RESEARCH
Ms Simone Research, Reviews and Artist Profiling
HAIR POLITICS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE AESTHETICS OF BLACK FEMALE HAIR IN THE WORK OF SELECT AFRICAN ARTISTS
December 2019
Masters Dissertation
The aim of this dissertation is to discuss artistic renditions pertinent to hair and hairstyles of black women of African descent. The dissertation references and discusses artworks by selected South African, American and Zimbabwean artists, namely Gavin Jantjes, Tracey Rose, Zanele Muholi, Lorna Simpson, Stephen Hobbs and Marcus Neustetter as well as Nontsikelelo Mutiti, as they challenge ideas calcified through visual culture in order to counter the negative narratives associated with blackness and black hair.
Writers of History Exhibition
12 November 2020 - 31 January 2021
​
TheCOart prides itself on exhibiting "Writers of History", works in a range of media, seeking to provoke cross-disciplinary debate on South Africa's multicultural challenges. Although practices, processes and personal philosophies may differ, all the artists have a common goal: to create relevant and technically proficient art.
Ikhaya Likamoya - Sethembiso Zulu - Curated by Senzeni Marasela
14 February - 28 March 2021
Documentary photographer, artist and healer Sethembiso Zulu takes us on a voyage of his autobiographical spiritual journey.
Curated by renowned artist, academic and curator Senzeni Marasela, the exhibition Ikhaya Lika Moya hosted by the North West University Gallery between 14 February 2021 – 21 March 2021 is an exhibition that speaks to the nature of spirituality, healing and transcendence.
​
The extensive body of work presented in this exhibition has been developed over ten years and is cumulative of Zulu’s personal experiences and interactions within the Zionist Christian Church.
​
Exhibition Link: https://ikhayalikamoya.pb.online/gallery
Morapedi: One who prays
10 April - 11 May 2021
Contemporary South African artist Lerato Lodi honours the memory of her late grandmother as she embodies her in a multidisciplinary exhibition that she titles Morapedi: One Who Prays
Curated by artist, academic and curator Amohelang Mohajane, the exhibition Morapedi: One who prays is hosted by the North West University Gallery between 10 April 2021 – 11 May 2021.
​
Exhibition Link: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=LtxcuzLkTdC
WAR, GUNS, AND PLAY: A REVIEW OF THE WORK OF HELENAÂ UAMBEMBE
June 2021
Uambembe comes in as a storyteller, telling of her lived experience of growing up as a child in the town of Pomfret.
With complicated histories as such of the 32 Battalion, imagery, epistemologies, and theories are often always told from the perspective of the one who has capital and the most to gain from a clean autopsy.
The soldiers are hardly ever given a chance to tell their version of events or even presented with a chance to defend their actions. The stories of the soldiers, their wives, and children, who were with them as they fought and travelled along the continent are always ignored and marginalised as if they never existed or experienced the harsh realities of war.
Solomon Omogboye
2020
Reminiscent of the beautiful paintings of Edgar Degas, The striking artworks of Nigerian born Solomon Omogboye are a wonder to gaze at. Made with charcoal and pastel and at times inclusive of other media such as gold-leaf. Omogboye passionately captures in stills and reflects beautiful sensual movement of young ballet dancers.
Themba Khumalo
2020
Highly emotive and sensitive the works of Themba Khumalo confers a need for connection. Using charcoal, coffee and paint Khumalo renders bare landscapes and expressive skies.
​
Khumalo’s renditions of vast bare landscapes speak to the physical and spiritual essence of land. For some land is political, some necessary for survival, for some it’s home and some a source of vegetation and financial freedom.
Eddy Kamuanga
2020
Merging the past and present together, the artworks of Congolese artist Eddy Kamuanga reflect on the contradictions of past and present identities while celebrating the creative artefacts and motifs of Congolese traditional culture.
Often showing figures draped in eloquent fabrics and materials and painted in classical poses, the figures of Kamuanga are painted in stark flat black. The figures are further inscribed on with circuit patterns on their faces, skin and body.
Gafar Oluwabori
2021
Born and working in Nigeria, the acrylic on canvas portraits of Gafar Oluwabori are nothing near insipid.
​
In his inquisition of attempting to sought various approaches of altering human forms into abstract arrangements. Oluwabori creates both colourful and vibrant renditions of women’s faces, with equally pulsating backgrounds.
​
Mandlenkosi Mavengere
2020
Combining printmaking and painting, Zimbabwean born Mandlenkosi Mavengere’s artworks converse around issues of economics and migration.
With a focus on etching and linocut, Mandlenkosi creates highly textured and patterned backgrounds
Mbali Tshabalala
2021
The challenges of being a black women range diversely from experiencing racism, patriarchy, sexism, misogyny, labour intensive gender roles and grave limitations to safety. Being a professional, a mother, a daughter, sibling, and partner/wife coupled with all these experiences and limited financial freedom as capitalism and debt holds the black women hostage.
It at times becomes all too much for one soul to bear.
Olwethu De Vos
2021
Investigating the physical human form and basic human experience, the artworks of De Vos observes how preconceived notions of identity, cultural and traditional values, set morals, racial, gendered and societal ideologies govern how we relate to one another and tend to taint our lived experiences.
These preconceived ideologies create barriers of difference and condition the segregation of various kinds of people based on disparity.
