Copying Mechanism: Lindokuhle Skosana

As part of our Coping Mechanism we are catching up with creatives on how they are coping during the Covid 19 crisis. We caught up with artist Lindokuhle Skosana to see how he is doing and coping as a creator.

CN: Please introduce yourself

Lindokuhle Skosana: My name is Lindokuhle Skosana, a 21 year old fine-artist living in Cape Town. I am a feeler and in all things I creative, I try to show this as authentically as possible.

CN: Where are you and who are you quarantined with?

LS: I am currently living in Cape Town, and luckily, I’m in physical isolation with my best friends and roommates. The two of them have been dating for a year, so I am well accustomed to third-wheeling and being in isolation amongst a crowd.

CN: What and Where were you supposed to be in this time (plans missing out on)

LS: I was supposed to be showing my work at various student exhibitions at this time. Also, I was supposed to be painting as much as I can, but purchasing material has been made impossible by the lock down.

CN: How has this changed your life and what are your new daily routines?

LS: I hate structure. But this has forced me to structure my life and follow a routine in order to keep busy and keep sane. Whether this is to my benefit or not, I guess we’ll see when I’m free again.

CN: What do you miss the most from that life?

LS: Seeing strangers that I will never interact with.

CN: Working from home or chilling?

LS: Coz I am struggling with getting anything done. Trying my best to keep a balance. I force myself to do the compulsory work I hate, but end up doing the work I love.

CN: Have you got any new hobbies or projects?

LS: Every day at 9pm we sit down and watch a TV series in our living room. The lockdown has also gifted me with enough time to do something I have not done for years: drawing. I find at least 1 hour a day to draw and it’s been very rewarding.

CN: How do we as creatives participate and help the world through our gifts and talents?

LS: We have to keep creating, as authentic as possible. We can only be true in our representations of our world right now. I wish every creative, including myself, had the confidence sureness to share their work, regardless of the perceived quality and regardless that anxious feeling. It may do something to someone.

CN: Biggest challenge so far?

LS: The availability of the equipment I need to realize my creative potential. However, this has forced me to think outside the box in terms of creating at home.

CN: What have you learnt about people in general in this epidemic?

LS: It takes a global pandemic to see the humility in people. During a testing time such as this, as a people, we have decided to band together and find humour, help others, and generally make the pandemic more ‘bearable’. That’s the human condition.

CN: After all this, what it The future? New normal?

LS: The new normal looks a lot like what things look like right now, I think. Isolation seems like it will prevail beyond the pandemic, and the adopted behaviour will last indefinitely. Nonetheless, we live in interesting times, and thank God I get to experience this, good and bad.

AUTHOR

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