Atang Tshikare’s New Sculpture

WORDS Malibongwe Tyilo

We’ve become familiar with seeing artist and illustrator Atang Tshikare’s work in collaborative projects, often featured on furniture pieces, bicycles, sneakers and bags made by other artisans, where he comes in to put his mark on the finished product.

However, for Woodwork, an exhibition running at Cape Town’s Southern Guild gallery in Woodstock, Atang has shifted gear and created a wooden sculpture called “Monna Pele” that is all him – from beginning to end.

“Monna Pele is a pawn, hence the edition of eight pieces, like you would find on a chess board,” explains Atang. “A pawn is also the first soldier in the army, and as the foot soldier he faces the toughest version of the fight. That is where the scarred and burnt copper piece, with the number 8 burnt on the mouthpiece, gives him life while he’s in the line of fire. He is an attacker.”

Monna Pele also means “Man First” in Tswana, based on the idea that in African culture the man as protector must enter the house first to ensure that there is no danger that lies ahead for the family. The piece is part of a new series of artworks that Atang is working on called The Witches Back Garden. We can’t wait to see the rest.

View more of his work at zabalazaa.com.