Abongile Sidzumo on his latest exhibition, Amagoduka

Absa Gallery in partnership with the French Institute of SA (IFAS) opened for the solo exhibition by Abongile Sidzumo, the 2021 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto award winner. Sidzumo is showcasing his recently produced artworks themed Amagoduka, a concept of belonging and what he considers home. Amagoduka is a term used for people who live in urban areas but are originally from rural locations.

Abongile’s practice is influenced by his experiences and the performance of everyday life in black communities. He uses discarded leather offcuts in his body of work and assembles them to create imaginary landscapes. The offcuts, stitched together, explore ideas around migrant labour, land, and class. The act of repurposing leather offcuts draws influence from the livelihoods of the working class.

We recently sat down with Sidzumo to discuss his solo exhibition, winning the 2021 Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto prize, spending three months in Paris, and his plans. for the future. 

Tell us a bit about yourself, where you’re from and how you fell in love with the arts.

I’m an artist, born and raised in a township called Langa in Cape Town. I was introduced to art by my elder brother who taught me drawing at the tender age of seven as he used to do it as a hobby. I used to watch him draw, and that awakened something in me. Ever since I have been following my passion for art. When I was in grade 10, during my high school journey,

I had the option to choose art as one of my subjects and that’s when I decided that I wanted to become an artist by profession. After high school I continued my studies at Michaelis School of Fine Arts, at the University of Cape of Town, majoring in art sculpture, for a period of five years.

What impact has winning the Absa L’Atelier 2021 Gerard Sekoto award had on your career? Please also share a bit about your experience of your three-month residency in Paris.

Winning the award was a life-changing experience. It feels good to know that there are people who appreciate and love the work that I do. It has encouraged me to keep going and to believe in my art practise. As much as I create art as an expression, it is rewarding to know that I am touching other people through this and that I can make a career from what I love doing!

The award offered me the opportunity to go to Paris, where I spent three months studying at the Cité International des Arts. The experience introduced me to a totally different culture, something that at first was a little scary but I enjoyed everything about it, considering that it was my first trip abroad and it was during a crucial time when most countries were coming out of lockdown.

I had opportunities to visit different museums which excited me a lot because I finally had a real-life experience of the art that I had learnt at school. Paris is the perfect destination for someone who’s an art enthusiast; the way people love and appreciate art in that city is amazing. At the residency I made lasting friendships with people from different cultural backgrounds as there were over 300 artists from all corners of the world.

What can art enthusiasts expect at your solo exhibition Amagoduka? 

What Amagoduka introduces to people and art enthusiasts is artwork that deals with the idea of searching for one’s identity and belonging. By using discarded leather offcuts and stitching them together, I am exploring the process of fixing broken things. The leather offcuts have been stitched together by thread, adding to the idea of threading things back together.

What inspired this particular exhibition and what narrative/story are you driving home? 

The exhibition is influenced by my life experiences and family history, and how my identity as a person is influenced by the social constructs I am exposed to. In my artwork I have explored ideas around migrant labour, land, and class. The act of repurposing leather offcuts draws influence from the livelihoods of the working class.

What is the emotional experience that you seek to invoke from people attending the exhibition? 

By using discarded leather offcuts and creating something out of these is a way of showing that sometimes we have to go through dark moments to find the light or beauty in life. 

I try in my work to showcase the overlooked suffering and violence experienced by black people, and how the feeling of being in certain spaces impacts the way people navigate through life — as well as the importance of having a place to visit and being able to spend time with family and friends as a form of healing.

Is there a key experience, or experiences, that shaped the kind of artist you are and the types of stories/narratives contained in your art? 

I think coming from humble beginnings made me work harder to become an artist. It certainly has not been an easy journey for me, but the love for what I do has kept me going. I was lucky enough that my family supported my passion and allowed me to pursue my profession.

Much of your work uses leather;  can you take us through why and the meaning behind it? 

I just love the texture of leather; the material allows me to experiment with it in different ways, such as making black figures and also making landscapes. The use of leather in my work speaks about the integration of human and animal relationships.

What are you looking forward to in the near future, and for your long-term career in general?

The most important thing for me now is to develop my work even more, to keep working and producing more art pieces that will open more doors for more opportunities. If possible, I’d also like to do another residency because it exposes you to other artists and influences, and ultimately one continues to grow.