I met Mary Sibanda’s work during an exhibit at the SMAC Gallery, The Palms, in Woodstock Cape Town. As a Nguni Child, the narration of her work, the imagery & the concepts were familiar yet challenging to the eye. At first glance I was stricken by the image of a domestic worker, dressed in a Victorian gown.
My paternal grandmother, uGogo Themba, was also a helper who retired post 2010 & I always imagined how they must have looked up to the white women they served. These set of images/sculpture’s makes them the focus with a clear dash of royalty which is conversational.
She’s crocheting Superman’s shirt which is such a subliminal message on the labor of black women, on her super hero status, and how often our contribution to the development of societies is often overlooked.
The idea of a black women soldier leading a group of black women soldiers on horses, looked classic & futuristic at the same time. The sculpture’s make a black woman the Centre of leadership during wartimes, which is a very prevalent trait about Nguni women of the past. The story of black women leaders is always an additional story to that of the men so putting them in the forefront was interesting. The women are also very plump which is an interesting perspective from the artist.
The red lady with her dogs on an eternal leash was such a gripping visual. The whole room was filled with this beautiful lady’s red fiery personality, grip & reach. I had to sit down to digest. It was like nothing I had seen before really. All her pieces challenged my eye.
Read More ..
