LaGuerta’s Art Masculinity Confrontation a Triumph

The world of art is often sidestepped by members of the general public for its over-investment in the human condition. This is a dualistic fault of how many are taught to engage with, and consume, art as well as the many gripes that artists tap into as inspiration. When Giancarlo LaGuerta secured his residency with the Art Residency Centre, a certain societal condition became his focus: masculinity. Being a trained artist from Botswana, LaGuerta wanted to explore traditional mediums after years of primarily practising in photography. Landing the ARC residency provided that opportunity for him to play. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="1,2,3,4" ihc_mb_template="1" ] Walking through the exhibition, one couldn’t step away from the use of contrast within the body of work. Whether black was fashioned as a background or colour was leaned upon to give darker hues space to shine, the minimalism of most of the work was an introduction to LaGuerta’s signature. Often pared back, the artist’s work presents the viewer with little guidance for interpretation. In this way, the artist allows each person to lead themselves into the conversation sparked by the work. What he isn’t illusive about, however, is the genesis of the work. “I’m trying to destigmatise the conversations surrounding masculinity”, said the artist. “We tend to be hush-hush in the conversations that we have with older patriarchs in this country, so I just wanted to get the ball rolling on that.” LaGuerta is the latest beneficiary of the ARC residency which ranges from a few weeks to three months. Gaborone-based international artist, Ann Mary Gollifer, co-founded the artist residency at Gaborone Club in 2019 with movement artist, Maipelo Gabang, having met in Stockholm. Through their journey, one learns that there is indeed truth behind the proverb, “Necessity is the mother of invention” fashioned after the words of Greek philosopher, Plato. Gollifer credits the late Nilesh Desai as “the father of ARC” for having welcomed the idea with open arms and advocated for its establishment at the club among his peers on the board. The visuals that LaGuerta produces are poignant and subtle at the same time. Whether it is a spray paint and ink, or chalk and acrylic work, the artist displays an understanding of hues, tints and textures that belie his rather tender age and experience. Being the first to profess the fact that he primarily works in photography, he confesses that the residency gave him a chance to return to traditional mediums that are seldom appreciated in Botswana. The untitled open studio exhibit was the artist’s opportunity to move private conversations into the public sphere where consumers can be challenged. “Power structures here are something that ought to be criticised directly” he comments. “We’re often afraid to do it because of assumed repercussions of going against the status quo.” The strong presence of sex, sexuality and power in the work makes the artist’s intention of moving private conversations into the public sphere much more vulcanised. Set in a location that still retains the airs of an upper class recreational club, the juxtaposition lies not too far away. The club is now a reflection of the metropolis that is Gaborone in that it attracts a variety of people of all age groups through its diverse programmes, activities and events, something that Gollifer says was Desai’s inciting wish to have them incubated. The building they took over, aptly called the ‘ARC Hive,’ first needed some rejuvenation prior to the occupancy that now boasts being a studio for artists and researchers, as well as a living library that is open to the public. The membership-driven initiative is presently not funded beyond the contributions of its constituents. Gollifer noted: “We take a small commission from sales made and from events, but the artist who has put something together takes the bulk of the earnings because we all know the cost of being a practising artist in this country and environment.” She mentions that the strength of the collective is that “the artists pay for other artists to be able to do what they want to do”. One artist, Modisa Tim Motsumi – who is represented by the Ora Loapi Gallery – made a grand donation of his profits to the value of P10,000, which also enabled ARC to host its first international resident in the person of UK-based Nigerian video and music artist, Kemo Lijadu, this past winter. Lijadu also participated in curating the Kuru Art exhibition at the Linnaeus showcase at Sanitas Nursery in Gaborone, allowing her to engage with indigenous artists while here in country. “What we do is give our artists platforms – new and different – within society and give them access to experts for mentorship as well as the collective,” says Gollifer. “What we’re offering is connections to a wide range of voices across Africa, the USA, Europe and South America in a very nurturing way that is very exciting since we have presence across the world as much as we do in Botswana.” The executive of the initiative is led by young Batswana who are themselves graduates of art programmes such as that of Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. One such graduate is Kim Karabo Makin, who is a member of The Botswana Pavillio and will be showcasing her first solo exhibition at Linneaus from 24 September. Gollifer is clear that their goal as ARC is “to promote art not in the way of being an industry that can make money but being a creative industry that grows our society and community into a more creative one”. Much as LaGuerta’s showcase grappled with the looming presence and effects of masculinity in Botswana’s society, Gollifer echoes that the collective hopes to offer repose for the society at large to decompress and face issues that might be easier to deal with through artistic mediums. Perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of LaGuerta’s capsule exhibition was that his works not only spoke volumes to the viewers, but that they also motivated plentiful purchases by young, first-time collectors. Reflecting on this, Gollifer offers that the nuance in possessing artworks is that they are an investment of sorts. This is evidenced in Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting, ‘Salvator Mundi,’ going from selling for USD10,000 to fetching an auction price of USD450 million in under 20 minutes 12 years after the fact in 2017, according to the World Economic Forum. The work had originally been sold for GBP45 in 1958, making the million-dollar acquisition even more of a remarkable feat. Seeing the reservation stickers on LaGuerta’s list of artworks further qualifies the need for community support in the progression of artists. Gollifer herself attests to the fact that her early days as an artist were fuelled by friends and colleagues who were willing to share supplies, intelligence on stockists and technical execution; “people were extremely generous” she beams as she states that it is this very memory that pushes her to go the distance with others rather than expediently alone. For his part, the young LaGuerta didn’t seem fazed by the success of his maiden showcase, clearly stating that this was a starting point for more explorations to come. While LaGuerta doesn’t believe that he will be contained within the borders of Botswana, his guidance to young or novice artists is to “Be confident. Be stubborn. Be true to yourself.” With many of his works sold during the showcase, this charge to self-confidence and truth is an undeniable recipe for success. The challenge, then, becomes getting a LaGuerta original now or risking it in the future. In any case, the artist’s eye and execution aren’t worth ignoring. [/ihc-hide-content]

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LaGuerta’s Art Masculinity Confrontation a Triumph

The artist’s work presents the viewer with little guidance for interpretation. In this way, LaGuerta allows each person to lead themselves into the conversation sparked by the work. What he isn’t illusive about, however, is the genesis of the work

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LaGuerta’s Art Masculinity Confrontation a Triumph

The artist’s work presents the viewer with little guidance for interpretation. In this way, LaGuerta allows each person to lead themselves into the conversation sparked by the work. What he isn’t illusive about, however, is the genesis of the work

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