Photographer Nomsa Motale documents the beauty and pain of her Soweto neighbourhood of Rockville
The passionate young documentary photographer is looking for a gallery interested in exhibiting her work.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
She has been documenting ordinary people around her neighborhood in Rockville, Soweto, for three years. And she says what gives her joy is to witness how those she photographs react to the finished product. They appreciate what they see once she is done when she shares the images with them.
The visual story teller who works in the mediums of both photography and painting, through her images, tells the stories of community members, and this way, these ordinary people realise they matter.
“Though I paint alongside taking pictures, it is the medium of photography that in the past three years has been my preoccupation. It gives me a lot of pleasure to see those I photograph react in the way they do.
“For example, one guy I photographed, when I showed him the image, confided in me that he would like to kick out the habit of nyaope from his life. The image he saw somehow made him to reflect on his life of drug addiction,” Nomsa Motale told CITYLIFE/ARTS in a recent interview.
She approached the publication because she believes that the work that she producesis important and therefore needs to be shared with the general public.
“I am looking for a gallery that is willing to work with me to exhibit these images, sharing them with the general public,”she said.
Her range of images are multi-layered, telling stories of both pain and happiness that is part of her community. For example, the image of the man who was forced to confront his demons of drug addiction is a portrait that captures well a face of someone who has not only been tortured by his addiction physically, but it seems to suggest that this pain goes deeper. His eyes alone are a study in pain. The images forces one to almost feel the pain that is contained in this man’s wasting body. The pain seems to penetrate deep into his soul itself.
However one is also taken into a world inhabited by those that are free from pain.Those who are happy and enjoy mundane things in life, such as good company and friendship. Such portrait for example is that of two old men who are friends and enjoy each other’s friendship. This image makes one to think critically about what friendship means, especially the kind of friendship that is free of toxicity and hidden agendas. It is a powerful image.
Two other images that stood out for me in this collection of portraits that the young photographer showed me are those that capture two elderly women of Rockville. Those look contented about their lives and the camera has captured that state of satisfaction about one’s life in a spectacularly effective way-graceful.
Another one that is bound to make your gaze linger long is that of a lone Bible puncher, captured spreading the Word of God to an invisible audience. This was clever on the part of the photographer in the sense that this forces the viewer to focus on this fire and brimstone preacher instead of being distracted by an audience. That is if an audience to which he is preaching to were part of the composition.
“However I also like taking images of the environment, besides portraits,”Nomsa told me.
Indeed some images of the Rockville sunset are beautiful. One other picture shows a distant horizon, complete with beautiful clouds that seem to be frozen in the air. These images are really beautiful. Is there is a galleristout there interested in organising an exhibition for this young artist from Rockville, Soweto?
Ï am open for a meaningful conversation with gallerists who are interested in in exhibiting my photography,”Nomsa says.