Banana Club presents Katlego C.L. Twala
Written by Anastatia Nkhuna
Meet Katlego C.L. Twala (b. 2000, Gaborone, Botswana) a painter whose brush moves between centuries and spirits. Trained at the Swedish Academy of Realist Art and the Barcelona Academy of Art, her work marries classical technique with sharp, modern soul. Through her portraiture, she holds space for softness in Black masculinity, threading through the words of bell hooks, Freud, and Jung to explore identity, intimacy, and the psychology of gender.
At this year’s RMB Latitudes Art Fair, Katlego offered a quiet storm, a tender series of miniature oil paintings rooted in the bond between mother and son, set against the rhythms of a contemporary Botswana home.
Each painting, crafted with the patience of classical realism and the precision of photography, feels like a whisper you lean in to hear. Developed through the Banana Club Artist Fund residency, her work lingers with you asking us to reflect on how memory, nurture, and home shape the emotional landscapes of Black men.
Your work blends classical painting techniques with really personal, emotional themes. How do you bring those two worlds together when you’re creating?
Technically speaking, the training I received at my school really shaped the way I approach my work. It gave me a strong technical foundation, and with that comes a certain freedom, the freedom to choose the best way to drive a point home. Whether it’s through photography, working with archival images, or painting from life, I’m able to move between different visual languages and find the one that best suits what I want to communicate.
Because my work is so personal, having that range in technique is essential. It means I can choose the medium that carries the emotion, the sensitivity, and the depth the piece requires. I think that’s why, when people see my work, they often say it feels layered, there’s a technical precision there, but also a very emotional core. That’s really how I’m able to bring these two roles together.
There’s a quiet power in how you paint, What drew you to exploring that relationship between mother and son within the context of a contemporary Botswana? (expand on pieces like ‘Go itheetsa’ , ‘Go Phahla’ , “Moriti” etc
I was raised in a single-parent household by my mom, and that dynamic deeply shaped who I am as a woman. Growing up without a paternal figure made me very aware of the ways this absence influences identity and relationships. In my family, my mother was the matriarch, a reality that’s actually common in many households, even though, culturally, it’s often said that the man should be “tlhogo ya lelapa” translation “the head of the family.”
That got me thinking: what happens when a young boy grows up without that paternal figure, but is still expected to fulfill traditional male roles? How does that shape his sense of self, both within the family and in his relationships? I’m the eldest daughter, I have a younger sister, I experienced this absence differently, it empowered me in many ways, giving me autonomy and a strong sense of self. But I wanted to explore how my brothers experienced it, and that’s what inspired this collection.
Take the piece “Go Phahla” , for example. The word refers to a cleansing ritual with herbs , a kind of symbolic reset. I used it to represent the process of self-actualization for a young man: that constant need to refocus and ask, Who am I? How do I define my role? Another piece “Moriti” meaning shadow, represents the absent father. It’s a presence defined by its absence, a figure you’re always chasing but can never fully grasp.
Through this body of work, I wanted to investigate what it means to grow up in the shadow of something that isn’t there, and how you begin to redefine masculinity, identity, and selfhood when the traditional blueprint is missing.
Your artwork titled ‘Mama’ really touched a lot of people. What is your story when it comes to that particular piece with the artwork?
It’s a very important piece in this collection. It represents the matriarch of my family, my mother and I wanted its scale to reflect her significance. Making it one of the largest works felt right; it emphasizes the magnitude of her role in our lives.
I wanted people to see the kind of person my mom is: a deeply complex individual who carried the weight of two roles, both mother and paternal figure. Some of her traits could be seen as “masculine,” but that doesn’t diminish her womanhood, it enriches it, adding layers of strength and nuance.
Even in the pose, she’s looking back, there’s a certain undeniable power. Her shaved head, something she chose herself, further drives the point home: she’s unconventional, unapologetic, and refuses to fit neatly into societal expectations of what a woman “should” be.
I think many women can relate to her. She embodies that leader’s energy, the woman who holds the family together in a world where, traditionally, she “shouldn’t” have to. This painting is my way of honoring her resilience, her complexity, and the quiet power she’s carried all her life.
You’ve trained in classical art spaces, how have those experiences shaped how you see yourself as an artist today?
It wasn’t easy. Painting successfully takes intense discipline, you have to show up every single day, even when you feel like you have nothing to give. That commitment is something I still carry in my practice today.
When I first moved to Sweden, adjusting to a completely different culture was challenging. I had to learn to use my voice and be firm in my ideas, even when people didn’t understand or agree. Over time, I learned to stand my ground: “This is my project, take it or leave it.”
I also refused to be pigeonholed. As one of the few Black women from Africa at my school, I didn’t want my work to be reduced to my identity alone. I wanted the quality and technique to speak first. That meant working harder than ever, arriving at school early, staying until late, and painting at home until 2am.
My goal has always been to make it impossible for anyone to dispute my talent or technique. People can hold their biases, but they can’t deny the work. That’s what I lead with in my practice: skill, craft, and discipline.
You’ve already shown at RMB Latitudes, which is huge! What’s one moment in your journey so far that really made you feel like, “Yeah, I’m doing this”? And what next for you?
I want to work on a much larger scale moving forward. There’s something about a big painting that feels immersive almost like a hug. I want to create that experience, where people can step into my mind and my world, both visually and emotionally. This next phase of my work will be even more immersive and deeply personal.
Even in smaller frames, my work is highly detailed and nuanced, something people often notice, sometimes even mistaking it for a photograph. That realism comes from my attention to detail, and it’s part of how I make my statement as an artist. Being on the radar in such a significant way has been a powerful step, and I hope it leads to many more exhibitions and showcases.
It means a lot to be recognised not just as a young Black woman artist, but as someone whose canvases speak for themselves proof of the craft, the vision, and the commitment behind the work.
About Banana Club
Banana Club is a queer-led art platform and curatorial collective based in Gaborone, Botswana. Founded by cultural entrepreneur Tanlume Enyatseng, the initiative works at the intersection of contemporary art, community dialogue, and creative advocacy. Through exhibitions, public programmes, and residencies, Banana Club creates space for artists, especially queer and women voices, to experiment, reflect, and connect with wider audiences. At its core, Banana Club is committed to reimagining African futures through artistic collaboration, cultural storytelling, and social justice.
The Banana Club Artist Fund is a four-month residency and exhibition programme designed to support emerging visual artists from underserved communities in Botswana and African diaspora. The Fund offers artists access to mentorship, studio space, and curatorial support, culminating in a public showcase of new work. Launched in 2022, the initiative prioritises inclusivity, experimental practice, and artistic growth, providing a vital platform for voices often overlooked in traditional arts institutions.
