found clothes, ties, thread and industrial gloves on wood; gold leaf, ties, thread and acrylics and thread on canvas
Artwork date: 2015
Signature details: signed, dated and inscribed with the title on the reverse
Exhibited: Commune.1, Cape Town, 'But he doesn’t have anything on!', 26 November 2015 to 21 January 2016.
Location: Cape Town
found clothes, ties, thread and industrial gloves on wood; gold leaf, ties, thread and acrylics and thread on canvas
Artwork date: 2015
Signature details: signed, dated and inscribed with the title on the reverse
Exhibited: Commune.1, Cape Town, 'But he doesn’t have anything on!', 26 November 2015 to 21 January 2016.
Location: Cape Town
(2)
painting: 250 x 147 x 5.5 cm; sculpture: 116 x 111 x 70 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Cape Town.
Commune.1, Cape Town.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
The installation Looking up to the sky, searching beneath the ground (2015) by Simphiwe Ndzube is an extension of his previous body of work, Imithungo Yezivubeko. The title, in isiXhosa, translates to "stitches of remnants," suggesting the weaving together of internal and external struggles from the past and present. Ndzube employs stitching as a central motif, reflecting his research process. This approach allows the artist to navigate through various signifying objects, memories, and historical events to present a narrative of the black experience in post-apartheid South Africa, marked by lingering burdens of the past.
The physical act of cutting, stitching, and assembling objects and clothing on canvas or in a compact sculptural form, evokes powerful imagery of a body unravelling at the seams. The distorted shapes allude to the many historical atrocities endured by black bodies. Additionally, it symbolises Africa's broader socio-economic struggles, as the continent often becomes a literal dumping ground for cheap clothing from the West and emerging markets like China. This influx of imports further undermines African industries, particularly the textile sector, perpetuating economic disparities and exploitation.
COLLECTOR'S NOTE
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably the Longlati Foundation, Shanghai; Fondation Gandur pour l'Art, Geneva; Musee d’art Contemporain de Lyon; France Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; The CC Foundation, Shanghai; HOW Art Museum, Shanghai; Christen Sveeas Collection, Norway; The Denver Art Museum; Museo Kaluz, Mexico City; Rubell family collection, Miami; Rupert Museum, Cape Town; University of Cape Town; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), Cape Town and the A4 Foundation, Cape Town.
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Auction: 20th Century & Contemporary Art, 6th Mar, 2024
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