Art | Makoti Dreamz: Brostruation

Words and artworks by Lebogang Mabusela.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

My work draws on capitalism and consumer products to interrogate the idea of the art object and value in thingumabobs, while strategically roasting patriarchy by making work that subverts the gender norms perpetuated by Sepedi-Setswana proverbs and anecdotes collected from my childhood memories and experiences. The way I approach art making is that is work in various mediums and materials, in essence anything and that will assist me in articulating my ideas, politics and various themes that affect me personally.

In my practice I have forged Makoti: A bridal gifts shop (est. 2017) that sells Makoti Technologies™, which are guns made from paper. In assigning these objects with functions I draw on black feminist theory and observed behaviour from rogue and irreverent women who challenge patriarchy in how they live everyday. The guns are a materialisation of feminist theory and radical killjoy behaviour as tools that dismantle gender norms and patriarchy and also grant women mythical superpowers and enhance desires.

Makoti puts my practice in the realm of performance, sculpture/installation and printmaking. In this practice, I am the designer and manufacturer for this bridal shop, thus making me the inventor for Makoti Technologies™ and director of Makoti: A Bridal gifts shop.

Lebogang Mogul Mabusela is a monotypebabe, zinequeen, paper artist and sculptor. Beyond working on a few public engagements and shown in a number of group exhibitions she has also received special recognitions that are supposedly meant to impress the reader, to convince you of how cool she is and why you should care. She holds a BA Fine Arts degree.