Contour Man

There is a great expectation in the black culture for men, “Monna ke nku, o llela teng” (a SeSotho proverb loosely translated: a man is a sheep, he cries inwardly). A saying similar to “boys don’t cry” which has led men bottling up their emotions and not having the space to express their emotions.

“My work documents expressed emotions in a state of frustration, loneliness, hardship. A journey to self-discovery as a man is both personal and universal. I aspire to be a role model and inspire. A man who instils kindness, discipline, courage, and good moral values.” Nkosana Nhlapo

 “After the death of my father, I was left with the responsibilities of a father, as I am the first born. My works interrogates the idea of a perfect man, the perfect male figure for my siblings to look us to.” Bokang Mankoe

The influences and experiences of their childhood and where they are today has helped shape the path to define who they are and who they want to be. The duo presents a body of work that is a reflection and meditation of the journey and the constraints of becoming a man in a contemporary society. Their work explores a linear discovery of masculinity and identity through alternative print techniques and paper making to construct an ideal man.