Cape Town - A young artist from the Eastern Cape has celebrated the life of late ANC president Oliver Tambo, who would have turned 100 this year, in a different way.
Mosaic artist Mandilakhe Koyana, 23, from East London, travelled from his home town to showcase the mosaic, which forms part of a collection on South African leaders called Creating Peace on Broken Pieces.
He created his latest piece, The Anatomy of a Forgotten Hero, after realising the opportunities born-frees like him have because of the Struggle.
“The previous generation does what it can to commemorate, but we do not know enough of our heroes, and I have done what I can to bring awareness so at least we can start a conversation. We can educate youth in the process.”
Mandilakhe Koyana, a ceramicist, has created a mosaic portrait of the late OR Tambo to honour him and promote conversations about him. Video: Yolisa Tswanya/Cape Argus
He said he chose Tambo because this year was to commemorate him, but also because there was not much information about him.
“All information you really get is that the airport was named after him.”
He said it took a year to collect all the stained glass he needed, and making the piece took another six weeks.
“Different pieces have been broken down and put together, similar to the Struggle.
“The many pieces resemble the breaking down of our country and the beautiful picture shows how far we have come.
“I have personified Oliver Tambo in the image, and his purple lips are symbolic of peace and dignity.
“I never got to meet him, but it is evident in the words he used that he remained a man of dignity, and that goes hand in hand with the peaceful person I imagine he was.”
Koyana said he would also be completing a mosaic of Nelson Mandela over
the next two years. He was yet to decide who else he would be adding to the collection.
“I have some ideas This particular art can be rather costly, but I believe it has big impact, and can instil peace and drive in the youth today to want to do better for our country, like our previous leaders.”
Koyana can be contacted at [email protected]