Collection: Kumnyama Kubomvu; The Land is Ours

20 October 2023 - 12 November 2023

Kumnyama Kubomvu: The Land Is Ours is a solo exhibition by ceramic artist Clive Sithole exploring the complexities of connecting with the land and of what is lost through the denial of access to it. Sithole, now a mid-career artist, draws on ritual and cultural experiences as they relate to the land, and expertly weaves these into his work.

Sithole was born in Soweto in 1971 during the height of apartheid to a seamstress and a renowned jazz musician. Throughout his life, drawing on the inspiration provided by his Zulu culture and ancestors, Sithole has worked with material cultural expressions such as headrests, hairstyles, spoons and clay ukhamba (vessels) to uncover their (and by implication, his own) significance and history.

Sithole employs rich traditional Zulu techniques, symbols and firing methods to explore critical social issues such as land, race, politics and culture. His work is infused with an urban sensibility and deep-seated rural connection and longing. Cattle, both as figurative sculptures and symbols of cultural identity and wealth, frequently appear in his narrative and iconography. In contemporary South Africa, occupying space, whether it be a gallery or the land, reflects the intricate socio-political landscape of the nation. Kumnyama Kubomvu: The Land Is Ours underscores how art and cultural spaces are harnessed to confront, challenge and redefine the discourse surrounding land related issues.

Sithole’s exhibition at the KZNSA offers us a haunting beauty, fashioned by masterful hands. As a local artist who also operates internationally, Sithole creates a dynamic dialogue that addresses the on-going quest for justice and reconciliation.

Kumnyama Kubomvu: The Land Is Ours by Clive Sithole was curated by Thina Miya.