Twitter roasts ‘Rasta’ portrait artist for his creative take on ProKid

Portrait artist Lebani ‘Ras’ Sirenje is something of a staple on Twitter.

After Winnie Mandela-Mandela passed away, a portrait the artist did of the late struggle icon had people on Twitter taking Sirenje to task, with people saying it looked nothing like the “mother of the nation”.

Not one to ignore criticism, Sirenje redid the portrait, with the second looking much more like its subject.

Now the artist, known for doing his most notable work at funerals and memorial services, is the subject of social media derision once again, as a portrait of Linda ‘ProKid’ Mkhize was called out for not looking enough like the late rapper.

One user suggested the portrait looks more like former Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete.

https://twitter.com/luyatsha_flames/status/1030092848862044161

Poet Ntsiki Mazwai posted a series of his portraits with angry and laughing emojis.

KWANELE 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😂 pic.twitter.com/0yoUKxqx3L

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) August 17, 2018

Perhaps the artist will ‘fix’ ProKid as he did Madikizela-Mandela. Below you can see his second attempt at her likeness.

RT @ZikhonaTshona: Ras says he fixed the painting… #WinnieMandela #MamaWinnie #RIPWinnieMadikizelaMandela pic.twitter.com/MdrQdGfutI

— eNCA (@eNCA) April 10, 2018

Whether or not ‘Ras’ takes a second stab at painting ProKid, the people of Twitter were their usual unforgiving selves.

My man @DJFreshSA claim this painting meant for Prokid pic.twitter.com/e4EUY7IRo6

— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) August 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/Hloni__M/status/1030073766292987904

They must just ban painting of dead people pic.twitter.com/yIxeoQP5Ew

— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) August 16, 2018

The artist’s work sparked much debate in The Citizen newsroom, with some saying it is not that bad, and that he should be treated with kindness, and others saying Sirenje deserves the Twitter backlash.

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