Monna ke Nku o Llela Teng Cowboys Do Not Cry

The current collection is motivated by the African proverb. Famously known in Sepedi ‘Monna Ke Nku O Llela Teng’, which can be translated as ‘a man is a sheep, he cries silently’. The collection looks at the accepted role of a man as a ‘provider’.

The collection reminds that there is much to this role of a ‘provider’. The role means that one is always at presser of getting money regardless of the unspoken hardships involved the process. Furthermore this role leaves a man to be regarded as useless, irresponsible and voiceless, if he cannot provide. With the current collection I explore with my stories as a man or as the artist in the journey of accessing income. The journey that involves long trips with public transport, hard-labours, servitude, hustle and more. Moreover the titles of the collection are drawn from powerful idioms and proverbs.

The African proverb famously known in Sepedi ‘Monna Ke Nku O Llela Teng’, which can be translated as ‘a man is a sheep, he cries silently’. With Monna Ke Nku O Llela Teng (Cowboys Do Not Cry) (2025), I point that noticeable expression is not always at the heart of men, especially when it comes to expressing painful issues. In addition, the centralising of a sheep known for remaining quit even in painful situations indirectly points to men. The work feather features written expressions from me as the background. However the expressions are kept unclear by the tracing paper and the central sheep. To point that it has never been clear or revealed as to how I feel.