The Faculty of Arts and Design at the Durban University of Technology recently hosted an exhibition by Professor Nombeko Mpako entitled Izandla Ezinhle Zabazalikazi. The artist gave a walkabout of the exhibition at the DUT Satellite Gallery (City Campus).
Prof Mpako is an arts activist for single-parenting mothers. The current exhibition is an extension of a 2021 exhibition, Obu Bubomi Bam 8 out of 8: I Teach Art in which she told her story of being a single parent. Prof Mpako spoke about her building a career in academia, which as a black woman, she found this to be a male-dominated environment with a lot of patriarchal beliefs and prejudice, including racism.
The current exhibition was inspired by responses to her last solo exhibition, which was essentially a visual autobiography and was a motivation for her to tell the stories of other women.
Through her work, the artist presented the stories of 65 single mothers and herself, as the 66th mother. She focused on single women because these single parents are normally overlooked in the society today. The exhibition was a result of practice-based research. The research study was conducted in Tanzania, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and in South Africa, in which she interviewed 65 single mothers as part of her research project. She uses metaphors as part of her work, such as ears and hands. The rainbow was symbolic of overcoming a storm.
The use of hands in the work was included, as after listening to the women’s stories, a photograph of their hands was taken. This allowed the visual representation of their stories to be included. Other symbols included a bucket and a bundle of firewood which represented everyday women’s chores.
In her work, Prof Mpako addressed the issue of gender-based violence against women because some of these single parents were forced to leave their marriages because of the abuse that they experienced in their relationships. Although the idea of single mothers raising children is common, this exhibition recognised the importance thereof.
She also showcased her catalogue which is based on her lifetime experiences, hardships, and some of the extreme trauma she has experienced, including having been raped as a young woman. Prof Mpako openly shares her journey and uses her work as part of the healing process.
Prof Mpako mentioned the ‘ma project’ which is directed to teenagers who fall pregnant when in relationships with their sugar daddies or boyfriends. The project aims to helps these teenagers to better understand their rights, especially with regards to not aborting their babies. The project, encourages teenagers to speak to their mothers or support structures, to break the taboo around teenage pregnancy and the practice of forced abortion.
Pictured: Professor Nombela Mpako
Nomvelo Zulu
