Lesotho isn't known for a vibrant arts and crafts
scene as with other African countries. In 2007 when I first arrived in Lesotho,
I was personally disappointed in the seeming lack of visual arts in this tiny
country. While visual arts are not mainstream in Lesotho, the truth is you can
find beautiful art in Lesotho if you know where to go. It is more difficult to
find arts and crafts in the rural, mountain areas of
Lesotho - though there are small pockets of artists out there. However, there are a
number of small organizations of Basotho artists and artisans in the lowlands
that are very accessible for tourists and local art lovers.
Morija and TY are two areas of Lesotho where the
visual arts are prominent. The Morija Arts Centre, located near the Morija
Museum & Archives, opened in 2011 as a dynamic community space for artists
at all levels from professional artists to emerging potters to imaginative
school students. All are welcome at the Morija Art Center including curious
visitors. The Maeder House Art Gallery is right next door with Basotho
paintings, pottery, and crafts for sale. Setsoto Design and Basali Weavers in TY are active
weaver groups creating woven crafts. From small coin purses to large wall-hangings,
everything is woven out of mo-hair wool. Most small pieces like coin purses
feature colorful patterns, and the woven wall-hangings often contain scenes of
Basotho women, traditional rondavels, or Lesotho landscapes. Both Morija and
TY, or Teyateyaneng, are close to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, if you are
traveling by car.
Morija Art Centre
As mentioned in my last blog post, I am currently
an artist in residence at the Morija Arts Centre. The Art Centre consists of
three attached studios and outside covered studio space called the "Art
Tents". The largest indoor studio holds the pottery materials, pottery,
and an electric kiln. The medium studio contains a large table, bookshelves for
the "Art Library", and a computer. The third and smallest room is
used mostly for storage, also contains a small table, and is now effectively my
studio during my residency. Lesotho-born artist Patrick Rorke runs the art
centre and the Maeder House Art Gallery. He lived in Johannesburg for many
years with his family before returning to Lesotho in 2011 and opening the
Morija Art Centre. He has created a comfortable, casual space for Basotho to
come and create whatever they like.
Upon my arrival in February, I was both pleased
and horrified that Patrick was running a large government-sponsored workshop at
the Art Centre. The 20+ Basotho trainees were split into four tracks - pottery,
painting, mosaic, and animation - and worked on their own projects
simultaneously. The workshop forced me
to interact directly with Basotho artists right away with positive and negative
effects - navigating limited space, trying to speak Sesotho, watching artists
at work, learning what interested and excited these Basotho artists. I have met
some talented and driven Basotho artists through this workshop whom I will
collaborate with during my artist residency. Probably the most exciting
development for me during this workshop has been rediscovering my passion for
animation. I never thought I would be creating animations in Lesotho! Using the
materials at hand, a few young trainees, Patrick and I have been creating very
short, stop-motion animations. I will post a few videos once I am able to upload them to YouTube. I have also been trying to draw and paint portraits of Basotho, but frankly I am having a hard time doing anything else other than the animation.
I am really enjoying my time in Morija, Lesotho.
