Portfolio.
“It is the combination of originality, patience, and research that can make one into a great artist”.
NithiUbaniOcaptured.
Created #nithiubaniocaptured simply to raise awareness and provoke thoughts in the minds of the masses because White Monopoly Capitalists have been in control of South Africa and are currently still in control of it. There is a lot I can say about our leaders, a lot of positive and negative impacts we have faced and still facing to this day, due to decisions they have made.
Only the truth will set us free. True freedom is financial freedom, and we are yet to attain that, because currently what we have is rather political freedom. Whilst white monopoly capitalists are still holding on to the financial freedom of South Africans using our leaders as a vanguard of their financial freedom.
Latency.
(South) Africa is alive with possibilities, it is up to us to unlock those possibilities so that we can benefit from the rewards of working the Land. Working the land doesn’t necessarily mean we must all be farmers; however, it is important to know a thing a two about farming so that we can age well and enjoy the fruits of our labor. The trick is to start young, if we teach and impart knowledge and skills that we have learned in later years of our lives to younger generations then a lot of fast-tracking in remedial action to the damages done via our history can be done. If we do not work the Land, it will remain in a state of latency, until those who see the potential to work the Land, come through and work it, or worse, exploit us to work the Land on their behalf.
One might even say we are already at that stage, but as an Optimist, I believe we are not, we still have brilliant minds that can inspire the change that we want to see. The Vanguards! “With each #MONDLIART® I create to provoke thoughts and raise awareness about social contentious issues within the African diaspora, I am WORKING THE LAND”. How are you using your skills and knowledge to WORK THE LAND?
Censorship! Freedom of speech! Artist Integrity!
When the Boys in Blue came, we still Sang.
“Southern African sovereignty: to this day, Creatives still face the same treatment that forebears’ creatives faced.”
The forebears used their talents & mastered Crafts respectively. To keep the nation & the rest of the world awake about the apartheid regime. The truths I paint about are needed to be talked about. Because as much as the wound of my country is still covered in a guise. If we as creatives are still being censored by our government to this day. Then when will children learn the truth about the real history that is still not yet taught in our schools. Which will subsequently help them understand the past & how they got to be where they are today. For history not to judge them on our behalf for failing to teach them about it so that it never has to repeat itself.
Biography.
Mondli ” The Artivist” Kunene is an international award-winning and selling Art Practitioner from Daleside Midvaal, South Africa. Only started painting in his 8th grade and started painting using watercolor paints and a watercolor cartridge paper pad. “I was fascinated by how I can create a drawing and people feel amazed by my artworks”. He studied and became an Educator. And after a decade in the Education sector, he left it in 2018 to create MONDLIART® full-time. He owns the trademark MONDLIART® and uses it as his brand name. Referred to as “The Artivist” because he creates original highest quality thought-provoking artworks. That raises awareness about social contentious issues. Within the African continent and how those issues resonate with the rest of the world. Mondli was mentored by the late South African and world-renowned artist Speelman Mahlangu during his high school days.
Mondli has exhibited in Canada, India, and New York. In 2016 he was the only Visual Artist invited to exhibit at the 20th anniversary. A signing of the South African constitution in Sharpeville. In 2018, he was commissioned by the department of Arts and Culture to paint huge-scale murals in Sharpeville. To commemorate Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu’s centennial celebration. In 2019 he was chosen by coveted Design Indaba. As 1 of 50 South African emerging Creatives to currently look out for. 2020, his company Mondli Art Projects was chosen to be part of the Dubai Expo 2020 cohort. In 2022 he was awarded the honorary award for Theatre and Arts category by @fortyunder40Africa. And he was the only artist from South Africa and the only one in Africa chosen to represent the Male category @fortyu40africa.
Statement.
Mondli believes that for the longest time, Africa has had her stories narrated on her children’s behalf. And it is now important to take back the pen and paintbrushes to narrate Africa’s stories authentically. As future generations will also benefit from that feat too. Mondli uses acrylic and oil paint, and defunct bank notes. Ostrich and crocodile leather and Warthog tusks in his work as media. Which not only makes his work rare and distinct. But also original, which is complementary to how he paints. As he not only paints directly from start until finish without background drawings as a guide of how the painting ought to look like. He refers to his rare distinct style and technique of painting as ” Brushstrokes From The Future “. Recently Mondli’s work was featured in Cape Town at the @Decorexafrica expo.
