My Creative Hero: Santu Mofokeng

Zwelethu’s keen eye, attention to detail and passion for storytelling lends perfectly to his cinematic form, with performance led human connection. Zwelethu’s burning inner creative and passion for collaboration has seen him connect with global brands such as VW and Cadbury, and more local African Clients such as Castle Lager, Black Label, Nedbank and Lunch Bar.

LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero? 

Zwelethu> My creative hero would be the late South African photographer and documentarian Santu Mofokeng. What I’ve always admired about his work, is his ability to capture the rhythm and texture of life in South Africa. Santu had the gift of taking an image that would resonate with so many people in unique ways. In specific images, I could see my own family in the faces he would photograph and locations that would evoke a deep sense of nostalgia for what I remember growing up. From Apartheid South Africa to his contemporary work, it’s hard not to be moved by any of his frames.

LBB> How long has he been important to you and what are your first memories of meeting him or coming across his work?

Zwelethu> Santu has inspired me since 2015 when I first saw his B&W images while collecting visual references for a short film, I was working on titled The Hangman (2017). I wanted the film's visual style to evoke the same feelings as Santu’s images that focused on truth. It’s crazy because I had seen so much of his work in my own research without knowing who he was. All his images had the same rawness and feel which drew me closer to his work and allowed me to discover other photographers like him.

LBB> If it’s someone you personally know, how did you get to know him and how has your relationship evolved over the years? If you don’t know him, how did you go about finding to learn more about him and his work?

Zwelethu> I remember having a folder on my laptop of mostly Santu, Ernest Cole, and Gordon Park’s work, which I had collected over the years. I then stumbled across an online article about Santu and his body of work, and it was then that I learned about who he was. I subsequently delved deeper into his works and found even more gems. Today I can spot most of his work. 

LBB> Why is he such an inspiration to you? 

Zwelethu> I’m inspired by Santu because of his dedication to capturing the reality of black South Africans in such a beautiful and honest way. It’s all about his use of natural light, composition, focus, and texture. Whether it’s the anguish of a political funeral, a woman dancing in the streets of White City, to a group of men drinking traditional beer inside a home. He’s able to capture a moment that will haunt you forever. This inspiration has carried through to my own work, especially in my commercial for Bains, which was shot in black and white with the iconic Miriam Makeba, a piece that emits a poetic nod to Santu and his aesthetic. 

LBB> How does he influence you in your approach to your creative work? 

Zwelethu> I think subconsciously I’ve been influenced by Santu and so many other South African yesteryear photographers such as Ernest Cole, Paul Weinberg & Alf Khumalo just to name a few. I always have strived to create work that elicits emotion from the viewer whether it’s to change your mood by making you smile, be entertained, or even cry. Santu’s work has done that for me, and I try to have that resonate in my work whether it’s a film or commercial project. 

LBB> What piece or pieces of his work do you keep coming back to and why?

Zwelethu> Ooooffff! That’s a difficult one, however, to name one that comes to mind immediately. There is a picture of a woman standing in a packed moving train with her hands holding another woman’s face, eyes closed, praying for her on a train. In between both these women, is another younger woman singing with a handkerchief covering her head in cultural respect.

I’ve come back to this image several times as it reminds me of my grandmother and mother all at the same time. This has motivated me to get the best performances out of the actors I work with. I did a Cadbury spot where my goal was exactly that - make the film memorable for its performances.