At the intersection of visual art and the written word we find Stockholm-based writer, poet, and playwright Meron Mangasha. We sat down to delve into his creative process and get a deeper understanding of his approach to the art scene.

How do you normally go from your initial idea to final execution?

It often begins with a simple organization of thoughts that I jot down in a notepad or on my phone. It's like opening a door that never closes, and ideas continually pass through. Sometimes, it starts with a straightforward broadcast or an idea that I record in my notepad or on my phone. Eventually, it transforms into an idea for a poem or a story. It always originates from the same place—at its core, it's the same every time.

Can you tell me about some of your challenges when embarking on your creative journey?

I believe the biggest challenge for a person who writes is not writing at all. Sometimes, writer’s block occurs, and you get stuck; it’s difficult to get thoughts down on paper. That's the biggest challenge for me.

What are your future aspirations with your craft?

I think it involves creating a collection of poems and writing a script for a feature film that hopefully gets developed and presented to the audience.

What made you want to be apart of afripedia.art?

It’s an important platform. And to be honest, something that’s long overdue and I feel honored to be a part of it.

Are there any observations about the art world you have made along your journey?

Yeah, that can be pretty closed and elitist. I believe in having some sort of standard, of course, but that seal of quality is needless to say subjective. But hey, I’m no expert. There are a lot of scenes and that’s great.

What do you think the future of art looks like?

Hard to say but I’m guessing, like all creative expressions, the definition of what art is - what it looks and feels like will evolve. Young people pushing things forward in a fearless and nonconforming way is always exciting. I look forward to it - whatever it is.