Thebe Phetogo, a painter from Botswana, is showcasing his solo exhibition titled “7 Propositions for the Origin of a Blackbody” at Kó. His art is heavily influenced by his identity as a Motswana artist, and he approaches his practice as a journey of constant exploration. In his paintings, Phetogo delves into issues of personal identity, mythology, and place, as he seeks to unravel the complexities of his cultural heritage.
This exhibition embodies his speculative origin stories for the blackbody, a concept borrowed from physics that refers to a hypothetical perfect physical body that absorbs and radiates all electromagnetic energy with no reflecting power. Although blackbodies are not physically present, Phetogo utilizes this scientific hypothesis as a foundation for his artistic approach.
The paintings in the exhibition are created in monochrome, taking inspiration from the aesthetic qualities of green screens used in film production. The exhibition is made up of seven distinct “suites” of paintings, each presenting a different imagined origin story. Phetogo had previously explored one of these propositions in his solo exhibition titled “blackbody Composites” at kó. However, in this new body of work, he delves into other potential theories, including the self-creation process of a figure, the body as a prop in film sets, the environmental impacts of industry, and the scientific definition of the blackbody in physics. Phetogo draws from a diverse range of references, including a South African zombie TV show from the 1980s and mythological tales of man’s origins from Botswanan folklore.
Painter Thebe Phetogo explores the construction of identity, particularly of Black bodies, through a combination of figuration and abstract landscapes that reference history, politics, and geography. His personal experiences inform his work as a means to assert his presence as a Black Motswana man and extend his image into the future. Phetogo holds a BA in media studies from the University of Botswana and an MFA from the University of Cape Town, and is known for his bold use of color. In his “blackbody” series (2020), he employs an electric green reminiscent of cinematic green screens to symbolize the painting’s potential to project new images, ideas, and identities. Phetogo primarily uses traditional mediums like oil and acrylic, but also incorporates unconventional materials such as floor wax and shoe polish. In addition to painting, he works with sculpture and installation. Phetogo has exhibited at the Botswana National Museum (2019) and Frieze New York (2021).
