Drawinghttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/274972024-03-28T19:56:50Z2024-03-28T19:56:50ZAMAHLATHI 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
2022-10-08T00:00:00ZIsikhuni Sibuya NomkhwezeleFilita, Sangohttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/289192022-05-31T11:39:55Z2021-01-01T00:00:00ZIsikhuni Sibuya Nomkhwezele
Filita, Sango
This body of work Isikhuni Sibuya Nomkhwezele, translated as ‘Burning firewood is managed by the one manning the fire’ is triggered by problems emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing some of the socio-political effects of the pandemic in South Africa. It rethinks a visual representation of South Africa over the past two years and raises questions of hierarchy and its implications. The title Isikhuni sibuya nomkhwezele is a Xhosa proverb which directly translates to ‘burning firewood is managed by the one manning the fire’. This can mean that the one manning the fire may have control to provide warmth for others or that they may get burnt by the fire. This title is significant as we make sense of what has happened at a period where a worldwide urgency also highlighted how diffycult times are managed by politicians.
The human element in this body of work is important – depicting those with the authority to decide over others and equally important depicting the dissapointment and doubt held in the faces of South Africans. Unfortunately many lives were lost, people lost their jobs and businesses; resulting in starvation while those priveledged appear to continuly benefit. I experimented with variation in the scale of people to contemplate the uneven demographics. The hardest hit in the country even resorted to looting; an incident that was deliberately miscontrued with the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.
I chose collage and drawing as both mimics the chaotic nature of what the country has been through. Collage also allows me to visually represent how even those seemingly unrelated incidents are connected. The use of colour and variations of techniques in drawing were boths deliberate ly applied to think through the contradictions and tensions of our time.
I am influenced by the art and colour in the drawings of Tommy Motswai, but in contrast to his mostly celebratory images, my body of work offers a critical rethinking. In many ways his work reveals a new country of wealth, dreams of good times and happiness. My drawings have an awareness of a later phase in South Africa, where many citizens are despatrately aware of contradictions and disappointments of leadership. I am also inspired by Asanda Kupa’s work who is specialising more on painting. Kupa’s work highlights notions of togetherness as Kupa often depicts groups and collectives of people all showing up for a common goal, whether it be in protests of injustices, or celebrations of joy. He also focuses on the current issues that we are facing on our everyday lives like recently the whole world was forced to shutdown because of Covid 19. In Asanda Facebook page there are more series of his art expressing how people were trying to survive through out of this, and some of my art creation is also based on that even though we are using different styles. My art works have different stories about one situation more especial when the viewer is paying more attention to those fine details that narrate the story of an artist.
Part of the group exhibition: Uncanny stories (curated by Dr Gwen Miller)
https://arttimes.co.za/at-feature-unisa-uncanny-stories. Follow the link at the to of the record to ARTTIMES for more details.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZEnfoldingMiller, Gwennethhttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/278842021-09-01T19:46:03Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZEnfolding
Miller, Gwenneth
The series of artworks formed part of a project, "Enfolding" that researched memory embedded in folds and layers; captured in sites and objects. Painterly marks and stains express the nature of memory to be detailed at times or blurred at other times. The unifying links with the fold can be found in layers of sediment, strata in rocks and the fading rhythms of structures. The series of ink drawings and oil paintings express an existential lament.
2020-01-01T00:00:00ZAt the foot of the bedMiller, Gwennethhttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/278542021-08-26T11:38:38Z2019-01-01T00:00:00ZAt the foot of the bed
Miller, Gwenneth
The small ink sketch formed part of a larger body of work in the exhibition “Enfolding”. The work simply captures the whirlpool of folded sheets at the foot of the hospital bed. The lines and patterns traced the physical form of sheets that cover a patient, reflecting care. In describing the edges of the sheets with white ink over brown washes, the drawing caresses the form and the woven texture of the cloth. The drawing also seems to be the portrayal of the emotional vortex experienced by people undergoing trauma. Technically it wavers between sold form and loosely searching marks, reflecting the unfinished state of emotion and the restlessness embedded in body and mind when experiencing loss.
More information can be found via the link to the artist's website at the top of this page.
2019-01-01T00:00:00Z