REVIEW: When We See Us - A Century of Black Figuration In Painting at Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town
When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting is a global exhibition which opened in November 2022 in Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and will run through the 3rd of September 2023 at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). It is a 'Primer For Blacks' and, suffice to say, everyone who cares about the humanity will enjoy the exhibition. In her poem titled Primer For Blacks, Gwendolyn Brooks - the first African American poet to win a Pulitzer Prize - asserts:
Blackness
is a title;
is a preoccupation
is a commitment Blacks
are to comprehend; —
and in which you are
to perceive your Glory.
What do we see when we look at ourselves in the mirror? What do we see when we see ourselves in the paintings by people of our creed? Do we see ourselves mirrored in them? Do we feel seen or valued or cherished? These complex questions have answers residing in over 200 artworks by 156 artists on display. The exhibition is a marathon of visual languages and everyone feels like a victor after walking about through the entire exhibit. It is the kind of exhibition one has to see more than once in order to appreciate the masterpieces on display.
It is not every day that one gets to walk into a museum and marvel at the entire body of work by black artists from the continent and diaspora. Over centuries, museums have become synonymous with colonial expansion. Throughout the history of mankind, many conquerors or colonisers have taken treasures of the conquered nations back to their homelands as part of their expansions.
The cultural heritage of the oppressed people the world over was plundered by the colonial armies in the 19th century, evidently stolen by the egregious ambassadors. Many of these cultural properties were wrongfully and illegally extracted from their places of origin and even though the states have since become independent, the properties remain in those foreign lands. Why am I going on and on about museum as a colonial tool? Because until recently, it was not easy for a Black person to walk into a museum and feel seen, valued, and represented, let alone exhibit his work. Works produced by Black people exhibited in museums are usually stolen goods, with no acknowledgement of the originator.
When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting encompasses an exhibition, publication and circumlocutory processes that explore positive BLACKNESS spanning Black representation, vibrating black authentic aesthetics, charging black humanity, affirming black excellence, encouraging black actualities, a distinctive celebration of international black consciousness from pan-African and pan-diasporic perspectives. Exhibitions of this magnitude are long overdue. It took the executive director and Chief curator Koyo Kouoh and assistant curator Tandazani Dlakama and their team at Zeitz MOCAA to put together a show that belongs to all people of African descent in a Southern African museum for the first time, at least to my knowledge. It is the intentional and deliberate curation of contemporary African art that makes culture visible. It takes the cumbersome mass of creative approaches and intentional curation that distils representation into a finer essence of art. The exhibition showcases works of Black artists spanning 100 years.
What is interesting about this exhibition is that the display is multi-layered, with artists across gender, spiritual affiliations, generations and the continent. The gallery spaces are organised according to the following self-explanatory themes: EVERYDAY, JOY and REVELRY, REPOSE, SENSUALITY, SPIRITUALITY and TRIUMPH and EMANCIPATION.
It is thought-provoking to see younger generations of black artists' work intermingling with those of older generations - alive or transitioned into the ancestral realm. For example, it was great to see the work of South Africa's young artist Katlego Tlabela (b.1993) alongside that of the USA's Romare Beardon (1911-1988). It will be difficult to single out each artist on show and attempt to conduct an exploration of their individual stories. One thing that is clearly visible is the convergence of artworks to highlight narratives of social, religious, cultural and political engagement by contemporary African artists on the continent and diaspora.
What also stood out for me was the tapestry of mediums that narrated the 100 years of Black Figuration. The exhibition is resplendent with video installations showcasing interviews of some of the participating artists, brief timeline of a century of art events in Africa and diaspora and a section on African literature with an installation of interviews in which luminaries Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and Lewis where in conversation over 60 years ago.
The When We See Us exhibition is a thought-provoking showcase of contemporary African art. The exhibition challenges conventional notions of what it means to be African and offers a nuanced portrayal of the continent through a diverse range of media, including sculpture, painting, and photography.
One of the standout works in the exhibition is an interesting work by visual artist Neo Matloga which primarily focuses on exploring themes of identity, memory, family, and intimacy through the use of various media such as painting, drawing, and collage.
Another impressive work in the exhibition is 'Alex Shyngle's striking painting titled RITUAL DANCE, which combines elements of traditional African design with Christian flair to it. The piece speaks to the evolving nature of African identity and the ongoing dialogue between traditional and Western religious cultures.
Overall, the When We See Us exhibition is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of contemporary African art. Through its innovative use of media and diverse range of perspectives, the exhibition offers a fresh and nuanced portrayal of the continent and its people. I highly recommend checking it out for anyone with an interest in contemporary art and African culture.
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Khehla Chepape Makgato is a Johannesburg-based independent artist, arts writer, curator and researcher. He is a PhD Candidate in Art at UNISA.
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