As a Setswana proverb that is twisted, originally meaning "Ha olle Madi olla metsi" (You cry blood not water) its is usually used to mock you when you cry as a child to stop you from crying.

This is a representation of a men in a vulnerable state that is never portrayed in society, like the term this is the opposite of what we deem as normal. The two men are very comfortable with each other and expressing their emotions freely around each other without shame in a way that men in our society normally don’t do.

The use of blood instead of water is to represent all the deeper negative emotions most men hold inside of them such as anger, hate, sadness, anxiety and depression. In this photograph all those
emotions are being let out through crying and hugging. It also represented the sharing of pain which is caused by the hugging and comfort the two men are giving each other,

The water represents purity and a sacred place of cleansing. These men are being cleansed from the pressure patriarchy forces on to them. If most men would cry, they would cry a river due to the boiled up emotions inside they never show.

The term "Ha olle Madi olla metsi" - "you don't cry blood but water” - is a term fuelled by patriarchy. Men are always told they shouldn't cry because it's a feminine thing to do in my culture and most cultures. This artwork is meant to encourage all men to break away from traditional definitions of men and be comfortable with their emotions, that’s why the term is twisted, to break away from the norm.

The warm /sunrise tone is used to show optimism that the future generation of men will be less violent and express their emotions freely.