A daughter’s search uncovers the extraordinary artistic legacy of Topo James “Jimmy” Molefhe, igniting a conversation about Botswana’s forgotten creative heritage
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
Inside the Agamotse Centre in Partial, Gaborone, a quiet reclamation is taking place. “Salvaged Works: The Art of Topo James ‘Jimmy’ Molefhe” (1927-2010), honours a multi-talented pioneer—an educator, diplomat, musician, radio broadcaster, miniature train enthusiast and visual artist—whose creative reach spanned five decades. Yet, much of his brilliance nearly faded into obscurity.
A DAUGHTER’S QUEST
His daughter, Wame Molefhe, revealed that 18 artworks now hang on display—pieces she once lived alongside without noticing their weight.
“I didn’t really appreciate them,” she admitted. “But when someone asked about the artist behind the art, I dug deep. I wrote to Tiger Kloof, and Fort Hare University sent me a 54-page dossier on my father.”
With the exhibition also displaying his clothes, letters, walking sticks and classical music tapes from his show For You Alone, Molefhe is finally being seen again.
RESTORING CREATIVE HISTORY
Historian Galefele Molema said the exhibition isn’t just about one artist—it’s a confrontation with erasure. Botswana’s artistic identity, he said, has long been sidelined, lost in absent archives.
“There isn’t a long record of Botswana and the arts,” he noted.
“So, this exhibition represents a little bit of national identity, which is neglected by Botswana, because most of our identity is not what we say we are. It’s what people interpret, and what people see, and how that is presented. So, the artwork in here gives you a picture of what the old man was thinking about back then, and what he was exposed to. And maybe he was longing for a better time, or when he was living in simpler times. Molefhe offers a pivot—a reference point for artists to validate their work.”
His paintings—rich in landscapes, impressionistic touches and still life—reflect a man longing for beauty, and quietly documenting Botswana’s visual soul. The exhibition will be showing until 7 December, 2025.