Lerato Ntili
Lerato Ntili (b. 2001) is a South African artist born and raised in Bloemfontein, Free State currently based in Johannesburg. She completed her BA (Honours) in
Fine Arts at the University of Pretoria in 2023.
Ntili’s artistic journey began with an intimate exploration of her own body and its relationship to beauty standards through self-portraiture. A departure from this personal focus, has driven a desire to understand the deeper origins of her lifelong struggle with body image. Starting with the seemingly harmless childhood nickname 'motsetserepa' – a Sesotho word for skinny – which stood in stark contrast to her internal perception, Ntili investigates the powerful role of cultural discourse in shaping body image within the South African context, aiming to articulate the pervasive influence of familial and societal observations on body and figure, revealing the intricate ways in which these cultural dynamics contribute to the formation of body image.
The early experience of being labeled, regardless of the intention, can contribute to a lifelong preoccupation with body size and shape. Exploring the visual and textual representations of body image within culture, analyzing their aesthetic qualities and their impact on individual experience. Exploring the cultural values and beliefs that underpin this open commentary on bodies. Bringing forward questions, are there specific gendered aspects to this? How does it intersect with notions of health, beauty and social status within different South African communities?
Ntili's artistic practice delves into the complex and often challenging formation of body image within cultural contexts. Her work examines the pervasive
influence of societal and familial commentary on the body, exploring how these dynamics shape individual self-perception from a young age. A formative
experience of being given a childhood nickname related to her physique – a label that contrasted with her internal sense of self – serves as a crucial point
of departure for this inquiry. Ntili's practice articulates the enduring impact of constant observations on physique, regardless of whether one is perceived
as thin or large, revealing the complex ways in which cultural discourse molds one's sense of self. Through her artistic lens, she investigates the aesthetics and phenomenology of these cultural environments, analyzing the language, visual cues and implicit judgments that constitute the ongoing dialogue about bodies. Ultimately, Ntili's work illuminates the cultural roots of body image concerns, offering a broader commentary on the shared experiences of navigating body perception within diverse societal frameworks.
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