Art Blog

Gauteng Visual Artist Keneilwe Mokoena branches into homeware

A well-known name in the Gauteng art scene, Keneilwe Mokoena is recognised for her eclectic, dreamy and sometimes provocative aesthetic, but the visual artist, curator and art director's latest homeware range is somewhat more whimsical and feminine.

A Fine Art graduate and recipient of the Reinhold Cassirer award in 2015, Mokoena has also been in residence at the Bag Factory Artist Studio in Fordsburg. She has curated numerous exhibitions and facilitated art workshops for various organisations including Pretoria Art Museum, the American Embassy, and The Coloured Cube.

Growing up in Mamelodi, Mokoena never even knew that a career in the arts could be an option, but she does vividly remember spending long days drawing on the chalkboard when her mom took her to work in the school holidays. She also remembers daydreaming about building a state-of-the-art school of arts and science in Mamelodi to give the young people of the area more opportunities.

Recently Mokoena has been exploring multimedia works, using Youtube and Instagram to share eclectic and surreal multimedia collage pieces that make reference to global socio-political issues as well as her own internal struggles. "My creative process is radically intuitive," says Mokoena, "Exactly like my life is. I take it day by day and minute by minute."

In honour of Women's Month, Mokoena was approached by Mr Price Home to create a signature homeware collection alongside two other inspiring female creators. This exclusive product collection aims to shine a spotlight on the millions of hard-working, passionate and talented female entrepreneurs who contribute so much to South Africa's economy and vibrant creative business landscape.

For her homeware range, Mokoena took more inspiration from her self-portrait series, intermingling images representing the strength and beauty of women into colourful and whimsical floral arrangements. Her designs feature on a colourful range of accessories from bed linens to wall art, stationary, cushions and candles.

"The main idea behind my range is really celebrating the feminine side of nature, so lots of flowers, lots of plants etc. If I were to describe my range in one word it would be whimsical," the Jepppestown local explains.

The woman who inspires her most is her mother. "I still am in awe of how she managed to accomplish so much in a single generation and all on her own, providing and creating so much for my sister and I."

You can find Keneilwe Mokoena's homeware range at Mr Price Home stores nationwide from 9 August 2022. Follow @ke_neil_we to follow her journey as a visual artist.