“I have a name” is an incredible photo series showcasing everyday South Africans in the most phenomenal way. Proudly South African… one story at a time.

 

The stories are told by the incredible South Africans… raw & unedited. It’s a showcase of humanness, a reminder that behind every face, is a name.

Meet Richard, an incredibly talented South African artist!

My daughters paint, I draw, and I’m always on the look out for creative souls.

I was excited to see Richard back on the road that turns into Broadacres, Fourways. I hadn’t seen him for weeks, and I had him on my ‘mental’ list of people that I wanted to interview.

Richard Kupeta proudly shows me his paintings. Splashes of colour on canvas portraying township life and rural scenes.

” When I was in primary school I was always good at drawing and I loved art class. I have a brother who is quite a bit older than me, and when he finished high school he studied art. He was my inspiration. I would look at him painting and ask him lots of questions. I must have been about 15 years old, and still at school when he started teaching me…how to mix the paints, which brush to use…preparing the canvas.”

“I’ve been painting and selling my paintings for 7 years now. I live in Cosmo City and everyone in the neighbourhood knows that I am the artist.”

“The kids love coming over to watch me paint. I’ve even started teaching them, just like my brother taught me. It’s very rewarding and I love it. I teach them about complimentary colours- which colours look good on a canvas and make the picture ‘Pop’.”

I ask him what his favourite subjects to paint are.

“Everyday life…village scenes that remind me of where I grew up. Township scenes , full of colour and life. I usually look through newspapers and magazines to find photos that inspire me and take it from there.

The paintings I have here on the roadside are between R300 and R550 , but I also paint bigger ones if you want a bigger one. ”

I ask him if he can create a painting for me , in his style, from one of my photographs. He confirms that he is very happy to do that.

… that leaves me the job of wading through thousands of my personal photos to find the one I want immortalized by Richard on canvas.

Richard’s number is 0847598704 and his email is rijokupeta@gmail.com

How you can help:

  1. Buy one of this young artist’s paintings, or commission a painting from a photo!
  2. I’m not business minded…but lots of you are… what does he need to take his talent to the next level? Can someone sit down with him and show him how to sell them online? Maybe create a website?

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“I Have A Name” is a space where an anonymous photographer (we’ll call her J) is taking photos of everyday South Africans to showcase their incredible stories.

How do we bridge the great South African divides? Black vs white, young vs old, rich vs poor, men vs women? The divides that keep us from making eye contact with the beggar standing on the street corner, or the stranger in the lift.

CS Lewis said, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

Come with me on a journey…the stories and names behind the faces of everyday South Africans living their life in your neighbourhood, on your streets.

I think you will discover that we have a lot in common.

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About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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