SOUTH AFRICAN ART POST 1994: THE DEMOCRATIC ERA
MARY SIBANDE
Textbook, pg. 318-323
The Artist:
Sibande was born in 1982, in
South Africa. She received an
Honours Degree in Fine Art
at The University of
Johannesburg. She was the
first woman in her family who
had the opportunity to study at tertiary level.
Exploring the construction of identity within post-apartheid South Africa (post
1994), Sibande's work probes the stereotypical contextualisation of the black female
body.
The Context:
Sophie: Sibande’s early works revolved around her alter-ego, Sophie, a domestic
worker who finds refuge in dreams where she emancipates (frees) herself from the
cruel realism of an ordinary existence, cleaning other people's homes.
The character is inspired by her mother, grandmother and great grandmother
who were domestic workers.
Sophie is modelled on Sibande herself (the faces of the mannequins are a cast of
Sibande’s own) and through this alter ego, Sibande examines the institution of the
domestic worker - although Sibande never uses this politically correct term,
preferring the more laden term, ‘maid’.
Sibande examines the legacy of racial and gender-based subjugation
(“enslavement”) experienced by the domestic workers in South Africa. The imaginary
life of Sophie is expressed in a series of works. She can be performed as a living
1
,entity by Sibande, expressed sculpturally as a fibre-glass ‘mannequin’ or as a still
photograph. She is shown with a neutral expression, eyes closed (revealing that the
scenes being played out are fantasies or daydreams), wearing a saturated blue
hybrid of a 'maids' uniform and Victorian dress, and with a dark skin-tone.
According to the artist’s statement, 'the body… and particularly the skin, and
clothing is the site where history is contested and fantasies are played out'. The
histories being played out here are the 'stereotypical depictions of women,
particularly black women in our society'. One cannot deny that the figure of `the
maid’ is one of South Africa’s most common stereotypes. Stereotypes are
contradictory in the sense that on the one hand they stand in for a group in the most
generalised and recognisable way, but on the other hand are also invisible
through the process of generalisation. The `servant’ traditionally is conceived of as
an invisible, sightless, deaf and mute figure to those she serves. She has no
individuality, and one of the ways this is realised is through the uniform. The
uniform literally covers the body but at the same time covers the clothing of the
‘maid’ that might identify her as an individual.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
‘I use the body as an exploration of claiming identity in a Post-colonial South
Africa...[and] as a tool to express concerns in the stereotypical depiction of
women, particularly black women.
The body is emphasising the limitation that history has placed on identity. I like
to tease and test the viewer’s expectations of reality in South Africa today not only by
using the body as a stage or platform to play out scenes of fantasies and realities,
but also by changing the viewer’s expectations. I like to change and distort the body
in order to twist expectations, namely her skin colour which is black. I’m looking at
disempowerment of black women. My work is shaped by our historical past and
refers to Post – Colonial theories. My work deals with the section of women in
society that is often off-centre stage, namely maids. Although there has been a
political change in our country there are some conditions that are still prevalent, that
are direct results of apartheid. I intend to investigate the shadow of apartheid that
2
,still lingers in South African society. Although one can argue the freedom of our
country under the new democratic dispensation many members of the South African
society are not free in their minds haunted as they are by lingering self-doubts. My
work also looks at the ideals of beauty and femininity represented by examples of
privileged members of society, and the aspiration of less fortunate women to be like
them.’ (Stielau, 2013)
“They don’t make them like they used to” by Mary Sibande
Mary Sibande
They Don’t Make Them Like
They Used To
2008
Photograph: Archival digital print,
edition of 10
130 x 86 cm
Description:
A photograph depicting Sophie, Mary Sibande's alter ego, in a pose which is at the
same time powerful, statuesque and docile. Sophie appears in the “uniform” of a
domestic worker mixed with an oversized Victorian type dress, and is knitting a
superman outfit.
3
, Awareness of Psychology:
“They don’t make them like they used to” by Mary Sibande comments on the
awareness of psychology in that it symbolises the racial and gender oppression that
many black women experienced during apartheid resulting in subjugation and loss
of power. The name of Sibande’s alter-ego is a link to this history as domestic
workers often made to use European names like “Sophie” instead of their own
given family names as these were too hard for white people to pronounce. Sibande
makes visible the internal process of coming to terms with this experience of
subjugation in her family’s past and her own path of taking power.
Continued influence of New Technology:
The artists’ use of photography as an art medium is similar to Cindy Sherman who
dressed herself up in various guises and photographed herself to make societal
comments. The medium allows her to manipulate the costume and stage the scene
to heighten the commentary it makes.
Manifestation of Societal Systems:
The artwork aims to comment on the disempowerment of black women and how the
role of domestic workers in our post-apartheid society continues. The Victorian
style dress is a reference to how colonialism forced western ideals onto black
people. The fact that the figure is holding a superman shirt is a reference to the
inner power of this woman creating a juxtaposition between her power and her
servitude. The S symbol is upside-down – is it a revolt? Or does the S refer to
“Sophie” standing for all the domestic workers as Superheroes?
Art and Gender / Feminism:
This work also comments on gender roles through “Sophie’s” attire and through her
actions and demeanour. Her demeanour is one of resignation and
submissiveness; seen as good feminine attributes stereotypically. She is knitting–
a stereotypical activity for women, furthering the commentary on the archetypal
depiction of women (Someone or something that is archetypal has all the most
important characteristics of a particular kind of person or thing and is a perfect
4
MARY SIBANDE
Textbook, pg. 318-323
The Artist:
Sibande was born in 1982, in
South Africa. She received an
Honours Degree in Fine Art
at The University of
Johannesburg. She was the
first woman in her family who
had the opportunity to study at tertiary level.
Exploring the construction of identity within post-apartheid South Africa (post
1994), Sibande's work probes the stereotypical contextualisation of the black female
body.
The Context:
Sophie: Sibande’s early works revolved around her alter-ego, Sophie, a domestic
worker who finds refuge in dreams where she emancipates (frees) herself from the
cruel realism of an ordinary existence, cleaning other people's homes.
The character is inspired by her mother, grandmother and great grandmother
who were domestic workers.
Sophie is modelled on Sibande herself (the faces of the mannequins are a cast of
Sibande’s own) and through this alter ego, Sibande examines the institution of the
domestic worker - although Sibande never uses this politically correct term,
preferring the more laden term, ‘maid’.
Sibande examines the legacy of racial and gender-based subjugation
(“enslavement”) experienced by the domestic workers in South Africa. The imaginary
life of Sophie is expressed in a series of works. She can be performed as a living
1
,entity by Sibande, expressed sculpturally as a fibre-glass ‘mannequin’ or as a still
photograph. She is shown with a neutral expression, eyes closed (revealing that the
scenes being played out are fantasies or daydreams), wearing a saturated blue
hybrid of a 'maids' uniform and Victorian dress, and with a dark skin-tone.
According to the artist’s statement, 'the body… and particularly the skin, and
clothing is the site where history is contested and fantasies are played out'. The
histories being played out here are the 'stereotypical depictions of women,
particularly black women in our society'. One cannot deny that the figure of `the
maid’ is one of South Africa’s most common stereotypes. Stereotypes are
contradictory in the sense that on the one hand they stand in for a group in the most
generalised and recognisable way, but on the other hand are also invisible
through the process of generalisation. The `servant’ traditionally is conceived of as
an invisible, sightless, deaf and mute figure to those she serves. She has no
individuality, and one of the ways this is realised is through the uniform. The
uniform literally covers the body but at the same time covers the clothing of the
‘maid’ that might identify her as an individual.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
‘I use the body as an exploration of claiming identity in a Post-colonial South
Africa...[and] as a tool to express concerns in the stereotypical depiction of
women, particularly black women.
The body is emphasising the limitation that history has placed on identity. I like
to tease and test the viewer’s expectations of reality in South Africa today not only by
using the body as a stage or platform to play out scenes of fantasies and realities,
but also by changing the viewer’s expectations. I like to change and distort the body
in order to twist expectations, namely her skin colour which is black. I’m looking at
disempowerment of black women. My work is shaped by our historical past and
refers to Post – Colonial theories. My work deals with the section of women in
society that is often off-centre stage, namely maids. Although there has been a
political change in our country there are some conditions that are still prevalent, that
are direct results of apartheid. I intend to investigate the shadow of apartheid that
2
,still lingers in South African society. Although one can argue the freedom of our
country under the new democratic dispensation many members of the South African
society are not free in their minds haunted as they are by lingering self-doubts. My
work also looks at the ideals of beauty and femininity represented by examples of
privileged members of society, and the aspiration of less fortunate women to be like
them.’ (Stielau, 2013)
“They don’t make them like they used to” by Mary Sibande
Mary Sibande
They Don’t Make Them Like
They Used To
2008
Photograph: Archival digital print,
edition of 10
130 x 86 cm
Description:
A photograph depicting Sophie, Mary Sibande's alter ego, in a pose which is at the
same time powerful, statuesque and docile. Sophie appears in the “uniform” of a
domestic worker mixed with an oversized Victorian type dress, and is knitting a
superman outfit.
3
, Awareness of Psychology:
“They don’t make them like they used to” by Mary Sibande comments on the
awareness of psychology in that it symbolises the racial and gender oppression that
many black women experienced during apartheid resulting in subjugation and loss
of power. The name of Sibande’s alter-ego is a link to this history as domestic
workers often made to use European names like “Sophie” instead of their own
given family names as these were too hard for white people to pronounce. Sibande
makes visible the internal process of coming to terms with this experience of
subjugation in her family’s past and her own path of taking power.
Continued influence of New Technology:
The artists’ use of photography as an art medium is similar to Cindy Sherman who
dressed herself up in various guises and photographed herself to make societal
comments. The medium allows her to manipulate the costume and stage the scene
to heighten the commentary it makes.
Manifestation of Societal Systems:
The artwork aims to comment on the disempowerment of black women and how the
role of domestic workers in our post-apartheid society continues. The Victorian
style dress is a reference to how colonialism forced western ideals onto black
people. The fact that the figure is holding a superman shirt is a reference to the
inner power of this woman creating a juxtaposition between her power and her
servitude. The S symbol is upside-down – is it a revolt? Or does the S refer to
“Sophie” standing for all the domestic workers as Superheroes?
Art and Gender / Feminism:
This work also comments on gender roles through “Sophie’s” attire and through her
actions and demeanour. Her demeanour is one of resignation and
submissiveness; seen as good feminine attributes stereotypically. She is knitting–
a stereotypical activity for women, furthering the commentary on the archetypal
depiction of women (Someone or something that is archetypal has all the most
important characteristics of a particular kind of person or thing and is a perfect
4
