Unisa Creative Outputshttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/273292024-03-29T00:04:15Z2024-03-29T00:04:15ZSong of the philosopherDreyer, Elfriedehttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/309572024-03-28T14:06:30Z2023-01-01T00:00:00ZSong of the philosopher
Dreyer, Elfriede
The "Song of the philosopher" research project (2023) entailed 28 artworks and three solo exhibitions: A solo in the Western Cape at Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville (11 March - 5 April 2023); a solo at Latuvu Gallery, Bages, France (25 May - 9 July 2023); and a solo at Trent Gallery, Pretoria (19 August - 2 September 2023). Respectively entitled "Lied van die filosoof"; "La chanson du philosophe"; and "Song of the philosopher" – produced in French, Afrikaans and English – they are similar in content. I was an invited artist at all three venues. The exhibitions included a printed and online exhibition catalogue; walkabouts; an international press review; an essay by Prof Stella Viljoen of Stellenbosch University; and a seminar presentation in French.
The metonymic relationship between word and image was problematised in this project that falls within the theoretical ambit of semiotics and hermeneutics. Already argued by Horace (19 BCE) in his Ars Poetica, the interconnectivity of word and image cannot be reduced to total similarity (ut pictura poesis) or total difference (paragone). The research objective of the project was to investigate this complex relationship in which word and image complement each other while being connected through the idea. Hermeneutically such interdisciplinary relationships create new meaning in the amalgam.
Each of the 28 artworks that were produced was accompanied by text dealing with ideas that range from 400 BCE to current writings. Such textual musings were then creatively transmuted to artworks. Philosophical constructions on identity (for instance in the work (M)Other); character of the world (in Uthiopia, Ships of Neurath); the cyborg (in Robot); the Anthropocene (in Anthropocene 1-4); people’s relationship with nature (in Rhizome) digital environments (in Zoo city 1-3); genetics; and memory (in Forgotten 1,2 and Aftermath/Sunset); and knowledge (in Plato’s cave) were problematised in terms of their commentary on existential being, the world, evolution and technological transmutation.
My rhetorical methodology departed from the word as the unit of reference in the search for resemblances. Creatively the process entails “a flood of representations, straddled ravines, ruptures, discontinuities, … unnatural leaps and … unnecessary entities” (Didi-Huberman, G. 2016. Glimpses. Between Appearance and Disappearance. Zeitschrift Fuer Medien Und Kulturforschung (7):109-124). Didi-Huberman (2016:112) further argues that an image is a vehicle of non-knowledge, which is something to be imagined, thought or written. A deconstructive creative process happened through departure from the original, then deviating and applying my own frame of reference. New figurative expressions grew out of the metaphors created by language. Physical media intermingled with digital media, supplementing and erasing each other.
This series of work follows on my previous explorations of time, place and world construction, but in the new works I chose to follow an alchemical aesthetic. Methodologically the process echoes the mingling of ideas latently embedded in metaphor and the distillation of a flow of meaning between word and image. The alchemical methodology used in concept, media and process extends the interconnectivity of word and image to notions of fermentation, refinement and conjunction. My colour scheme was related to the alchemical stadia in the transmutation of the prima materia to the philosopher’s stone of wisdom, the stadia being nigredo (melanosis) - black; albedo (leucosis) – white; citrinitas (xanthosis) – yellow/gold; and rubedo (iosis) – red. Nuances of alchemical grey and metal were used (as in Song of the Philosopher 1, 2) in reference to the seven planetary metals in alchemy – iron, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and copper – each of which refers to a planet as well as a human organ. Alchemical phosphorous green represents light and spirit, but in association it could also be read as representing utopian ideas of a good place. Where a nocturnal palette was used it referred to the darkness of primal chaos, but also to the dusk of the subconscious.
In the context of visual arts production this research project produced new knowledge in semiotic and hermeneutic perspective through positing the hypothesis that the interconnection of idea and image enriches the purely theoretical comment on truth, wisdom and insight about humans’ relationship to their surroundings and other beings. It was demonstrated that the integration of text and visual image has a communicative power that neither text nor image singularly possesses.
The Song of the philosopher research project (2023) entailed 28 artworks and three solo exhibitions: A solo in the Western Cape at Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville (11 March - 5 April 2023); a solo at Latuvu Gallery, Bages, France (25 May - 9 July 2023); and a solo at Trent Gallery, Pretoria (19 August - 2 September 2023). Respectively entitled Lied van die filosoof; La chanson du philosophe; and Song of the philosopher – produced in French, Afrikaans and English – they are similar in content. I was an invited artist at all three venues. The exhibitions included a printed and online exhibition catalogue; walkabouts; an international press review; an essay by Prof Stella Viljoen of Stellenbosch University; and a seminar presentation in French.
The metonymic relationship between word and image was problematised in this project that falls within the theoretical ambit of semiotics and hermeneutics. Already argued by Horace (19 BCE) in his "Ars Poetica", the interconnectivity of word and image cannot be reduced to total similarity ("ut pictura poesis") or total difference ("paragone"). The research objective of the project was to investigate this complex relationship in which word and image complement each other while being connected through the idea. Hermeneutically such interdisciplinary relationships create new meaning in the amalgam.
Each of the 28 artworks that were produced for the three solo exhibitions was accompanied by text dealing with ideas that range from 400 BCE to current writings. Such textual musings were then creatively transmuted to artworks. Philosophical constructions on identity (for instance in the work "(M)Other"); character of the world (in "Uthiopia", "Ships of Neurath"); the cyborg (in "Robot"); the Anthropocene (in "Anthropocene" 1-4); people’s relationship with nature (in "Rhizome") digital environments (in "Zoo city" 1-3); genetics; and memory (in "Forgotten" 1,2 and "Aftermath/Sunset"); and knowledge (in "Plato’s cave") were problematised in terms of their comment on existential being, the world, evolution and technological transmutation.
My rhetorical methodology of applying metaphor departed from the word as the unit of reference in the search for resemblances. Creatively the process entails “a flood of representations, straddled ravines, ruptures, discontinuities, … unnatural leaps and … unnecessary entities” (Didi-Huberman, G. 2016. Glimpses. Between Appearance and Disappearance. "Zeitschrift Fuer Medien Und Kulturforschung" (7):109-124). Didi-Huberman (2016:112) further argues that an image is a vehicle of non-knowledge, which is something to be imagined, thought or written. A deconstructive creative process happened through departure from the original, then deviating and applying my own frame of reference. New figurative expressions grew out of the metaphors created by language. Physical media intermingled with digital media, supplementing and erasing each other.
This series of work follows on my previous explorations of time, place and world construction, but in the new works I chose to follow an alchemical aesthetic. Methodologically the process echoes the mingling of ideas latently embedded in metaphor and the distillation of a flow of meaning between word and image. The alchemical methodology used in concept, media and process extends the interconnectivity of word and image to notions of fermentation, refinement and conjunction. My colour scheme was related to the alchemical stadia in the transmutation of the "prima materia" to the philosopher’s stone of wisdom, the stadia being "nigredo" (melanosis) - black; "albedo" (leucosis) – white; "citrinitas" (xanthosis) – yellow/gold; and "rubedo" (iosis) – red. Nuances of alchemical grey and metal were used (as in "Song of the Philosopher "1, 2) in reference to the seven planetary metals in alchemy – iron, lead, tin, silver, gold, mercury and copper – each of which refers to a planet as well as a human organ. Alchemical phosphorous green represents light and spirit, but in association it could also be read as representing utopian ideas of a good place. Where a nocturnal palette was used it referred to the darkness of primal chaos, but also to the dusk of the subconscious.
In the context of visual arts production this research project produced new knowledge in semiotic and hermeneutic perspective through positing the hypothesis that the interconnection of idea and image enriches the purely theoretical comment on truth, wisdom and insight about humans’ relationship to their surroundings and other beings. It was demonstrated that the integration of text and visual image has a communicative power that neither text nor image singularly possesses.
The Song of the philosopher research project (2023) entailed three solo exhibitions with a similar research theme: A solo in the Western Cape at Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Durbanville (11 March - 5 April 2023); a solo at Latuvu Gallery, Bages, France (25 May - 9 July 2023); and a solo at Trent Gallery, Pretoria (19 August - 2 September 2023). I was an invited artist at all three venues. The exhibitions included a printed and online exhibition catalogue; several walkabouts; an international review; an essay by a colleague; and a seminar presentation. The catalogue and texts were produced in three languages: French, Afrikaans and English: La chanson du philosophe; Lied van die filosoof; and Song of the philosopher. The metonymic relationship between word and image was problematised in this project that falls within the theoretical ambit of semiotics and hermeneutics. The research objective of the project was to investigate this complex relationship in which word and image complement each other while being connected through the idea. My rhetorical methodology of applying metaphor departed from the word as the unit of reference in the search for resemblances. A deconstructive creative process happened through departure from the original, then deviating and applying my own frame of reference. An alchemical process was used that echoes the mingling of ideas latently embedded in metaphor and the distillation of a flow of meaning between word and image.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZAMAHLATHI APHELILEFilita, Sangohttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/309202024-03-06T10:25:23Z2022-10-08T00:00:00ZAMAHLATHI APHELILE
Filita, Sango
This body of work is inspired by how commemoration addresses some of the changes and developments after democracy in South Africa. My work portrays a visual representation of South African heroes who are now commemorated and blamed for their impact on the South African Freedom. The title “Amahlathi aphelile” is an isiXhosa phrase that means the forests are gone, or the forests are exhausted. In the specific cultural context this expression means that the truth is out. My art frames the problem of how we can move forward as a country without blaming others for their roles in our troubled history. The decline of our Xhoxa people started from Nongqawuse’s prophecy about the cow killings during the arrival of the Western people. The Eastern Cape province was suffering until the late Tata Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela become the first president to liberate the country. After Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, who is also from Eastern Cape, strove to upheld values but had little time to uplift his beloved Eastern Cape. Today it is one of the poorer provinces of the country, being left behind when it comes to social services. As an Eastern Cape born and breed young man, I have experienced some of these challenges. My objective with this visual research was to emphasise the history of the Eastern Cape heroes and heroines who played their role to gain freedom, and I aimed to visually rethink these values that we seem to have forgotten. Whilst the 1994 election symbolised the moral and intellectual leadership of South Africa, the current hegemony of the ANC shifted the power for their own benefits. My exhibition aimed to creatively reflect on these dominant tones of the rise and fall of power assumptions. My method of working is to observe and compare the human element, mostly depicting those with the authority. My art contemplate how they decide over others, and I also depict the disappointment and doubt, held in the faces of my compatriots. My surface of choice is black paper as it holds an emotional gravity, suggesting some of the weighty issues that we commemorate only to benefit a few. My concept is to visually represent the lives of Xhosa people and connect seemingly unrelated incidents. My research also analyses misconstrued narratives to bring justice to those who suffer, both well-known persons such as Nongqawuse, Chris Hani and Enoch Mgijima, and unknown people. This body of work fits into the scholarly framework of commemorative discourse. For example, in my work “The new Nongqawuse”, I try to bring in the tension of commemorating and blaming in a visual language that strive to express ambiguity. My work addresses people with both flaws and strengths such as Cyril Ramaphosa who was seen a saviour but is now regarded by many as an embezzler of funds. I see my work as a contribution to commemorative art that speak about leaders not only as heroes but as ordinary flawed human beings. For example, in one of my works, “If it was you what were you going to do”, the title demands this shift of mind from the viewer. The exhibition reached the public on various platforms such as Press release on SA ART TIMES of October 2022 published on 30th September, and the catalogue “Looking into… and seeing beyond” designed by Dr Ania Krajewska (2022). There was also a walkabout with academics and public at the Unisa Art gallery with lively discussions. My work was furthermore captured on the Unisa Institutional Repository for research purposes
This was a staff exhibition
2022-10-08T00:00:00ZShaka Inkosi YamaKhosiBombo, Ndabuzekwayohttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/304562023-08-28T11:48:14Z2022-08-01T00:00:00ZShaka Inkosi YamaKhosi
Bombo, Ndabuzekwayo
Shaka Inkosi yamaKhosi is a short animation film that is set on the narrative of uShaka ka Senzangakhona – the ruler of the Zulu kingdom/nation. A short synopsis is presented below before a full description of the work ispresented.
A young meek boy, Manzini is bullied by three boys on his way back from school in an incident that almost costs him his life. Manzini confesses to his Gogo his desire to quit school. His Gogo narrates a profound tale of resilience evoking the coming-of-age story of a great King, Shaka Zulu, to inspire her grandson through the strength of his lineage. Transporting viewers to the 1700s in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal, Queen Nandi gives birth to uShaka who was illegitimately fathered by Senzangakhona Ka Jama a prince of the Jama tribe. We follow the grooming of uShaka into a conqueror and influential King of the Zulu kingdom/nation. Composing the score for this short film was an interesting but challenging project where the emotion and tone of the picture were influenced and informed by the score (music). This project sought to use amahubo akwaZulu and some indigenous Nguni instruments as the foundation of the score.
The instruments I speak of are uGubhu which I sampled recordings of Princess Magogo ka Dinizulu in one of the scenes as a commemoration of the Princess because she was a musician herself and has strong ties with the Zulu lineage.This was one of the most difficult task because of many factors like the caliber of the instrument’s temperament, it neither 440 nor it is 442. I figured out that voicing plays a big role in hiding those imperfections within a chord or a progression. Open Fifths in the lower instruments such as double basses and Cellos accommodate the tuning differences all of these instruments have. The other challenge was the meter; the way she played her instrument was rubato but with a strong sense of structure, and with that, I was confident that there was some meter, which in this case ended up being 5/4 or 15/8. You can listen to this section at 05:54.
The music score featured my original compositions and my arrangements/orchestration of traditional Zulu themes that were either sung before, during, or after the war (War cries), nursery rhymes from the Zulu culture, and a composition by King Shaka Zulu himself. My primary duty as the composer and arranger was to orchestrate all the above-mentioned music whilst preserving the authenticity of these themes. This was a strong effort towards contributing to decolonial projects that are emerging and the eminent 4IR since this project used animation as the medium. Animation availed the opportunity to introduce these indigenous themes to the younger generation who as per our prediction will be the consumers of this project and future custodians of this African heritage. Due to the lack of accessibility of these themes, this was a rare opportunity for me to be deliberate in making sure that these themes are at the forefront of the orchestration. One of the other interesting encounters I had while writing this score was how most of our themes do not have equal numbers of bars like the one featured at min 09:53 which is a call and response theme, the structure of the theme is 3+2+4+2 and the last 2 comes from the caller which I decided to also write in 5/4 and was divided in 3+2, This meant that the melody will shift within the bar line for 13 cycles before it goes back to 1. The narrative of the short film is told in juxtaposition between the past and present and the decision came from the music suggesting those undertones due to implementing modern instruments to these almost forgotten themes.
2022-08-01T00:00:00ZQueen Nandi: The African symphonyBombo, NdabuzekwayoBombo, Ndabuzekwayohttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/304542023-08-28T11:15:00Z2020-08-01T00:00:00ZQueen Nandi: The African symphony
Bombo, Ndabuzekwayo; Bombo, Ndabuzekwayo
Ndabo Zulu and Umgidi Ensemble, is aimed at enabling the necessary inclusion of Nguni traditional themes/songs
to an existing hybrid orchestration and the ability to create a sonic space for these themes, which helped in
documenting the music and the history that comes with it. And thus, expectantly attract more reciters/poets of
these themes. The project is also aimed at eradicating the fast rate at which the Nguni poets are growing extinct
due to the lack of any accurate inclusion system of these poets in modern orchestrations. Folk musicians carry with
them a wealth of information and knowledge, yet there are still no clear set ways to preserve the history in their
compositions or document their melodies accurately.
The Umgidi Ensemble project sought to explore the notion of creating a space for indigenous themes and the poets
that recite them. This was greatly beneficial when orchestrating for this ensemble as these folk musicians
contributed to and became a part of this ensemble. I attempted writing for bow instruments, but it proved challenging to find professional musicians who play these instruments well and understand conventional music notation. Furthermore, there are limitations to conventional music notation when writing for African indigenous instruments or instrumentalists to perform at their optimum level. This observation is from past experiences as a practitioner and a scholar. Eastern indigenous music has always incorporated microtones, but it is still foreign terrain for most practitioners. This phenomenon is influenced by the fact that most western composers do not have these microtones in their repertoire which then creates a lack of awareness for practitioners who are students of western structured curricula. Likewise with African indigenous music, my project seeks to argue that the universal music notation systems (staff notation, tonic solfa) do not afford space of expression for African indigenous instruments/music. Umgidi Ensemble is a musical demonstration of how we can imagine sonic conversations of certain Nguni indigenous instruments and Western conventional instruments. The term ‘Umgidi’ is a Nguni term used for celebratory festivities, ranging from; an initiation of a girl or boy, a wedding ceremony, a thanksgiving event, or celebratory event that has a public invitation and a communal involvement. During all the above-mentioned events there would be a feast for the whole community or village. The feast includes the drinking of traditional beverages and quite central to the celebration is dancing, singing, and playing various musical instruments. Although Agawu might be speaking from a west African perspective – it is worth noting that ‘umgidi’ as a concept is also evident in other cultural articulations throughout the continent. Agawu notes the following: Africans are taught to be cheerful people: Cheerfulness was divided into ten parts; blacks got nine parts, the rest of humanity one. From here it is but a short step to the association of cheerfulness with merrymaking, itself inevitably accompanied by music and dance (2014: 4). As a means of evoking the “umgidi” musical practices, the project aimed at creating an ensemble which explored various instrumentations, sounds, and concepts towards a construction of what could be a possibility of a Nguni music ‘orchestration’. We have seen, heard and recorded these instruments in ensembles with conventional instruments in projects such as Power to the Women (2005), ‘Bafazi Dub’, Mvimbeni (2016) on ‘Modokali’. The focus of this project was a technical and theoretical one, this is to say; I will continue to be writing music for multiple instrumentations towards alternative modes theorizing and writing for indigenous music. Quite central to this project was the recording which seeks to demonstrate the communal outlooks to Nguni performance. This is to say that there is a level of totality embedded in how most African cultures view music as part of dance, dance as part of poetry. These two aspects have always been codependent in the Nguni tradition and in African tradition, Agawu notes: ‘To say in the beginning dance and music were together, like left and right, man and wife, or front and back, is not to exaggerate’ (Agawu, 2014: 73). Umgidi is a project that still needs more research and will go on for more years because I think it is important for the musical movement in South Africa.
For more information about the compositions see links at the top the page.
2020-08-01T00:00:00Z