Lesejane to unveil ‘Photography Redefined’

 

Innovative photographer, Pako Lesejane is slated to unveil one of a kind exhibition in a couple of days.  The solo exhibition dubbed, Photography Redefined is the first of its kind locally, and it will be displayed at the home of the visual arts - Thapong Visual Arts Centre. On display, he will showcase his artistic abilities in 20 pieces, and show off the use of different techniques.

 

Lesejane has over 13 years of experience in photography, and has over the years been crafting and honing his photography skills. The official opening of the exhibition is June 2, and it will be on display for two weeks. The pieces vary from landscapes, people who he met in his travels, and documentary photography that has been transformed into Fine Art. He tells this publication that this is one exhibition that art lovers do not wish to miss out on. The skills that he is showing are not popular locally, he states.

Speaking in an interview, Lesejane explains that he is taking Fine Art photography to a whole new level. In this exhibition, he features techniques such as pinhole photography, sugar, salt and glass overlay photography, and old photographs that were photographed on film and given an old look by applying hand painting techniques. Art lovers should also look forward to seeing other techniques that include using different types of acrylic paints, oil paint and more.

“The mediums are applied after the photograph is shot, and then the photograph is shot for the second time to get the final photograph,” he explains. He also highlights that it has taken him a while to master these techniques, and that his audience will experience a whole new type of photography.

In some of the paintings, he shot on film, printed, and then experimented with the technique, and photographed on digital and printed again.

“Expect the unexpected,” he says. He further says that the pieces are printed on an A1 sized canvas that has a lifespan of over 185 years, and that they do not come cheap.  He has extended the invitation to the corporate sector, art lovers as well as the public at large. “I am eyeing people who are passionate about art, and will protect these precious pieces,” he notes.

Lesejane further points out that he learnt photography from his father who was also a photographer at an early age. He took his passion to another level in 2005 when he joined The Midweek Sun and Botswana Guardian as a freelance photographer. Over the years, he has been learning new skills in schools that include Intermediate Photography, Expressive Photography and Studio Art. His last session in the classroom was last October when he took Fine Art classes in Cape Town.

“I will be going back again to learn about Dark Room. I have done it before, but I want to grow my skills,” he explains, adding that as he gets bored easily he always makes sure that he learns new skills time and again.