Artist bridges the rural-urban experiences through art
Alexandra-based visual artist Keneth Maredi is planning to exhibit a powerful body of work that bridges the emotional and physical distance between rural hardship and urban complexity; drawing from his own life as a rural-urban migrant.
The Alexandra-based visual artist Kenneth Maredi’s artwork under the theme From the Village to the City Streets explores the contrast and connection between rural and urban life.
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Maredi’s inspiration is rooted in his journey growing up in a rural village called Meltz in Limpopo and visiting Alexandra during school holidays. “During school holidays, I discovered a lot of changes. Rural life is too slow, and it’s difficult to access important things, for example, people have to walk a distance to access taxis to town, hospitals, police stations and schools. Unlike people in the urban area, where everything is accessible.”
He added that the urban environment gave him a new life after spending much of his childhood living in a rural area.
His work shows iconic structures from both worlds. He uses art to show how the Madala Hostel in Alexandra mirrors an abandoned building from his village, both symbols of neglect and memory. “Even though Madala Hostel is not abandoned, when you look at it, you would think it is,” he explained.
Maredi noted that his upcoming exhibition did not just tell his story; it calls for institutional attention. His artwork highlights important aspects of society such as labour, sanitation, and infrastructure. “I made artworks that need the attention of the Department of Labour. I drew people from the rural area manufacturing bricks, and one from an urban environment where a waste collector pulls a rubbish bin into a garbage truck.” He hopes to get support from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to bring the exhibition to life.
As a rural-urban migrant, he said the urban environment allowed him to experience things he once considered as his long-term dreams. He shared, “In the urban area, I easily access and experience a lot of things, unlike in rural areas,” and that is exactly the story he intends to tell through his artwork.
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