Bale honours mother with art exhibition
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Sunday June 19, 2022 06:00
Bale mounted an art exhibition dubbed Isabel Experience Exhibition to share her life. When sharing how the idea of the exhibition was conceived with Arts & Culture, the young man said it started on April after his open studio dialogue.
He explained that during the session he had one particular painting dedicated to his mom and everyone at the studio dialogue was so intrigued by it and therefore it got all the attention.
He added that people wanted to know the story behind the painting so he later decided to go deeper by trying to share more of her story. “I had to make 10 more as a continuation of the Isabel storyline. The inspiration for me always comes from what I am feeling deep inside, but this one was fueled by the 20 attendees for the ‘my open studio dialogue session’ who were able to relate and have a connection with the art piece I made for my mother. Isabel Kakale Bale is my mother whom I lost while I was young.
She was Maths and English lecturer at Francistown Teachers Training College and also a contemporary artist,” he said. “Since she died while I was young, I would not say much from what I have seen myself but rather what I heard. My mother was an inspiring soul, always there for who came to her for help. She was compassionate, understanding, family oriented and a career driven lady.
Her strengths were that she was a quick learner and adaptable to work in any environment. Always focused and her weakness was that she had a tendency of taking things personal,” he explained. Furthermore, Kenneth explained that the exhibition was so important to him because it was about the loss of someone he dearly loved and wished she were there to witness his talent and growth in the arts industry. He also added that the exhibition also made him tap into his deep feelings that made him realise that some things were beyond his control.
He also pointed out that his biggest challenge arranging the exhibition was the fact that he had to open up and explore feelings of something he had been trying so hard to go back to. He, however, explained that he was happy as to how the public responded to his work saying they appreciated his growth from his last year's exhibition.
He added that he also got solace from them telling him they could relate to his pain and finding that some had been through the same life situation as him. He also pointed out that he was expecting 80 people at exhibition but had more than 100 people simultaneously coming in and out throughout the day, which was a great milestone for him since the show was sold out. “I will be taking the Isabel Experience Exhibition on tour starting on August in Maun. I see growth in my art in terms of my composition, storytelling and techniques.
Consistency is now effortless. I have been with the Art Residency Centre (ARC) since the beginning of March and my three months contract ends this month end. In the long run, my craft will be more effective, more relevant and mostly expressive yet beautiful. The Isabel Experience Exhibition is personal hence the paintings tell my story,” he disclosed.