65 - ‡ KUTLO MABUA (BOTSWANAN B.1992)

‡ KUTLO MABUA (BOTSWANAN B.1992) FLUKE aluminium foil, ink, coloured pencil and thread on Fabriano 38 x 38cm Property from an Important International Collection Painted in 2022 Provenance Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner Kutlo Mabua (born in Mahalapye, Botswana) is a self-taught contemporary visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans ink pointillism, acrylics, hand embroidery, and charcoal. Guided by early mentorship from veteran Motswana artist Wilson Ngoni, Mabua explores human relationships, memory, and the fluid evolution of identity, often positioning portraits of African children as anchors of hope. His artistic practice functions as an intuitive exploration of internal emotional landscapes. As an African Pointillist, he employs a painstaking, meditative stippling technique, viewing the act of placing individual dots as an intentional commitment where each fragment represents a specific memory or passing feeling. By layering these minute points of ink with the organic texture of hand-stitched thread, he creates a quiet space of introspection regarding how time, distance, and reconnection shape who we become. Mabua's work has been showcased across major regional platforms and digital spaces, including exhibitions with Latitudes Online and the Association for Visual Arts Gallery. An alumnus of residency programmes at the Bag Factory Artist Studios in Johannesburg and the Rele Young Art Contemporaries, he continues to create highly personal compositions driven by the energy of his community.