Contemporary South African Art
Mary Sibande
Born & grew up in Mpumalanga
Honours Degree in Fine Art in UJ
Various media – painting , sculpture and photography
Influences
Question identity by using human figure in various forms.
Cindy Sherman’s extensive series of photographic of wide variety of women
and Kara Walker ,Who explores race and gender by focusing on the history of
slavery in America in room – size black cut paper silhouettes
Yinka Shonibare – the use of textiles , also questioning the Victorian era
Stereotypical depiction of women , particularly black women
Generational disempowerment of the black women
Historical psycho- dramas play out
Characteristics
Sibande developed the character of Sophie
Series of life-size sculptures and photographic prints , Long Live the Dead
Queen (2009)
Involving a maid – Sophie.
The figure used in the sculptures is a cast of the artist’s own body in fibreglass
and silicone(the same material used for shop window mannequins)
Interest in fashion
Extravagant Victorian costumes handmade from typical domestic uniform
fabric in SA.
Sophie – developed from Sibande’s personal history as her mother and
grandmother and great- grandmother were all maids.
Sibande was the 1st woman in her family allowed to study so she wanted to
celebrate this
Sibande is able to explore , ridicule and subvert the structures which
victimised the domestic workers
Liberating and subversive act
Celebrate domestic workers they are heroes
In SA , domestic workers were the ultimate victims of Apartheid.
Sibande’s treatment of her subject matter is unexpected and unconventional
Her work showing the domestic worker are not to create a feeling of anger &
shame but to implicate that we can all be free of the past
Theatrical quality of her work places them in the realm of fantasy
Daydreams is the inner dialogue therefore Sophie is pictured with closed eyes
The background of her photographs is neutral pale blue
Sibande shows desire for reinforcing democracy and equality in works that
are refreshingly innovative and thought provoking.
, They don’t make them like they used to , 2009 , DIGTITAL PRINT
Portrays Sophie as knitting
superhero outfit
Its unclear if she is knitting for
herself or for someone else
Typical maid’s uniform with the
white collar and cuff
However the dress changed
into an elaborate Victorian
dress with a huge skirt
White apron and the ‘dork’
covering her head
Not only does the blue dress
refers to the maid’s uniform but
also worn by labourers and the
Sunday uniforms of Zionist
Church members
Sophie’s eyes are closed as
she enters into a fantasy
dream world where everything
is possible, even becoming a
superhero
If she opens her eyes , she
would be back at the real world
where she cleans the house
Her dress shows this fantasy as it’s not practical for domestic work with all its
folds, therefore it shows Sophie’s protest against a life of servitude .
It speaks the relationship between ‘madam’ and ‘maid’ as her dress refers to
the ‘ madam’s’ life of leisure which Sophie now appropriates for herself .
It also refers to the opportunities for all in democratic South Africa
Sophie is always in a state of transformation
Sophie has gained the desire to imagine and travel to non-real spaces
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