#23: Phiwokuhle Mtana (the ugly truth)
This week we are joined by writer & multidisciplinary artist, Phiwokuhle Mtana, who tells us more about moving to Tumblr, raw red onion, Blue Valentine (2010), and more!
Phiwokuhle Mtana is an artist, writer and all-round student of life. Born in Pretoria, raised in the Eastern Cape and now navigating life back in Gauteng. They are a Sociology and Chinese Studies graduate, and now recently added Afrikan Feminism and Gender Studies to their roster. They’ve got a really good substack called ‘the ugly truth’ which I recommend to everyone reading this right now; it’s a regular check-in for the latest #cunty #vibechecks according to your very own Professor P. Being a jack of all traits no longer is enough for them – this is their time to master some.
We welcome them to The FRM Newsletter to share what they've been into recently.
🎯 Moving to Tumblr
Twitter makes my brain rot and fills me with unnecessary hatred. Tumblr is silly and brilliant and leaves me feeling positively stimulated and inspired.
🪡🥿 Fashioning an identity
I practically took a year off of buying clothes for the most part and began to understand what I value in clothing in terms of fit, silhouette, texture and what these items can signal. Taking a year off of consumption has helped me conceptualize not only what I like, but what I like for myself because not everything that I like needs to be seen on me.
💿🎧 James Blake
He is probably the only artist who I am not a lukewarm enjoyer of. I found James Blake at a really formative (and emo) time in my life and I turn his discography inside out regularly to make sure there isn't a record I've missed that could possibly change my life. It changes often but my favorite project of his right now is ‘The Bells Sketch EP’ from 2010.
🧼🧸 Little Weirds, by Jenny Slate (2019)
Whimsical, surreal yet painstakingly real, felt like my internal monologue at times.
📹📓 Documentation
I am a digital girl/boy, in a digital world (digital is not of less valuable than film btw). I have invested in a really good Sony camcorder and recently got a new #cunty and pink digicam because my previous one broke whilst moshing at IAMDDB's daisies set. Those two purchases alone have been very worthwhile. I've only recently starting caring about having memories to look back on. I have a substack 'the ugly truth' where I semi-regularly document my thoughts because I am one of my favourite thinkers.
🧅❤️ Raw red onion
!!! It belongs on almost everything.
🎨📷 Favourites
Favourite artists at the moment: Frank Dorrey & Leon Xu
Favourite photographer at the moment: Deana Lawson
Favourite fashion photographer at the moment: Noah Dillon
Absolutely gut wrenching. Literally my biggest fear wrapped in a bow.
🎡🪀 Sweet Surrender
I don't do new years resolutions but rather themes. My themes don't usually start or end on the usual one year cycle. My past theme was 'Use your Words' and that materialized itself both in my artist practice and personal life. My current theme is 'Sweet Surrender'. I live too much in my head and push back when things seem out of my control. This is my vow to quit resisting.
🪅💝