Jaar: 2020
Title; The weight of life”
Dimensions; 115x75cm
Materials; sand, pebbles, beads, branches, jewelry and wire.
Description
African woman carrying firewood on her head. This is the backbone of survival in the countryside.
More than 60% of the people in Africa depend on firewood as an energy source. In traditional African society, women collect wood and walk as far as 15 km per day to sell it as firewood and charcoal. This image is of a strong, powerful African woman. With every step she carries more than just wood, her back straight, her belly forward! She is a caregiver and spiritual leader. Women are considered the guardians of tradition and culture. Portraying women in African paintings is a complex and multifaceted subject. This vision comes straight from my memory. I want the viewer to feel respect and admiration for the strength and resilience of the woman or a sense of connection and recognition. I also want the viewer to think about labor and perseverance or about the beauty and dignity that lies in simplicity.
Because this artwork is tactile, I want the touch to not only feel the shape and textures, but also experience the emotion and message behind the work and feel the contrasts.