Durban — Visual artist Mlamuli Shozi, 24, aims to inspire others through his art to change their narrative just by looking and taking a deep dive into his work.
Shozi, from Ezingolweni in Port Shepstone, said he hoped others would be motivated to strive through pain as he had through art.
He is part of a visual arts programme, Mzansi Arts Development Ensemble (Made), led by Lerato Molemong and supported by Business and Arts South Africa and the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme.
Shozi said: “I am motivated by black pain, the struggles that I see black people go through.
“In my neighbourhood, when I look at all that in finished artworks hung up on the wall, I have hope that things will get better, not just for me but for all those people struggling back in my neighbourhood,” he said.
Shozi said his love for art had begun at an early age.
“If I remember correctly, I was still in the lower primary grades. Art approached me by its beauty. It captivated me until it was the only thing I wanted to do.
“My two elder brothers were into visual arts, and they inspired me a lot. Mzansi Arts Development Ensemble really helped me start looking at art in a different manner.
“I’ve started to give my art a different approach and it’s going quite well,” he said.
Shozi said this programme did not only bring back hope but also instilled discipline in him.
"I now believe that you can be whatever you want to be in life through hard work and determination. This programme allowed me to collaborate with other fellow emerging artists, share ideas and experiences and help better my craft.
“I really appreciate the opportunity that Mzansi Arts Development Ensemble gave me. I will forever be grateful to them for allowing me to turn my art into business," said Shozi.
He aims to become renowned for his art.
“I would like for my art to change people’s lives and speak for me without having to say a word. This is my passion.
“I would really like my passion to make me money so I can be able to take care of my family. They are everything to me and they need me.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I was given by Made. It has changed the way I see things and the quality of the material I now produce,” he said.
The programme will recruit young artists from such places as Inanda, Ntuzuma, Umlazi and KwaMashu where they will be enrolled on a three-month programme and all the artworks will be sold at a store and online on the Made website, https:// www.mzansiartsdevelopment.org/
Made leader Lerato Molemong said the programme aimed to provide a platform and jobs for artists who already had a strong track record of producing artwork and had produced a significant amount of work over the years but lacked the market and visibility to sell it.
“It is a much-needed intervention to assist our government in the call for job creation,” she said.
Sunday Tribune