The hands behind the Porcelain delight

Palesa Masemola (20)

Photo by: Instagram (2020)

Art is the closest you get to immortality

-Damian Hirst

While earth was gracing us with the art of spring which was accompanied by warm temperatures, blooming flowers and even greener trees twenty years ago on this same date . The universe was simultaneously gifting the world with a young avid drawer/painter Palesa Bontle Masemola. She was born and raised in Mamelodi a township bordered by the Magaliesburg mountain northeast of Pretoria. The most suitable adjectives to describe her work would be simple, sublime and vibrant but one that creeps out of her work and buries all three is aggressively authentic

She believes that if it wasn’t from both her mother and older brother’s drawing skills she wouldn’t be holding a paint brush or sharpening a pencil. Her older brother and mother’s complicated relationship with drawing birthed a passion that can never be washed away by any tide. Even though she couldn’t quite place it, drawing has always been there at the tip of her fingers she just needed to unveil it. After watching his brother craft, a tabby cat with just the right amount of details using only a pencil she was mesmerized by this art and practically begged her brother to teach her how. A few years later she can’t bare the thought of not holding a pencil or a paintbrush or gawking at her work after hours of working on it.

She is currently working towards securing her Graphic Design Diploma at Boston Media House in Johannesburg. She draws portraits part-time and also designs posters, banners, and flyers. She confessed that she leaves fragments of herself in every piece she works on, if you look closely enough you will see her essence roaming her work. Her chances of showcasing her art at the Sasol new signature 2020 competition were shot down by the sudden COVID-19 pandemic. She said that she hasn’t pinpointed her style or niche of drawing yet however she has been enjoying drawing nude pieces “Nude is my definition of freedom through art” she told me. She went on to explain how nudity is courageous and forces everyone to watch and pay attention. Even Kenneth McKenzie Clark an art historian states that great art is one that can contain significant sexual content without being obscene and that is exactly how Palesa’s art comes across. Her work also comments on some of our current social issues such as sexuality and body image, a great example of this is her acrylic nude piece named Porcelain Delight. It is a transgender female with male features in particular her shoulders and lower abdominal core area.

Porcelain Delight

She belted the word “dynamic” when I asked her how she wanted her work to be remembered years or generations from now. She also spoke on the struggles of being an artist, she admits that one of the downsides of being an upcoming artist is that people tend to expect things for free and take the effort that goes into making the art for granted.

Her intention is to work her way up by selling her art pieces and ultimately investing in an art studio. She foresees her work in many spaces from long-standing galleries around the country and eventually across the world, Inside the walls of some billionaire’s houses that has a double staircase a grand arched entryway gracing the eyes of visitors. She stipulated that she is a big dreamer although 'big' is putting it mildly for the things she has coming for the world.

“I felt like I was going to be next Picasso” these are the words she used to portray the excitement she felt when her father handed her first sketch book.

If you are interested in purchasing her work check her out on Instagram @blacc_caucasian or email masemolapalesa9@gmail.com.