Connect with the Artist: Jason Langa

Mpumi Mayisa sat down with Jason Langa to learn more about the artist behind the work. His practice, inspirations, curiosities, and the ideas that continue to shape his way of making. We asked Jason some quick fire questions about art, life and everything in between. MM: Describe your practice in five words. JL: Intuitive, Reflective, Relatable, Colourful, Tranquil MM: Have you always wanted to be an artist? If not, what did you think you'd be doing? JL: I have always wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. Of course it started as a hobby but I eventually couldn’t see myself doing anything else. MM: What gives you joy? JL: The small simple pleasures of life give me joy, like the warmth of the sun or the baseline of my favourite song. MM: What is the best way to experience your work? JL: The best way to experience my work is through empathy as opposed to intellect. MM: Do you have an unusual or random hobby? JL: Maybe this doesn’t somewhat fit any of those categories but I’ve grown an interest in reading collecting comic books MM: What are you most excited about at the moment? JL: Im most excited about the trajectory of my career, as an emerging artist Ive been focused on growing my name in the industry which has been paying off lately so Im excited to experience where my work will take me

Let's dive into the work..

MM: Okay, now let's talk about the work. MM: Take us back to the beginning. What first drew you towards making art, and how has that initial impulse changed over time? JL: I think what first drew me towards making art was that it was a way for me to engage socially with my peers and classmates especially as a very timid kid growing up. Through my talent I was able to capture the interests of other kids at school and be able to have conversations with them. Overtime I myself started to become conscious of not only how much I enjoyed creating but also how good I was at it and became obsessed with evolving and seeing how good I could actually become. The obsession then went from being able to replicate photographs accurately to wanting to make work that would become meaningful, relatable and reflect current stories which could live on forever. That’s exactly where I am right now, I'm completely focused on giving my beautiful prints and paintings a world of depth and resonance simply through our lived realities and shared experiences as individuals and as a collective as well. MM: When we look closely at your work, what are we actually looking at? Tell us about the subjects, symbols, materials or recurring ideas that keep finding their way into your practice. JL: My practice explores the emotional landscapes that exist between memory, identity and human connection. Working primarily in painting and printmaking, I create figurative works that use colour, symbolism and atmosphere to examine how people relate to themselves, one another and the environments which they inhabit. The blue figures that recur throughout my work are not portraits of reality, but emotional stand-ins that speak to reflection, vulnerability and shared experience. Natural elements such as the luminous sunsets and lush green fields filled with zinnia flowers become symbols of remembrance, transformation and belonging. I am interested in creating images that feel both intimate and universal, inviting viewers to pause and consider the overlooked moments that shape our lives. Through an expressive yet deliberate visual language, my works seeks to celebrate the enduring interpersonal and intrapersonal connections amongst us as humans.

The blue figures that recur throughout my work are not portraits of reality, but emotional stand-ins that speak to reflection, vulnerability and shared experience. Natural elements such as the luminous sunsets and lush green fields filled with zinnia flowers become symbols of remembrance, transformation and belonging.

MM: Your practice has evolved from printmaking to painting over time. What has changed most significantly in your work, and what has remained stubbornly consistent? JL: I think the most significant changes in my work has been my conceptual approach, Ive always made it a point that my work tries to reach deeper layers of emotional connection. To achieve this, I've started to become more observant of the people in my immediate surroundings with the hopes of finding small meaningful moments which I can put a microscope over. Eventually other elements like colour and composition continue to evolve through my work with every piece Id create. What remains a constant in my work is portraiture, I've always had an innate love and knack for painting portraits and it has now become a central part of my visual language. MM: How much of yourself is present in the work? Are there memories, people, places or experiences that continue to shape what you make? JL: My presence in my work is rather more emotional than it is physical. My presence really comes through in my work through the experiences I share with my subjects. I give myself the role of a detective to investigate these shared experiences and identify what makes them meaningful. After this investigation, I take my findings to the studio and reinterpret them through my own lens not only as the viewer but as a participant as well which is where the symbols I include come in, to emphasise the importance of the answers I've found.

MM: What do you hope happens when someone lives with your work? JL: I hope for my work to be a constant and everlasting reminder of what drew that person to the work initially. For example if the work reminded them of a particular moment they shared with someone dear to them or inspires them to have hope and gratitude on a more personal level then I want my work to sort of become a symbol of that feeling or connection.

Browse Jason Langa's Work For enquiries, email mpumi@tsokoart.com.