Art and football unite at Exhibition Match Maseru

The 7th edition of the Exhibition Match took place in Maseru, Lesotho, on 12 and 13 December 2024. Celebrating the intersection of art, history, and football, this second edition outside of  South Africa honoured the life and work of Lesotho’s esteemed photographer, Mohlouoa T. Ramakatane (1937–2021).

In collaboration with Maseru-born artist Thato Toeba and her research-driven platform, Lesotho Archives, the edition explored the connection between Lesotho and South Africa through artistic and cultural narratives. Drawing inspiration from Ramakatane’s extensive archive, Toeba’s contribution bridged historical documentation with contemporary art practice, offering a profound reflection on shared heritage.

Members of the media and public were invited to attend the following events:

• Art Installation: Toeba’s artwork, inspired by Ramakatane’s archive, was displayed at the Sefika Complex along Moshoeshoe Road in Maseru. The installation was launched on Thursday, 12 December 2024 and will remain open for viewing until Janurary 12th, 2025.
• Football Match: On Friday, 13 December 2024, a five-a-side football match was held at Kick4Life, a football club dedicated to social change. Participants included artists, curators, collectors, and creatives, uniting in a celebration of sportsmanship and community. Players wore kits designed by Toeba, featuring black, red, and white as a tribute to Orlando Pirates—where Ramakatane once played—and his South African connections.

About Exhibition Match: 

Founded by Phokeng Setai and Alexander Richards, Exhibition Match merges the vibrance of football with the expressive power of contemporary art. Previous editions in Cape Town and  Johannesburg, South Africa and Dakar Senegal have explored themes such as sensory depth and performance art, redefining how communities engage with both disciplines. 

This edition of Exhibition Match is made possible through the support of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Institut français in Paris and Alliance Française de Maseru. Additional support comes from Kick4Life, a Maseru-based organisation that uses the power of football to drive social change and promote sustainable development amongst young people. 

Co-founder of Exhibition Match, Phokeng Setai said:

With each iteration of Exhibition Match our aim is to explore the intersections of art and football as powerful forces for storytelling, shared creativity, and community-building. With Thato Toeba’s vision shaping the play and Ramakatane’s legacy inspiring the sidelines, Maseru offers a fitting stage to deepen our shared stories and reimagine what community can mean.

For Elisabeth Douillet, Director of the Alliance Franꞔaise de Maseru:

Exhibition Match [was] a remarkable opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural ties between Lesotho and South Africa through the universal languages of art and football.

About the artist: 

Thato Toeba (b. 1990, Maseru, Lesotho), a resident artist at Rijksakademie in The Netherlands, integrates historical archives and architectural spaces into her installations and collages. Her work critically examines power dynamics and colonial legacies in the Global South. Toeba’s exhibitions include Tools for Conviviality (Kunstinstituut Melly, Rotterdam, 2024) and Propelling Otherness (Morija Museum, Maseru, 2021). 

Honoring a cultural icon: 

Mohlouoa T. Ramakatane (1937–2021) is celebrated as Lesotho’s foremost portrait photographer and a chronicler of its social history. His storied career includes documenting key moments in South Africa’s history, such as the Sharpeville massacre, and running the iconic City Centre Studios in Maseru. Ramakatane’s legacy as an artist, activist, and visual historian continues to inspire across generations.