Artwork

Inkunzi isematholeni

2023 Competition entry

Detail
Tags

Thamsanga Michael Mfuphi

Details:
Signed
Acrylic, fabric and paper
100cm x 130 cm
Description:
In this body of work, I question human conditions, looking at how our upbringing has so much impact on our future. We can never rewrite history, but it is upon us how we can use it to our benefit. My focus is on kids, and the youth because I believe we are the ones who can bring about change in our home situations, help our families escape from poverty and other struggles that they encounter and lastly, we are the ones who can make this world a better place. The Future is in our hands, the future has been in the hands of the youth for the longest time.

This work is titled "Inkunzi isematholeni" which figuratively translates to "the leaders of tomorrow come from the youth of today. The inspiration for this work comes from the struggle that I experienced growing up in rural areas, with nothing but dreams. Through immense portrait, and the background landscape, I question not only the situation of South Africans but also of Africans in general and how we tend to be prisoners of our own riches. In this work, I found different types of prison blankets also known as Mdonkana blankets in place of canvas, clothing pegs, and a combination of cow dung and acrylic paint.

The rawness of these materials serves as a metaphor for Struggle, they represent someone being born in a dark situation, feeling like a prisoner in their circumstances, and having to create light and optimism in their lives.

The application of cow dung in this work as a medium portrays who I am and where I am coming from. My love or enjoyment for cow dung commenced when I was young, were I used to help my Grandmother carry cow dung from isibaya (the kraal) for plastering walls and floors as it is known to be a scent that attracts abaphansi (ancestors) and also an herbal medicine from Different leaves and plants. With that being said, the application of cow dung in my work represents our ancestors, Mothers and Grandmothers from the village who are working hard, as well as farmers. The Pegs used to pin clothes, to make sure that when the winds occur, they do not carry the clothes away. Despite how strong the winds are; they are meant to keep them intact. Even when it rains, they meant to do that until the clothes dry off. Which is their purpose in this work, they are a metaphor for HOPE. They are a symbol that no matter how rough the winds are in life…HOPE must never be lost because eventually, it will stop…Even in calm winds and instead, it rains….and your life (clothes) gets together(wetter), eventually all will cease to pass because every storm runs out of the rain at some point. At that point your clothes will be dry and just like a farmer it will be time to harvest.

Acrylic Fabric Paint Cow dung

Inkunzi isematholeni 4

Detail
Tags

Thamsanga Michael Mfuphi

Details:
Signed
Acrylic, fabric and paper
100cm x 130 cm

Description:
In this body of work, I question human conditions, looking at how our upbringing has so much impact on our future. We can never rewrite history, but it is upon us how we can use it to our benefit. My focus is on kids, and the youth because I believe we are the ones who can bring about change in our home situations, help our families escape from poverty and other struggles that they encounter and lastly, we are the ones who can make this world a better place. The Future is in our hands, the future has been in the hands of the youth for the longest time.

This work is titled "Inkunzi isematholeni" which figuratively translates to "the leaders of tomorrow come from the youth of today. The inspiration for this work comes from the struggle that I experienced growing up in rural areas, with nothing but dreams. Through immense portrait, and the background landscape, I question not only the situation of South Africans but also of Africans in general and how we tend to be prisoners of our own riches. In this work, I found different types of prison blankets also known as Mdonkana blankets in place of canvas, clothing pegs, and a combination of cow dung and acrylic paint.

The rawness of these materials serves as a metaphor for Struggle, they represent someone being born in a dark situation, feeling like a prisoner in their circumstances, and having to create light and optimism in their lives.

The application of cow dung in this work as a medium portrays who I am and where I am coming from. My love or enjoyment for cow dung commenced when I was young, were I used to help my Grandmother carry cow dung from isibaya (the kraal) for plastering walls and floors as it is known to be a scent that attracts abaphansi (ancestors) and also an herbal medicine from Different leaves and plants. With that being said, the application of cow dung in my work represents our ancestors, Mothers and Grandmothers from the village who are working hard, as well as farmers. The Pegs used to pin clothes, to make sure that when the winds occur, they do not carry the clothes away. Despite how strong the winds are; they are meant to keep them intact. Even when it rains, they meant to do that until the clothes dry off. Which is their purpose in this work, they are a metaphor for HOPE. They are a symbol that no matter how rough the winds are in life…HOPE must never be lost because eventually, it will stop…Even in calm winds and instead, it rains….and your life (clothes) gets together(wetter), eventually all will cease to pass because every storm runs out of the rain at some point. At that point your clothes will be dry and just like a farmer it will be time to harvest.

Acrylic Fabric Paint Cow dung