[MATRIC] Contemporary South African Art (Credit to Marley) Flashcards
Question 5 of the exam. 5 Examples (22 cards)
For what movement and in what year was ‘Chandelier’ created? By who?
‘Chandelier’ was made by Steven Cohen in 2001 and is part of contemporary South African Art
Describe ‘Chandelier’ by Steven Cohen
A performance artwork around evicted squatters in a demolished area in an elaborate costume
What themes does Steven Cohen explore in ‘Chandelier’?
Displacement, privilage, queer identity and visibility, and the use of the body as a political tool.
- The absurdity of his work forces us
to confront aspects of reality that many people often don’t want to see.
How does Steven Cohen use his costume in ‘Chandelier’?
PRIVILEGE AND DISPLACEMENT:
By placing his ornate, absurdly luxurious figure in a destroyed squatter camp, Cohen juxtaposes privilege against poverty, highlighting the glaring inequality in a post-apartheid era South African society
QUEER IDENTITY AND VISIBILITY:
- Cohen, a queer Jewish South African, often uses his body to explore gender, sexuality, and marginalization.
- Challenging heteronormativity and binary gender norms.
The work reclaims space for queer identity in historically unwelcoming or unsafe public areas.
For what movement and in what year was ‘The Reign’ created? By who?
‘The Reign’ was made by Mary Sibande in 2009 and is part of contemporary South African Art
Describe ‘The Reign’ by Mary Sibande
A life-sized fibreglass figure of Sibande’s alter ego, Sophie, who appears in a dramatic, royal blue and purple Victorian-style dress with military detailing and flared sleeves
What do the colours in ‘The Reign’ represent?
The deep purple and blue costume references royalty, power, and spiritual transformation, reclaiming space historically denied to Black women in South Africa
What is the significance of the dress in ‘The Reign’?
Clothing is central in all of Sibande’s work.
- In ‘The Reign’, the dress layers political and historical themes.
- Sophie’s military pose adds an element of resistance and strength.
- Victorian silhouettes reference colonial history, but are subverted as the servant’s apron becomes a queen’s garment.
For what movement and in what year was ‘OF BIRDS AND TREES AND
FLOWERS AND BEES’ created? By who?
‘OF BIRDS AND TREES AND
FLOWERS AND BEES’ was made by Thani Petersen in 2019 and is part of contemporary South African Art
Describe ‘OF BIRDS AND TREES AND
FLOWERS AND BEES’ by Thani Petersen
An intricately designed Islamic prayer mat with a black ink gradient coming from the bottom
What does the prayer mat in ‘OF BIRDS AND TREES AND FLOWERS AND BEES’ represent?
As a South African Muslim woman of Cape Malay heritage, Petersen’s work challenges the marginalisation of Islamic identities in postcolonial narratives
Reasserts the visibility and validity of Muslim presence while also representing cultural defiance of Western secular assumptions in the art world
What idea is conveyed by the black coming from the bottom of the prayer mat in ‘OF BIRDS AND TREES AND FLOWERS AND BEES’?
The black ink represents the violence, erasure, and distortion of history caused by colonialism and forced displacement.
It stains the beauty, showing how historical trauma still marks even the most carefully preserved traditions.
For what movement and in what year was ‘Bester 1, Mayotte’ created? By who?
‘Bester 1, Mayotte’ was made by Zanele Muholi in 2015 and is part of contemporary South African Art
Describe ‘Bester 1, Mayotte’ by Zanele Muholi
A black-and-white photographic self-portrait of Zanele Muholi, who appears adorned in a costume made of clothing pegs
What does Muholi’s use of colour contrast contribute to ‘Bester 1, Mayotte’?
The intense contrast emphasises the darkness of their skin, challenging Western and colonial beauty standards that have historically devalued Blackness
What is the symbolism behind clothing pegs in ‘Bester 1, Mayotte’?
The clothing pegs worn as part of the headpiece or costume carry rich symbolic meaning, especially in the context of labour, identity, and resistance
What is another core theme in ‘Bester 1, Mayotte’?
As a Black queer South African visual activist, Muholi’s self-portrait challenges heteronormative, colonial, and patriarchal narratives. The image asserts presence and dignity, refusing the marginalization of queer bodies.
For what movement and in what year was ‘Emabutfo’ created? By who?
‘Emabutfo’ was made by Nandipha Mntambo in 2009 and is part of contemporary South African Art
Describe ‘Emabutfo’ by Nandipha Mntambo
A group of female torsos, suspended in formation, made out of treated and tanned cow skins
What is significant about Mntambo’s use of cow skins in her work, ‘Emabutfo’
- Cowhide is moulded on Mntambo’s own body, blurring the line between human and animal
- Traditionally, cowhide is associated with masculinity, strength, and rural labour in African contexts, but is reclaimed to express female strength and presence
- Cowhide is a material deeply tied to African traditions, especially in ceremonies, clothing, and status, connecting her contemporary work to ancestral history and Zulu customs
- It reminds the viewer that skin is both protection and vulnerability, linking to themes of mortality and the fragility of identity
How does the title, ‘Emabutfo’, relate to the themes of the artwork?
“Emabutfo” is an isiZulu word meaning “regiments” or “warriors,” referencing traditional Zulu military formations. The title evokes themes of power, collective identity, masculinity, and cultural memory
The masculine traits associated with the word “Emabutfo” are subverted by the use of the female figure
How does Nandipha Mntambo utilise texture and form in her artwork, ‘Emabutfo’?
The texture of the treated skins is rough and organic. The natural grain, folds, and sometimes even hair on the hide are visible, emphasising an earthy and animalistic quality, which contrasts with the smooth and feminine form of Mntambo’s own body, which she used to mould the figures.
This textured surface helps Mntambo blur the lines between skin and armour, human and animal
