CYSK #12: Letso Leipego
Photographer
Dumelang.
I come from a family that loves photographs. We have dozens of albums thick with photos of gatherings big and small: weddings, graduations, funerals, birthdays and spontaneous get-togethers. Each image is a time capsule. My paternal grandparents in their Sunday best at a photo studio in town; my father in a crisp safari suit; a group of cousins in stone-wash denim and then later in MC Hammer pants at Christmas. Over the years, my interest in photography expanded beyond family photos. As a medium, it has an unmatched ability to open up worlds - to move you, to amuse you, to cause outrage. I still remember my reaction to Mikhael Subotzky’s eye-opening prison series Die Vier Hoeke: Four Corners, and also the delight of discovering Beninese photographer Léonce Raphaël Agbodjélou’s series From Dahomey to Benin. Many of the images featured reminded me of my own family’s studio photos, so much so, I made one of his prints my first big girl purchase.
Behind me on the wall as I type are two recent purchases by Letso Leipego, a photographer from Botswana. I first came across Letso through Guns and Rain, a gallery in Johannesburg run by my friend Julie Taylor. Julie has an excellent eye. Through her, I have discovered fantastic emerging African artists, many of whom have gone on to gain international acclaim. Letso documents rural life in Botswana with curiosity and care. There is a magnetic quality to his images that draws you in, and with each look, you notice something else - the lighting, the shadows, the staging, the layered storytelling.
Today's edition is a double header. I’m starting with an interview with Letso, our CYSK, and after that, I have a short Q&A with Julie of Guns and Rain to discuss the Southern African art scene, how to collect art and which artists we should be keeping our eyes on.
Where does your interest in photography come from?
I started drawing and painting when I was in primary school. I used to be asked to draw something whenever there was a ceremony at school. I remember the teachers asking me to draw President Festus Mogae, who was coming to visit so that they could give him the artwork as a gift.
So, the former President might still have one of your early works?
Yes![laughs]
What did your parents make of your talent? Did they encourage it?
They were supportive, but obviously, they wanted me to do something else. They wanted me to do a white collar job because being an artist was not seen as something of value. They didn’t see it as a career or something that you could depend on. My parents had office jobs. They would still buy me sketch books, pencils and stuff like that.
When did you first take up photography?
When I was at Limkokwing University studying advertising, photography was one of the modules - it was more an introduction to photography. There was a shortage of cameras at school, so I asked my dad to buy me a camera on credit, which I would pay him back with my allowance. Once I had the camera, I began exploring and enjoying it. I was always with my camera, walking around looking for pictures. That's when I fell in love with it.
I wasn't shooting people; I was only concentrating on cityscapes and things that caught my eye. People would ask me to take their photos, but I always said no. I only started shooting people about two or three years in because I wanted to buy some equipment. I would shoot models and weddings, but that was just for money.
You began shooting people, but with a focus on those living in the rural areas. You had said that you are ‘inquisitive about people living beyond mainstream urban society’, what is it that interests you?
I believe they have so many stories to tell about their culture and their way of life. It’s a completely different lifestyle from those living in the city. One of the reasons I started shooting people is that when it comes to Botswana and photography, people mainly think of the wildlife and the Okavango Delta. People are neglected. I wanted to bridge that gap with my photography. I started photographing my grandfather(see two images below). He’s one of my inspirations. He has never lived in town. He lives at a cattle post alone, very far from people. He has never used a computer. I used to wonder how he wakes up alone in the morning to tend to his livestock and do the same routine every day without getting tired of it. He is a very friendly person. He's always laughing. If you met him, you would have the sense of having known him for a long time. I spent a lot of time with him as a kid, so I have experience of living this rural life.
Would you consider a life in the rural areas?
I don't think so now because the city has already corrupted me!
Chasing My Past was your first solo exhibition with Guns and Rain in 2018. It focuses on your mother’s church, Siloame Apostle Church. Why did you decide to focus on this particular topic?
I used to have flashbacks of these gatherings we would have at home. I remember a cow being killed, a cross being made on my forehead as some sort of prayer. I wanted to know what exactly was happening. This was after I had spent a lot of time away from my village. I now had a different perspective on religion. I wanted to understand what those gatherings had been about - the significance of these rituals. I had all these questions and I was in search of answers.
How open were the church members to being photographed?
One of the advantages was that my mother goes to that church, and most of the people who attend are my relatives. It’s a small village, so people know each other. But before I took the photographs, I visited the church several times without my camera so I could be introduced to people and they could ask me questions.
In 2023, you did a series titled Raboko, which loosely translates to a person who kidnaps and kills people for ritual purposes. What made you want to explore this particular topic?
There's been so much news about ritual killings in Botswana. When I was young and living in the village, you would be told to run away from big, strange cars. You were told to go straight home from school and not to talk to strangers. I had relatives whose kids went missing in my village. It is something that has been there for a long time, and I was afraid of it. Doing this series allowed me to reimagine this Raboko figure. It was also about raising awareness about these ritual killings and that people actually kill in the belief that it will help them achieve something or bring them riches.
Which piece of your work best represents who you are as an artist?
That’s a tough one. I have had different feelings about them. The one that speaks to me in the Chasing the Past series is Overseer. In it, there is a little boy in the bathtub, and there is a lady in the background watching over him. It is based on a flashback I had, which was bothering me, but when I started doing the series, I came to understand things and to find freedom in my artwork. The lady in the background represents my mother. I believe everything she was doing was to protect me.
Your first solo exhibition was in August 2018 with Guns and Rain. What did that exhibition change for you?
It was really important for me because it is very tough to penetrate the South African art market. I think the South African market is ahead of us, in Botswana, where you don’t get these types of exhibitions. We are like twenty years behind when it comes to contemporary art. It’s a small scene. After the exhibition, many people started recognising me as a professional artist.
You can follow Letso here
CREATIVES LETSO THINKS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
*Zanele Muhole - South African Photographer
*Osborne Machaira - Kenyan Photographer
*Joey Lawrence - Canadian photographer
A bonus Q&A with Julie Taylor, the Zimbabwean founder of Guns and Rain. I highly recommend checking out the gallery online or in person if you happen to live in Joburg.
Why did you start Guns and Rain?
I came to the art world from anthropology and tech. Over a decade ago, I noticed a big disparity: African contemporary art lacked the global recognition, valuation, and representation it deserved, especially on online art platforms, which back then were few. So Guns & Rain was born out of the idea that the web could make a real difference to artists across southern Africa.
Today we have a hybrid model, combining our online origins with a beautiful physical space in Johannesburg. We’re proud to have now supported over 75 different artists from 11 African countries, and exhibited their work in dozens of cities around the world.
With a focus on socio-political issues and the examination of African histories – both collective and personal – Guns & Rain has filled the gap for an accessible, thoughtful, representation and curation of contemporary African art. The gallery has helped launch international careers for artists and has placed African art in dozens of collections around the world.
Since the birth of Guns & Rain, I’m pleased to say the broader African contemporary art market has experienced substantial growth and international recognition. That said, African artists are still under-represented and there is still much work to do.
For people who feel 'intimidated' about buying art, what advice do you have for them?
The good news is that learning about art, and buying it is much less intimidating than it used to be. The web has brought accessibility and democratisation to an industry which has long been known for elitism and secrecy.
Don’t be shy to ask questions of artists, gallerists, curators or auctioneers. Visit exhibitions, whether at museums or galleries, and see what speaks to you. Take your time to see what you might like to live with. Buy what you love and trust your gut. Lastly, especially if you’re a young or early-stage collector, remember that lots of galleries will offer you a discount or an instalment plan to start your collection.
Buying art preserves your capital in diversified form, it looks great on the wall, and it offers ongoing pleasure and the thrill of discovery.
Who are three Southern African artists you are excited about right now?
I’ll start with Isheanesu Dondo, who is a self-taught artist from Zimbabwe. Inspired by the world of symbolism and hermeticism, as well as Shona cosmology, Dondo employs his own system of symbols in his drawings, creating poetic rather than prescriptive associations between forms. He is resourceful and often uses unconventional surfaces, speaking to themes of resilience, materiality, and spiritual enquiry. His practice has really developed over the last year or two, and I’m excited to see where he goes.
I’m also enjoying the work of Yolanda Mazwana, a South African artist who I’ve watched over the last few years. She explores themes of mental illness, phobias, popular culture and the body. Her colours are bold and strong yet sensual, sometimes overpowering, evoking all sorts of visceral emotion. How do we get comfortable with the uncomfortable?
Hailing from Namibia, Tuli Mekondjo continues to inspire. Considering the legacies of colonialism, her work is about honouring her ancestors and acknowledging suffering and cultural loss. She tells stories and histories that have been marginalised or buried. There is huge grief in her work but it is also a channel for healing, and everywhere her work is shown, people feel that power and that possibility. She’s currently showing at the German Bundestag (parliament), as well as in several other museums and galleries in Germany, Switzerland and the US.
Thanks for reading this bumper edition. Back at it next week - this time in the West of Africa. Please share, like, comment and subscribe if you haven’t already!
great interviews and really great work
Insightful read as always, Kim. Thank you🙏