The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2019 - Issue 26

bite art exhibition ment of times gone by,” she said. “When you see African printed cotton and mud cloth it tells the story of my ancestral homeland and the cradle of civilisation. When you see mul- ticoloured organza and netting layered you are being told a story of something or someone colourful and multifaceted.” Bisa’s work includes Not Your Negro, Broom Jumpers, To God and Truth, Kindred, Dear Mama, and The Safety Patrol. Angolan artist Januario Jano’s Initiation and Anthology were quite interesting as they presented mini-images in each work of the movement. The artist explores the opposing notions of modern pop culture and traditional practices through per- formance, photography, and textile. In these works, the body plays a pivotal role as the main motif and leads the way to link between the present and past to build up the historical narrative. Januario first studied Design at London Metropolitan Univer- sity and then Fine Art at Goldsmiths University. His work has been featured in numerous international exhibitions includ- ing The Black Sphinx II at Primo Marella Gallery in Milan, Italy, and The Black Sphinx II: From Morocco to Madagascar at Primae Noctis Gallery in Lugano, Switzerland in 2018; Unor- thodox curated by Jens Hoffman and Kelly Taxter at The Jew- ish Museum in New York, USA and Africa Now by Design Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa in 2014. A painting that really captures your attention thanks to its in- tricate details is Pieter Hugo’s Mimi Africa, Wheatland Farm of a mature African woman. Looking at her features, you can tell she has had a hard life and there is a sadness about her. Pieter’s portraits often feature marginalised communities and segments within the African continent, having earned him global recognition. His series Kin examines his native South Africa from both a personal and collective point of view. In his work, the South African artist addresses the troubled history of the country and documents the beauty and com- plexity of his homeland. The imageries from the series are diverse and incorporate landscapes, portraits, and still life photographs that exemplify the multifaceted nature of South Africa. His latest body of work La Cucaracha is derived from his four trips to Mexico over the last two years and deals with the themes of sex and death. Ultimately powerful is Mohau Modisakeng’s Zanj series. Through this, he has created a choreographed procession as a symbol for the movement of bodies and trade between the Gulf area and the East African coast. The series contrasts the fragility and stoic strength of figures depicted on a bed of sand that becomes both an ocean and a desert to be traversed. In a poignant duality present throughout Mohau’s oeuvre, the bodies simultaneously become both the vessel and the cargo. Born and raised in Soweto, Johannesburg, Mohau complet- ed his undergraduate degree at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, Cape Town in 2009. His work has been exhibited at the Sharjah Biennale in 2019; Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) in Rio, Brazil; Museum for Contemporary Photogra- phy in Chicago, USA; Cairns Art Gallery in Queensland, Aus- tralia, and Ok Centre for Contemporary Art in Lintz, Upper Austria in 2018; and the 55th and 57th Venice Biennale in 2015 and 2017. There were many more works at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair that were extraordinary, unique and depicted each artist’s vision and experience of Africa. With branches in New York and Marrakech, many more visitors around the world will be able to experience the artistic works of African influ- ences. The good news is that Mary Sibande’s I Came Apart at the Seams solo exhibition will continue to show at Somer- set House until 5th January 2020 so if you missed the art fair, you’ll still be able to visit this. http://1-54.com/london Artist: Mohau Modisakeng