Volume 65 December 2026-January 2026 : Art & Culture

 When an artist combines an artistic idea with intellect or analytic thought, the result is what is often termed “conceptual”. The conceptual may or may not result in abstract figurative presented in an interesting technique that allows the fullest expression of the artist’s intent. Such a combination will result in the figurative forms somewhat recognisable as such but expressing a quite unworldly space only an artist’s eye can conceive.

Thirty-two-year old Moshupa born, Phenyo Pampiri, whose surname translates to “paper” in English, explores this ground in a series of drawings and paintings he recently exhibited at a solo art show. The general motivation is that of youth and poverty.
Pampiri also looks at possibilities of photography as a technique. He experiments with texture, often employing such materials which will easily resolve his varying desired surfaces.

With a palette knife, he sometimes gives flesh tones a slick surface, sometimes with a dry brush for a wornout effect. He seems to make a point of pulling in the spectator with with his larger-than-life forms. These are large works over six feet wide on average and their details charged with energy at that scale.

The solo art show was on 25th November 2011 at Café Khwest at the Gaborone Main Mall. An Australia- born art critique Nick Wicket officially opened the show.

The show, called My Line, ran for two weeks. Some of the art-works were billed for auction on the second week of the show but the auction did not materialise due to unforeseen organisational hiccups.

The beneficiaries of the raised funds were a non profit-making organisation called Stepping Stones International. Stepping Stones International values the development of orphaned and vulnerable adolescents of ages 12 to 18 and above.

As an artist with a humanitarian inclination to make a positive impact in other people’s lives, Pampiri saw a need to step in and collaborate with one of Stepping Stones International upcoming young artist, Natafo Andrew Molaodi, to raise funds for the organisation.

Three of Molaodi’s artworks were on display with Pampiri’s works.

Phenyoyaone ‘Paper’ Pampiri won Visual Artist of the Year Award in 2010. His first ever solo art exhibition featuring the young artist, Natafo, is surely an eye opener to him and it shows a huge growth of this artist who is mostly inspired by politics, music environment and the general urban culture.

Paper’s works on show include chalk pastels on boards, some gouache or oil paint on canvas. Among the exhibited works were: ‘ Antigonish Landing ’ – medium used is acrylic on canvas, ‘ The Inside Pains ’ which is 139cm by 99cm and was done using charcoal, Chinese ink on fabriano. The one that was indeed a talking point was ‘Sleeping Arrangement In G-West’, done in 2010 with charcoal and pastel on Fabriano.

While Pampiri laments lack of effective role modeling and inspiring programmes in art locally, he says: “There are people who have given me positive spirit to go on in life. One of them is none other than Professor Nombi Mpako who is a visual art lecturer at a University in East London, South Africa.”

He went on to talk about how Professor David Jones motivates his thoughts.

He met David Jones at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Pampiri also cites South African film producer and artist, William Kendridge, as one interesting person who greatly inspires him.

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