THE POWER OF ART

His portraits are either loved or loathed, but painter Rasta believes beauty is in the eye of the beholder

- BONOLO SEKUDU

WHENEVER he puts paint to canvas, he gets people talking – and his latest work of art is no different.

Rasta caused a social-media storm when he recently unveiled a painting of socialite Zodwa Wabantu, and his critics didn’t hold anything back.

“Thought it was Zozi [Tunzi, Miss Universe] then I realised it’s a man’s face. I then saw Zodwa standing there and wondered why she was there because that’s still not her,” one social media user wrote.

“I thought this was Zozibini, then I thought it’s Siya Kolisi, then I realised it’s Zodwa but then again I thought this was a Bafana Bafana player. Rasta is the best. He drew everyone in one pic,” another posted.

Rasta, real name Lebani Sirenje, isn’t letting the criticism get him down. “At first the comments used to bother me but now they don’t,” he tells us.

“Social media has really made me famous. Sometimes, the love and attention is overwhelming [even though] there are those who have said I should draw myself and others say they will cut off my hands.”

The artist, however, believes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. “I wish I could explain my art. Like with the Zozi Tunzi, which I believe was exactly like how she looks, I wanted it to be relatable to any young girl. I captured her the way she is, and it is a beautiful image,” he says.

Rasta (42) wishes people understood his vision. “One day, I know they will look back and say, ‘Oh, now we get it’,”