The Brave Ones is a series of portraits - often, group portraits - of young men from the Shembe Church group during their annual pilgrimage to the sacred mountain Nhlangakazi in KwaZulu-Natal. Although the history of the group and its rituals is fascinating in itself, Mthethwa's interest lies rather in the peculiar costumes of the gathering, specifically the men. The portraits, set in the greenery of the KwaZulu-Natal landscape, depict boys of various ages wearing bizarre combinations of Western garb appropriated from various traditions and cultures.
Of this series, Mthethwa has said: "I am not interested in the church per se. For me the young men were just amazing because of the clash of identities. Where does the bow tie come from? Why are they wearing the bow tie during the day? Why do their shirts look like women's blouses with frills? Where do the pith helmets fit in - do they still signify a soldier's uniform? It's fascinating."
The setting of the portraits, the verdant scenery of KwaZulu-Natal, is significant. Firstly, it is the home landscape of Mthethwa, a Zulu. Secondly, the rich colour and texture play up the influence of Mthethwa's history of painting on his photography.
The influence of painting is also seen in The End of an Era, an exercise in "still life" photography set in Johannesburg's hostels for migrant male labourers. These photographs depict empty interiors that seize one's preconceived ideas of what the rooms in a men's hostel might look like. Unexpectedly, these spaces are not messy, masculine cells, but neat, clean and highly domesticised spaces, along with floral print and innovative cooking solutions.
The End of an Era also addresses the ongoing issue of housing in South Africa. Many of the hostels in which the photographs were shot - places that have a loaded significance in the history of the country - are in the process of being dismantled, to be replaced by improved, government-subsidised apartment blocks.
