VISUAL artist Sinqobile Shamiso Dube’s solo exhibition titled A Woman’s Yoke: A day in a Life of a Woman, which kicks off today at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, aims to shed light on the fantasies, fears, memories, dreams and struggles women carry.
The artist, whose work delves into the complexity of human emotions and experiences expressed through various mediums such as fabric, paintings, installations and dance, told NewsDay Life & Style that A Woman’s Yoke is a compelling exploration of the complex and multifaceted lives of women which was brought to life having spent time with women in the hair salon.
“In our daily lives, women seek spaces to unburden their challenges. Some find solace in bars, while others do so in barber shops. For many women, the hair salon becomes a sanctuary where ideas flow freely and burdens are shared,” she said
Dube added: “I have spent a longer period of time in my small hair salon, listening to countless women sharing diverse stories. These encounters were rich with information about the experiences of women which left a profound impact on myself and A Woman’s Yoke was born from these conversations.”
The artist described the art piece as a symbol of restraint and control unpacking various insecurities women bear.
“In many cultures, women face numerous restrictions that affect their comfort with themselves. Insecurities surrounding physical appearance, sexual confidence and spiritual security are common and these conversations often include men as well,” she noted.
With fabric as the unique foundation of her style in which she builds female machines and ethereal beings that hint at the eroticism, sacredness and brokenness of humanity, Dube said she employed a variety of materials to bring the piece of art to life, blending fragility and strength.
“The paper collage artworks reflect the artist’s own fragility as a woman, with pieces of paper glued together to symbolise the brokenness many women feel. Other worldly characters drawn in pen represent how people, not just women, sacrifice themselves to please others. Each work of art features a black borderline signifying the yokes we bear daily,” she said.
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The artist also used a combination of fabric and paint crafted from discarded material, which she said illustrated women’s resilience and ability to renew their strength, highlighting their patience and ability to put together fragments of life into something meaningful while painted backgrounds conveyed the lightness of a woman’s spirit.
Dube added that among these works was a single piece dedicated to a man to acknowledge that while the artist focuses on women’s experiences, her exploration is not limited to them.
