The contemporary Johannesburg art scene features dynamic artists who interpret and capture socio-economic realities, political agendas, rich traditions, and diverse beauty. Culture Trip curates both leading and emerging artists who continue to influence the development of contemporary Johannesburg art.
In Maboneng Precinct, downtown Johannesburg there is a young talented man who gained his street cred through his heart-melting paintings. 24 years old Mabutho Moyo from Zimbabwe, is an established artist whose paintings reflect his emotions and social events.
Mabutho who is popularly known as Black the Artist demonstrates his painting skills on the city walls for the passer-by to enjoy the view and also on canvas for his clients. “I do most paintings on canvas and I sketch. I get inspired by other street artists around and when I paint on canvas I get inspired by Michelangelo and Raphael,” he said.
Mabutho developed a heart of an artist at the tender age of 12 when he used to draw and sketch for fun. Four years ago, he realized the sacredness of his gift and started taking it seriously by using it to survive as a source of income because he wanted to do what he loved for a living. “I was inspired by a passion to live by my gift, I did not choose to do it full time for the money but it is because of my love for art,” Mabutho said with pride.
However, Mabutho believes anybody can learn his craft as long as they put in the effort and time. “Everyone can draw but it needs practice and time which requires love and passion for the art,” he thinks.
While a lot of artists have a certain agenda through their work by uniquely using different approaches and colours, Mabutho expresses love, dreams, and vision through his craft. When he paints the walls people come to him and ask questions, and he sometimes gets gigs in the process by simply demonstrating love and unity in his art.
His paintings are ranging from R800 which is the cheapest to R4500 and his clients rich or poor, do not complain because they value his work. Mabutho is looking forward to having a shop and selling his paintings in Rose Bank because he feels it will be a smart business move for him and his partner David Kgalaeng.
David is a banker by profession and an aspiring painter under the mentorship of Mabutho. He is all about inspiring the people of Maboneng through his work with Mabutho. “I always come here to learn from Mabutho and other guys that are always here. I mainly handle the administrative process for them and ensure they get the exposure they deserve for their work,” he said.
David thinks art is a language that everyone relates to and different arts might portray different messages for different people. “At that point of time when I look at his work and his character as a person, I look at the two and I’m like ‘is he actually linking what he wants to bring out or a part of himself” whether on a canvas or a piece of paper, therefore it’s more of the emotional aspect of things, it’s more the message he wants to preach, and it’s more the talent that he wants everyone to see,” David said.
David further expresses the level of versatility that his mentor has and he thinks his work is so broad that when you look at it you cannot really specify to him that this is the kind of artist he is. “I came here at some point and I draw a Beetle, and he was like ‘so you only draw what you love?’ and a couple of weeks later I came here, and he had three cars on the wall. So that shows I get something from him and he also gets something from me too,” David concluded