PRESS RELEASE
PHILLEMON HLUNGWANI - A Wu Xi Tivi Lexi Nga Mbilwini Ya
Mani
Jul 10 – Aug 2, 2021
PHILLEMON HLUNGWANI
A WU XI TIVI LEXI NGA MBILWINI YA MANI
(YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IS IN MY HEART)
With this small and glowing exhibition, Phillemon Hlungwani returns to the village where he was born and where his mother still lives.
The village is a modest place, indistinguishable from so many others in rural Limpopo Province, and indeed from countless others in South Africa and the rest of the continent.
It is however the wellspring of Hlungwani’s creativity, serves as his Muse, and to which he returns from the city for inspiration and renewal.
His subject matter here is familiar to us – the ragged urchins (in whom I suspect Hlungwani sees himself), the elderly women in blankets, and the young mothers carrying loads. They are so familiar they become invisible - memes for rural poverty - but however the title is a cautionary one in which the artist reminds us that even the poorest people lead inner lives fully as complex and rich as that of the onlooker.
The children at play have daydreams and hopes, some of which will be realised and others which will be dashed as they grow up. The young women with heavy buckets on their heads are still beautiful and have dreams and aspirations of their own, and the grandmothers are matriarchs and have seen joys, love and deep sadnesses. In short these are depictions of all of our lives and must touch us all with their clear-eyed humanity.
Exhibition concludes 2nd August 2021
For more information please contact:
tayla@everard.co.za
lulu@everard.co.za
Everard Read Franschhoek
20 Huguenot Road
T: 021 867 2446
www.everard-read-franschhoek.co.za
fgallery@everard.co.za
