Durban - FOR 2017 Gerard Sekoto award winner Banele Khoza, his exhibition, Seeking Love, is an open love letter to whoever is watching or reading his work.
“I am confessing that I am ready, and I am letting go of the search. Love is a desire we all share. However, a lot of people will not admit that they are seeking a loving relationship.
“I love the idea of love and do wish for romantic love. I guess honesty is what I am also putting forward for people to be in better relationships with themselves
and others,” he said of his exhibition.
He said his paintings reflected the complex nature of love, how important it is to acknowledge the hearts’ desires and also to embrace self-love.
For this, he brought in his muses from the past and newly encountered ones, Lehlonolo Ramathe, Lerato Masters, Francis Buseko and Sandile Mhlongo, who sat for him for four months and became the foundation of his ideas and inspiration.
“Beginning the body of work was a little hard, to be honest, especially having created a body of work in 2017-18 that ended up being showcased in institutions that I did not imagine would happen in my lifetime. However, I had to ground myself in everyday practice.”
Explaining how he came up with the concept for his showcase, Khoza said: “The title of the show came while I was in the kitchen after a nine-hour conversation with a close friend.
“The words ‘Seeking Love’ drifted in my mind, and I knew I had found the title of the show. I grabbed my journal and immediately wrote it down.
“I had already completed 80% of the work of the show. The past 10 years, I have been seeking love outside myself. I have been looking for it romantically. However, it has manifested itself in so many forms. Love from strangers, friends, colleagues and community. Most importantly, I have also been
synced with the greatest love,
God.”
In terms of his creative process, Khoza said his inspiration stemmed from everyday conversations: “These can be with friends, strangers, Uber drivers and sometimes from eavesdropping. I observe a lot more than I talk, so I soak up conversations and what is happening around me.”
The artist hopes art lovers walk away from the exhibition thinking about the nature of love and learn about self-love.
Presented by the Alliance Française de Durban and the Durban Art Gallery, the Seeking Love exhibition opens
at the gallery on
May 21 until June 21. There is also a walkabout with Khoza on May22.
Call 031312 9582.