The pestering of women by making crude comments reeking of sexual innuendo, otherwise known as catcalling, is a sad reality for females worldwide.
“Desire is a real thing, to want attention is a real thing. To want a man to compliment you is a thing, you know ... [but] there’s a thin line between that and catcalling,” says artist and social commentator Lebogang Mabusela.
“In our country, a society which is still largely dominated by patriarchy, a guy giving you a compliment can escalate into something unpleasant.”
Mabusela, better known as Monotypebabe, is an artist who’s created a series of works that address the uncomfortable practice of verbal abuse. Her series of monotype prints is titled Weh Beyontse: Johannesburg Words, was inspired by her personal experiences in Joburg’s bustling CBD.
The works feature caricatures overlaid with words that express just how distasteful men can be. Comments like, “Black beauty”, “Eh my size” or “Ngikukhaphe (can I walk you)” are familiar to many South African women.
Her work is especially appropriate during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence — 25 November to 10 December.
It’s a blisteringly hot Joburg day when I meet Mabusela at her workspace at the Bag Factory Studios in Fordsburg. “Today, on my way here, someone called me Mamakhe. Another guy said ‘Mbokodo umuhle’ and yet another said ‘Hello sexy’.” Mabusela says this is an everyday experience for her in Joburg, which she has to endure as she travels through the streets of the CBD to her studio.
Inside her studio, she shows me each of the artworks on sheets of paper she takes out of a homemade file fashioned from a Cremora powder milk box. “These works here show a guy catcalling a woman. You can see the woman’s response in her eyes, body language and facial expression. The response is not a dialogue. It’s the [man’s] words and the [woman’s] reaction. In the other works I made a portrait [of the men catcalling],” says the artist, who hails from Mabopane in Tshwane.
The portraits intentionally place the focus on men because a lot of the time society expects women to change and behave “appropriately” — but it’s men’s attitudes that need to change. “I’ve done this to subvert the male gaze at women by having the viewers actually looking at the men.”
When creating a work, Mabusela is conscious of not coming across as too preachy. “The works look comical. This is supposed to serve as relief because the subject matter is so frustrating and, in some cases, traumatic,” she says.
“When I was studying at Wits I used to stay in Braamfontein, which is chilled compared to the CBD, which is relentless [in terms of my experience with catcalling]. The works started out as an outlet for that.”
Mabusela began working on the series early this year. It’s part of a message that’s a common thread in her artwork — calling out and interrogating patriarchy. Another of her projects was a series with guns, which she began in 2017. She designed paper guns which were symbolic of women’s resistance to the scourge of Gender Based Violence in the country.
“The gun is a symbol of upliftment and honours defiance. There’s violence done to women’s bodies and therefore women must protect themselves.” The gun works were shown at The Gallery on 44 Stanley, Johannesburg, titled Patriarchal Meltdown Gun Kit and Cutlery.
Now 25 years old, the artist is an unapologetic feminist who understands that there will be pushback from time to time, even from women. “When you highlight issues women go through, you often end up being called a killjoy.”
Mabusela’s Johannesburg Words series can be viewed on her Instagram page. She’s currently looking for a collaboration with a gallery to display her works on a larger scale. “I’m happy to plan my solo exhibition, host myself and find a space. But in the art world you get status with a gallery’s name behind you. I’m not looking for validation but I do need a strong voice in my corner, saying ‘this is a person to watch’.”
The Point of Order (TPO) in Braamfontein, managed by the Division of Visual Arts at the Wits School of Arts, is a space she’s considering for the series.
A FEW INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT MABUSELA
- She graduated from Wits as a conceptual multidisciplinary artist in 2018 with a BA Honours in Fine Art.
- She started her degree in 2015 and was a student at the institution during the time of the Fees Must Fall protests. She says that the experience encouraged her naturally defiant nature. “That kind of environment drives you to be militant,” she says. “It encourages the asking of questions and talking back to power. But I’ve always been that person ... I’m sure I’ve been cancelled by a few people and have been called a bitch.”
- Her works sometimes feature doilies — ornaments often found in the homes of black people — to attack misogyny and toxic masculinity.
- Mabusela’s art has been included in the Turbine Art Fair.
- She was part of Rand Merchant Bank’s Talent Unlocked programme.
- She’s the owner and director of the bridal gift shop Makoti Technologies, where she takes on the role of designer. She also sells guns and other weapons to keep women safe.
- She admires and is inspired by artists such as Bonolo Kavula, Tabita Rezaire, Robert Hodgins and Joan Cornellà Vázquez.
- Mabusela has an alter-ego, Zinequeen, whom she says made the box-files that store her work. “I attended some bookbinding workshops and from my printmaking experience I learned how to handle artworks. I’m also planning some tutorials on how to make boxes for your artworks.”
