Born in race-segregated South Africa, Thabiso Phepeng and Andile Magengelele were surrounded by a world shaped by apartheid and the unbalanced social landscapes it left behind. In that environment, art became a refuge , a calm space in contrast to the hostility outside. It was a place where comprehension could deepen, where the status quo could be quietly challenged, and where beauty hinted at the existence of something larger, perhaps even a higher power. To enter that space was to sense that art was not only survival but also transformation.

For Thabiso Phepeng, the origins of this vision were layered. Memories of grandmothers painting wall motifs, of murals within African tradition that were never described as “art” but lived as spiritual and social practices, formed one thread. Encounters with hip hop, graffiti, and the bold language of popular culture added another. And formal training, beginning as early as childhood in cultural centers that sought to empower young people through art or sport, introduced a third strand. These centers, rare spaces of safety in otherwise segregated surroundings, offered tools, technology, and encouragement. From them grew the discipline to practice art as a daily act, not just a fleeting interest.

The language that emerged at Botaki Factory is shaped by all of these influences. It is rooted in African heritage yet informed by Western systems, abstract yet expressive, traditional yet modern. It moves at the intersection of cultures and embraces the dialogue that occurs when influences meet . The collective of artists performing there come from various backgrounds, share different stories and styles, yet they share the same fire for what they do – and when they collaborate? That is when the magic comes into place.

The Botaki Pots were conceived in this spirit of dialogue . All three artists, Marvin, Thabiso and Juice layered their thoughts and collaborated on it. The idea arose from the simple wish to bring plants into the studio, after seeing many green offices in Zurich. And what a great idea! The plants changed the rhythm of the space: it became a conversation starter, a conversation stretcher and even a source of inspiration for the artists. Plants began to influence the work itself, softening gestures on canvas and offering metaphors of continuity and renewal with every new stem and leaf. Surrounded by nature, the color choices shifted towards complementing nature’s tone. The artists feel more focused, more at peace and notice it in every brushstroke!

The philosophy guiding Botaki Factory can be expressed with one famous sentence by Cesar A. Cruz, a Mexican academic and activist: “We want to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” It is both a mission and a conviction . Art must be capable of healing, but it must also be capable of questioning. It must be able to create harmony and yet leave space for disruption. This conviction is visible in the Pots themselves. They stand like figures in conversation, resembling chess pieces set in dialogue, embodying the tension between balance and imbalance.

Botaki, which means “artistry” in Setswana, stands as both a name and a declaration. It reflects the collective’s position as global citizens who see art as a platform for discourse, for collaboration, and for healing. Their work resists labels and categories. They prefer conversations without the baggage of origin, where ideas can move freely and without prejudice. In their collective, voices from different backgrounds converge, and it is this very convergence that nourishes the work.

The Botaki Pots embody everything that defines their practice. They carry within them the memory of refuge, the influence of tradition, the dialogue of cultures, and the living presence of plants. They are not only vessels but also participants in the conversation . They remind us that beauty is not passive, that it can comfort, provoke, and transform.

In the studio of Botaki Factory, art and nature converse daily. Together they form a little world that is both sanctuary and challenge, both rooted and open. Through this work, Botaki invites us to imagine an art that is not distant or exclusive but close at hand, a part of our lives. An art that heals, questions, and ultimately brings us closer to one another.