Pono ya ngwana (The child's vision)

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Size: 75 x 100 cm

Year: 2024

Curatorial Note

In Pono ya ngwana (The child's vision), artist Donald Masoga offers a powerful glimpse into the world as seen through a child's eyes. This 2024 oil on canvas captures a moment of upward gaze, a common motif in Masoga's work that evokes a sense of wonder, aspiration, and a connection to something larger than oneself.

The artist's signature use of bold, impasto brushstrokes and a vibrant, fragmented background creates a dynamic visual energy. This rich tapestry of color and shape surrounding the figure can be interpreted as the complex, and perhaps overwhelming, world a child is just beginning to process. The subject's focused expression cuts through the beautiful chaos, inviting the viewer to contemplate the clarity, dreams, and unique perspective inherent in a child's vision.