BOITUMELO
2023
PPR pipe, Rubber Inner Tubes, Bicycle Rim, License plates and Rivets
79 x 75 in
Boitumelo means "Joy" in Tswana, a Bantu language spoken in Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia. My creative process involves using various weaving techniques to intricately craft pieces from discarded inner tubes and polypropylene sacks. Grounded in upcycling, I transform found objects from vulcanizer shops into art. Inspired by African naming traditions, where children are named based on the circumstances of their birth, I name my works after the emotions and moments that shape their creation—whether joy, gratitude, or deep contemplation.
Photography by Nii Odzenma, Courtesy of Gallery 1957