A visual recontextualisation of lekgapho patterns within Botswana contemporary art practice

Abstract

This study recontextualises Batswana Lekgapho wall and floor decorative homestead patterns within the contemporary art practice of Botswana. It tracks their original meaning using a genealogical approach towards archiving this traditional art form, in order to place it in the contemporary artistic realm. The term lekgapho is used widely to refer to traditional wall decorations of huts; lelapa is a walled courtyard that provides a frontage to one or more houses in a household that serve several purposes, such as a meeting place for family members or a space for external events such as weddings. In Tswana culture, lekgapho is a decoration which shows a woman’s ability to creatively beautify her homestead, similar to wall decorations in some parts of Africa. Even though lekgapho practice is regarded as nearing extinction because of modern architecture, there are still women in Botswana who practise the traditional art form in rural areas. The study is framed through genealogical and cultural reappropriation, archival theory and provenance approaches. It articulates lekgapho’s evolution while exploring its symbolic and cultural significance for its practitioners and their communities towards archiving and preserving it as Botswana tradition and a worthy cultural heritage for future generations. Narrative inquiry and desktop research were conducted, and first-hand information was collected through interviews and photographs. A key finding is that the practitioners believe that they are the last surviving artists of this art form in Botswana. This revelation is a call to action to preserve the art form for future generations. The study contributes to knowledge through preservation of lekgapho motifs, especially through the Re a Kgapha exhibition where viewers reimagined the designs outside of their original settings. This was achieved through a body of artworks, including paintings, photographs, ceramic tiles and a video installation, inspired by lekgapho.