Katlego Kai
Kolanyane-Kesupile
ARTivist | Writer | Scholar | Designer | Performance Artist
PROJECTS by Kol-Kes
Poetry
Published in 2016 with London (UK) based e-publishers, Bahati Books, Katlego K Kol-Kes' collection of poetry "...on about the same old things" (Bahati Books, 2016) is available for purchase on Amazon and Okada Books.
More of her poetry is available on various platforms such as her blog, thisiknead, and publications such as Kalahari Review and Badalisha Poetry X-change.
Music
A classically trained vocalist and composer, Kat Kai Kol-Kes fronts the musical outfit Chasing Jaykb which had its debut performance at Fete de la Musique in Gaborone, Botswana, in 2014. Afropop.org ran a story that introduced the band's music to the world.
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Chasing Jaykb's EP, Bongo Country, features 6 songs - which form part of a tragic love story between Kol-Kes and her country of birth.
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She is always creating new music and , at times, merges it with poetic verse.
Kol-Kes' musical, Once Upon A Life, (instrumentation by Mthokozisi Emkay Khanyile) debuted in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2011.
Op-Ed Writing
BOTSWANA TRANS RIGHTS VICTORIES: WHAT'S NEXT?​
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Katlego K Kol-Kes writing for Washington Blade. (Dec. 2017)
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"I have hope that in the next decade, as Botswana inches towards 60 years of independence, we can see innovative road-mapping for the realization and protection of LGBT+ people’s rights."
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Social Commentary
CRUISING FOR CONTROL: SUBVERSIVE CRUISING AND MASCULINE DOMINANCE IN GABORONE, BOTSWANA
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Katlego K Kol-Kes writing for Afropunk.com
"Manly men and masculinity are two issues that are prevalent in many African countries, Botswana is no exception. With a heavy patriarchal structure, homosexuality is shunned for both religious and cultural reasons. Katlego K Kol-Kes queries the blurred lines between subversive cruising and masculine dominance in Gaborone, Botswana, where homosexuality is still a criminal offence." READ MORE
Lifestyle Writing & Styling
Katlego has written and styled numerous lifestyle and fashion features, including an advisory column for Peolwane Magazine (Air Botswana In-Flight Magazine), Safari Survivor: Beauty Secrets.
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The featured photographs are from the final installment of the Safari Survivor beauty series. Models: Jessica Lejowa, Tshepi, Elizabeth & Thabi.
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Photography by Neo Jasmine Mokgosi of Faith In A Jar Photography
Just a sample of Kol-Kes' work. To see more or discuss possible work >>