{"id":1802810,"date":"2026-03-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1802810"},"modified":"2026-03-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T21:00:00","slug":"tshepiso-moropa-splices-setswana-folklore-and-dreams-into-archival-collages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1802810","title":{"rendered":"Tshepiso Moropa Splices Setswana Folklore and Dreams into Archival Collages"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-5.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of two figures and tree\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cStranger Fruit\u201d (2025), collage, 59.4 x 84.7 centimeters. All images courtesy of THK Gallery, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Tshepiso Moropa Splices Setswana Folklore and Dreams into Archival Collages<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-02T16:04:44-06:00\">March 2, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-photography\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F03%2Ftshepiso-moropa-archival-photo-collages%2F&amp;title=Tshepiso%20Moropa%20Splices%20Setswana%20Folklore%20and%20Dreams%20into%20Archival%20Collages\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"470537\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Using personal and archival images, <a href=\"https:\/\/tshepisomoropa.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tshepiso Moropa<\/a> cuts and splices delicate collages that consider the ever-evolving nature of the stories we tell. The self-taught artist draws on her background in psychology and linguistics as she plumbs African archives and oral histories, reinterpreting her findings through minimal, yet weighty compositions.<\/p>\n<p>Moropa often grounds her works within <em>dinaane<\/em> and <em>ditoro<\/em>, Setswana lore and dreams, respectively. \u201cEach folktale carries a unique blend of history, cultural values, and human experience, serving as a wellspring of inspiration,\u201d she says in a statement. \u201cMy work is informed by the timeless wisdom, moral lessons, and magical elements found within Sestwana stories.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470537\" title=\"\u201cThe Joy\u201d (2023), digital collage on archival matte, 42 x 29.7 centimeters\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cThe Joy\u201d (2023), digital collage on archival matte, 42 x 29.7 centimeters\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cThe Joy\u201d (2023), digital collage on archival matte, 42 x 29.7 centimeters\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2501\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-4.jpg\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of a girl with two leashes for birds\" class=\"wp-image-470542\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Joy\u201d (2023), digital collage on archival matte, 42 x 29.7 centimeters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fusing digital and analog techniques, the artist assembles surreal scenes with precise lines and ample negative space. Birds figure prominently and serve as spiritual guides as in pieces like \u201cThe Joy,\u201d which the artist describes as referencing the following story: \u201cWhen the girl drifted into the darkness, the ancestors came to her disguised as birds, their wings turning into gentle threads that lifted her away from harm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other works are more personal, including \u201cHiding in Plain Sight.\u201d Depicting an older woman floating above a wooden home, the piece alludes to one of Moropa\u2019s dreams in which her grandmother appeared in the sky, hovering above the artist and her twin sister.<\/p>\n<p>Moropa is based in Johannesburg and represented by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thkgallery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">THK Gallery<\/a> in Cape Town. This April, her work will go on view in a group exhibition at <a href=\"https:\/\/rietberg.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Museum Rietberg<\/a> in Zurich, followed by a presentation at the <a href=\"https:\/\/bielerfototage.ch\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Biel\/Bienne Festival of Photography<\/a> in Switzerland. Keep up with her practice on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tshepisomoropaa\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470537\" title=\"\u201cHiding in Plain Sight\u201d (2025, collage matte paper, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cHiding in Plain Sight\u201d (2025, collage matte paper, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cHiding in Plain Sight\u201d (2025, collage matte paper, 40 x 40 centimeters\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-6.jpeg\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of an older woman standing atop a structure with two children below\" class=\"wp-image-470549\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cHiding in Plain Sight\u201d (2025, collage matte paper, 40 x 40 centimeters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-1.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470537\" title=\"\u201cRiding Shotgun\u201d (2025), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cRiding Shotgun\u201d (2025), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cRiding Shotgun\u201d (2025), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-1.jpeg\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of a man in a top hat standing on a horse while another sits in a glitzy carriage\" class=\"wp-image-470539\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cRiding Shotgun\u201d (2025), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470537\" title=\"\u201cThe Flying Girl\u201d (2023), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cThe Flying Girl\u201d (2023), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cThe Flying Girl\u201d (2023), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-3.jpg\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of a girl fall and a bird above her\" class=\"wp-image-470541\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Flying Girl\u201d (2023), collage, 40 x 40 centimeters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470537\" title=\"\u201cThe Ride Home\u201d (2024), Digital print on Hanhem\u00fchle Photo Rag, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cThe Ride Home\u201d (2024), Digital print on Hanhem\u00fchle Photo Rag, 40 x 40 centimeters\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cThe Ride Home\u201d (2024), Digital print on Hanhem\u00fchle Photo Rag, 40 x 40 centimeters\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moropa-2.jpg\" alt=\"a photographic collage by Tshepiso Moropa of a girl on a white horse with shoes in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-470540\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Ride Home\u201d (2024), Digital print on Hanhem\u00fchle Photo Rag, 40 x 40 centimeters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" 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All images courtesy of THK Gallery, shared with permission Tshepiso Moropa Splices Setswana Folklore and Dreams into Archival Collages March 2, 2026 ArtPhotography Grace Ebert Share Email Bookmark Using personal and archival images, Tshepiso Moropa cuts and splices delicate collages that consider the ever-evolving nature of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1802810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1802810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1802810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1802810\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1802810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1802810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1802810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}