Ubushushu Bekhaya (The warmth of home)

Themba MKHANGELI (Cape Town)

Ubushushu Bekhaya (The warmth of home)

Ballpoint pen on paper

87 cm x 68 cm

Grandmothers are the strong pillars who hold the communities together. In my village, young people leave for cities in search of jobs and opportunities. It is grandmothers who remain and raise grandchildren. The loss of my grandmother and mother has left a gaping hole in my life. I no longer feel the same sense of comfort and belonging when I return to my village. The lines on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, and the texture of her skin tell a story of a life well lived but also one marked by hardship and injustice. As someone who was raised by my grandmother, I have a deep appreciation for the sacrifices she made for me. Blue is a primary colour across all models of colour space. Blue represents both the sea and the sky. It is also used to suggest a connection to nature and symbolizes positivity, professionalism and trust. It is, therefore, associated a lot with life, stimulates imagination and freedom and acts as an inspiration. I use a ballpoint pen because I grew up without art materials, and it's a simple, affordable tool. It allows me to express myself as a patient artist because I love to feel every single stroke of a pen, and I found textured paper works well with a pen. The butterfly represents the beauty of my grandmother.