. “I will communicate that well in due course,” he concluded. For his part, coordinator of Thapong Visual Arts Centre Reginald Bakwena said they were happy for the young man.

“The fact that he is invited out again for the third time in a row shows that his work is very immaculate,” he said. He said it was a good opportunity for Motlogelwa as it would develop him further. “Other artists in Botswana call to learn a lot from him and he will also connect us with different players worldwide,” said Bakwena.

Bakwena also observed that Motlogelwa would be travelling with some of his work and this might in turn be a turning point for him.“This should act as an encouragement not only to him but to our members also,” he said. ENDS