On Collecting Art with Itumeleng
‘On Collecting Art’
A series of transcripts seeking to encourage you to collect art. If you have collected art and wish to share your experience, please write to us so that we can feature you and the piece of art.
My reference points remain in memory, and so I ask that you stay near as I paint the picture for you. It is 2019, and I am scrolling through Instagram. My senses are piqued as my eyes cross paths with art mirroring the reflection of me. Not because it is me, but because the features of the protagonist feel very close to home. I see before me, drawings of women who carry a confidence in them that I have not yet gained the courage to step into. I witness life drawn in the women and over the weeks return back to them before making enquiries with the artist for something more bespoke.
At the time, Itumeleng Makgakga identifies as Terracotta Cells and fortunately, years on I have been able to find her platform here should you need to make your own enquiries. It is my wish to head back to the messages exchanged for I remember them to have been most meaningful to me at the time as we had discussions about her art, identity and heritage.
Upon reflection, what I am most moved by is the realisation now that I loved art before I knew what I intended to do with it. I had always been drawn to art and felt a deep sense of needing to contain feelings evoked through pieces I crossed paths with. At the time, I decided to collect my coins over time in order to be able to receive my very own version of Itumeleng’s artwork, and today am pleased to stumble upon it every once in a while. I am always transported back to little me at the time, growing, exploring, figuring life out and finding a sense of self through art. Since then, where possible I have added more art work to my collection and similarly feel a sense of nostalgia when I cross paths with the pieces I have.
I couldn’t quite talk about collecting art without first honouring what I identify to be the first piece of art I collected. This was my first time entertaining the idea that something could be mine, and that a memory could last whilst being carried in art form. Dear Artists, and on this occasion, Itumeleng, thank you. Dear fellow art lovers, allow art to become the cornered crease in your book of life, serving as a reference point.
This is a very short piece to pay respects to artists, art, and the conviction one feels when they bump into a piece most pleasing to them.
We welcome you to a series as part of 3152 Gallery, where you can write a transcript sharing your experience about falling in love and collecting art. This series seeks to encourage us all to collect and add meaningful memories in our environments as art creates an opportunity for discussions regarding the memories we are carrying.
Where can I find the artist?
Website: https://www.terracottacells.com
Instagram: terra_cottacells
