Artist Database

Setlamorago Mashilo (b.1987 in Pretoria; lives and works between Limpopo & Johannesburg) is compelled by a sense of social conscience. He employs the use of ‘dika le diema’ (Sepedi proverbs and idioms) into his multidisciplinary art practice, often interrogating people’s ideas around land/landlessness. Also essential to his practice is the use of everyday found material, cement and bronze to create work that resonates individually and collectively about our sense of loss, nostalgia and inherited memories.

The 50 pieces are part of a bigger installation of 500 maize I made back in 2013, the year 2013 marked over 500 years since maize was first imported into Africa. Moreover, the 1913 Natives Land Act was promulgated by the South African government a hundred years to that year.

“Made from my grandmother’s last harvest, - the work is 10 years old this year, - recipient of the PPC Fans choice Award 2013, - recipient of the Sylt & TAF Emerging artist Award 2014 - exhibited in Life & Land exhibition 2020 - a participant in the MTN Conversing the Land exhibition 2020.”