LEISURE
SANGOMA BONE SCULPTURES Pitika Ntuli’s exhibition debuts at virtual National Arts Festival.
TEST DIGITAL AND ART REALMS
F
poets and writers can be heard and read while viewing wrap-around footage exploring the details of the haunting animal bone sculptures. This makes for an unforgettable visual and audio experience. The first of its kind, it has been
‘contemporary’ and
produced and conceived by the
‘primitive art’ have
Melrose gallery, Ntuli and curator
haunted African art history.
Ruzy Rusike. It was motivated by
Launching on June 25 at the
the limits COVID-19 and social
National Arts Festival, Pitika
distancing have placed not only on
Ntuli’s novel exhibition Azibuyele
South Africa’s annual art festival
Emasisweni (Return to the Source),
but the viewing of art in person. As a proclaimed healer, Ntuli
(each with their own praise song)
aims to use the animal bones to
challenges and tests these terms,
explore and ‘treat’ contemporary
as well as how art can be enjoyed
problems: from issues plaguing
virtually.
the state of the nation to the strife
Ntuli’s chosen material, animal
caused by COVID-19. The eighty-
bones, and approach – that of a
year-old artist has been circling
sangoma allowing the material
pertinent issues as an academic,
to guide him – invokes ancient
writer, activist and teacher but as
African indigenous and spiritual
the title of the exhibition suggests,
knowledge systems. However,
he is returning to ‘the source’
the viewer’s engagement
of his expression. In turn, he is
with the sculptures
encouraging society to return to
takes place virtually on
the ‘source’ of African spiritualism
a multimedia platform,
and knowledge as the means
where images of them
of resolving corruption, greed,
are seamlessly paired with
slavery and poverty. Above all, the
words, songs and voices.
bone sculptures – a result of Ntuli
The words and voices of Sibongile Khumalo,
SILVER DIGEST // WINTER 2020
and other respected musicians,
ixed definitions of
presenting 45 bone sculptures
40
Gcina Mhlope, Napo Masheane
teasing out human features from the animal skeletons – articulate
Simphiwe Dana, Zolani
his desire for humankind to
Mahola, Yvonne Chaka Chaka,
reconnect with nature.
