From Clay to Canvas, How One Artist Conveys the Struggles of South Africa’s Students
Nosiviwe Matikinca, 2023 Sasol New Signatures Winner. Courtesy of Sasol New Signatures Art Competition.
Nosiviwe Matikinca, the 2023 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition winner, delves deep into the theme of educational inequality through her evocative artwork. Her solo exhibition, ‘Ukungalingani Kwezemfundo,’ uses symbolic elements like school shoes, clay, and diverse mediums to shed light on the challenges faced by underprivileged learners in South Africa. Drawing from her experiences growing up in Hermanus, a coastal town in the Western Cape, Matikinca’s work is both deeply personal and universally resonant, reflecting the fragility and resilience of students within a broken education system. Through her art, she hopes to inspire viewers to understand and support these learners, emphasising the role of contemporary art in addressing enduring social issues. In this interview, Matikinca discusses her inspirations, the significance of her materials, and the broader impact she hopes her work will have on the discourse surrounding educational inequality.
What inspired you to focus on the theme of educational inequality in your artwork, particularly with the symbolic use of school shoes?
When brainstorming the inclusion of additional works, like the desks and the print work, I considered the thread that held all these elements together: the need for more resources in education in the country. I understood that the issue was extensive, and this inspired me to include these additional works and the exhibition title. After winning the Sasol New Signatures Art Competition, the public’s reception helped me understand the gravity of the lack of resources. Engaging with different people on and off campus clarified the concept better. The ‘thread’ I refer to is the common struggle and the shared need for better resources in education, which I aimed to highlight through my diverse works.
Courtesy of the artist and Sasol New Signatures Art Competition.
Has your background and experiences growing up in Hermanus influenced your artistic journey and the themes you explore?
Yes, it has. While producing the work, I thought back to my childhood and tried to pull out memories. For example, the shoes are mostly connected with my two primary schools in Hermanus. The stationery pieces are just a mixture of primary school and high school. The tables are more connected with my second high school in Mitchells Plain. While creating the work, I channelled those experiences and other people’s stories about their school days.
Can you explain the significance of using clay in your work and how it relates to the broader message you convey about the education system?
School is where we are moulded; some start school at 5, a fragile age. The clay symbolises the fragility of the school learners and the topic itself. At school, we dare to dream about our futures and envision ourselves as doctors, nurses and teachers. I used clay as a medium as it allowed me to shape it into any form I wanted; many of the shoes broke in the final stages, and others broke in the firing process. The remaining ones withstood the entire process. Clay gave me the freedom to tell the story of the lack of school shoes, the brokenness of the education system, and the fragility of underprivileged learners. 
Courtesy of the artist and Sasol New Signatures Art Competition.
In your exhibition, you explore mediums that are new to you, such as printmaking and castings. How has experimenting with these materials expanded or shifted the narrative of your work?
The prints and castings added to the exhibition’s concept in their own unique way. I used different elements and titles, but when we put the work together, it felt like putting a puzzle together; this made me realise there are so many ways to convey a message. Also, I prefer to open myself to more than one medium. These materials expanded the narrative as they showed different angles to the work.
How do you hope your exhibition, ‘Ukungalingani Kwezemfundo,’ will impact viewers’ understanding of the challenges faced by learners from underprivileged backgrounds?
I want them to understand why these learners behave in a certain way, but most importantly, I would like them to lend a helping hand to these underprivileged learners. In this way, the learners can focus on their schoolwork and mould their dreams without worrying about desks, stationery, and proper school shoes. School serves as a refuge or an escape for some learners; spending half the day on the premises helps them forget their reality.
Courtesy of the artist and Sasol New Signatures Art Competition.
What are your thoughts on the role of contemporary art in addressing social issues, and how do you see your work contributing to this discourse?
The contemporary art movement provides a way to tackle and express our opinions and concerns about social issues. As the years pass, new and innovative ways and mediums evolve, giving artists new opportunities and creative ways to speak out. My work comments on a social issue that has existed for a long time, and by using clay to make the school shoes, I was able to make a point.
‘Ukungalingani Kwezemfundo (Educational Inequality)’ will be open along side the Sasol New Signatures 2024 exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum from the 5th of September until the 3rd of November, 2024. For more information, please visit Sasol New Signatures Art Competition.
