Khwezi Gule uses a vast selection of provocative artwork to decipher the interrelation between art and spirituality while demystifying the mystique of African modernity.
A Chief Curator at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), Gule’s exhibition, available online, showcases the contemporary landscape of social beliefs and politics, and how these intertwine in a modern context. It’s dubbed Ngoma II: Cosmology in African Modernities.
“Modernity and colonialism not only changed the African way of life but also how we understand the cosmos and our place in it,” he says.
The digital exhibition explores wall art, photo prints, wooden and metal sculptures, music instruments as well as melodic voices, all of which communicate the interconnectedness of societal beliefs, traditions and conditions imposed by a modern sphere of reference. “Art is not only a decorative endeavour, but it is also a way of knowing, a means of representing that which is beyond everyday speech,” says Gule.
He concedes that societal beliefs are deeply rooted within communities that practice them and are often communicated through behaviour, spoken language and artistic expression. The JAG curator draws inspiration from a plethora of artworks on display to interpret spirituality, modernity and colonialism, using a biblical perspective to dissect the complexities of the spectrum.
Gule surmises that the expression, “one’s reality creates one’s world,” is not farfetched. “Artworks assembled in this exhibition offer us glimpses into how our ancestors and present-day artists have adapted to modernity, coloniality and the shifting landscape of spirituality,” he explains.
A sequel to the Ngoma: Art and Cosmology exhibition held at the historic gallery two years ago, Ngoma II features existing works from JAG’s extensive library of contemporary and antique artworks to interpret the modern-day social context. Gule says art in the African context has always been woven into the fabric of both spirituality and mundane existence, and this is what Ngoma II seeks to dissect. He adds that the exhibition represents deeply held societal beliefs and how these are evolving.
Jackson Hlungwani, a self-proclaimed healer, preacher and visionary who links spirituality with ordinary life, has his artwork at the crux of the exhibition. He uses sculptures to convey and dissect spiritual and biblical concepts. “Tradition is not stagnant and is often influenced by modernity and coloniality,” says Hlungwani.
Among other works on display is a painting titled ‘The Crucifix 1976’ by Judas Mahlangu that depicts an Africanised crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The evocative artwork depicts the suffering of black people as a result of colonialism. It illustrates snakes and birds, both of which are important symbols in African biblical narratives. Although some of the artwork on display is not devotional objects, Gule notes that it represents ways in which life, morality, futurity and imagination come together.
Ngoma II indeed explores the fact that Africans are no longer mere objects of Western acquaintance but producers of indigenous knowledge. The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, Cllr Margaret Arnolds, encourages members of the general public to explore the exhibition online: https://web.facebook.com/JoburgCulture.
Written by Dr Karabo Semenya
06/07/2021