The "Perspective of Three" consists of two sculptures that showcase two perspectives, with the third being the viewers perspective. I chose the title "Perspective of Three" to tell the story of my past through my work. The sculptures, through their gestures, are representations of what it feels like being of mixed race in a world of complex notions around identity. The first perspective showcases the effects of the second perspective on me, the artist. I was born into a society filled with culture(history); however, I could not participate in some activities due to the lack of resemblance to those surrounding me. The second perspective is a look into the history of South Africa, the land I was raised in. The final perspective deals with how a viewer, in Western society, absorbs this collective information of the first and second perspectives and how he/she decodes this information into their reality.
Even though I was not born before 1994, the notion of being mixed in South Africa stated that two individuals forgot the countless conflicts and bloodshed fought by the Whites and Blacks. Although the law regarding interracial sexual activities was disbanded with the fall of Apartheid, the belief was(partly is today) held firm by those who reside in the nation. I, the artist, am the outcome of what it was like growing up in South Africa in post-Apartheid. The work showcased what a conflict of identity in the culture is.
First Perspective The first perspective, my perspective, fixates on being a part of the cultures I was exposed to, however, not being fully or a part of them. Culture in this installation is represented by the stand, which picked specifically due to its colonialism history. The stand is painted in traditional patterns, combining aspects of cultures that influenced me growing up. They represent the underlying traditions and cultures of the nation of South Africa and partly Zambia. The sculptures are cast in cement, a common building material in the two nations, unlike the western world, which mainly uses wood. Furthermore, cement reduces the amount of detail a piece can withhold. The reduction of detail questions if by being mixed, does one have to start from scratch to create history(detail). The two sculptures are created to oppose one another. The three combined question if I am part of a large amount of culture or am culture-less.
The sculpture on the stand holds a strong face and sits on a representation of culture(history). The sculpture implies that I, the artist with my vast background, can absorb and be a part of the culture I was born into. That said, the hands are a disturbance to the statement, which tells that however much I can be a part of so the surrounding cultures, I am still somewhat different. If the hands were not present, the necklace on the stand would be placed around the sculpture's neck, fully integrating the sculpture in culture. That said, the piece offers an argument filled with positivity. The notion of positivity relates to one being of many cultures and experiences and yet still be different from the cultures they are around. They are offering a beneficial ability to be able to view society from a third perspective. Acknowledging this positivity contradicts the notion above being "culture-less" and opens a person's mind to a new way of perceiving theirreality. This perspective is one where a person is not strictly limited to a single culture but can jump from one to another, ultimately absorbing as much information as he/she wants. Excluding colonization and any form of segregation gives one the ability to view events from a neutral standpoint.
The second sculpture deals with isolation and finding it hard to be a part of society. The sculpture placed beside the stand, on the floor, showcases an opposing reality to the sculpture on the stand. The reality is of not being a part of the culture and society that raised me. The beads placed on the sculpture's feet are a statement of my desire to be a part of the culture, no matter how small the inclusion is. South Africa is filled with vast culture, consisting of nine tribes, excluding the Afrikaners. Zambia, my mother's nation, consists of a whopping seventy-two ethnic groups, and she effortlessly comprehends seven of these groups. Yet, in all the abundant amount of culture, I was still deemed "culture-less" by society. I chose to place one sculpture on the floor, which represents not being a part of the cultures of Zambia and South Africa due to my traits of being mixed and living in a foreign nation.
Second Perspective It all started in 1652 when the first trading colony in South Africa was introduced in the land known today as Cape Town. The Dutch colonists went to war with the natives, slowly conquering more land and enslaving the natives. After the British took over the post, the dutch moved inland and created their way of living. These people became known as the Afrikaners, who are the white tribe of South Africa. The ANC, formally known as the South African Native National Congress, was founded in 1912 and before Apartheid and became the leading party following the termination of Apartheid. The party was formed to unite all Africans to defend their rights and freedom. Apartheid was formally introduced in 1948 and ended in 1994, with the African National Congress part with Nelson Mandela as the leader. Unfortunately, with the democratic election in 1994 came violence; the nation was filled with riots, inequality and bloodshed frequently (Clark 123). Apartheid was a racial segregation system that offered the white people complete control over their black counterparts; in other words, white supremacy.
During WWII, there was an influx of black migrants workers as South Africa was on a steep development curve. The black migrants would take these positions as the white labourers went out to war and produced a shortage of workers. The Whites did not like the black community growing as crime rates increased, and the Blacks started forming groups. Eventually, the Afrikaners formed a party called the National Party. The majority of the party were supremacists and voted for the segregation of races. However, they had black people work for them for their gain. The segregation means the Black population could only go into the white-owned land mainly for the benefit of the Afrikaners. In 1949, The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act was
the first law passed by the National Party. Followed by the first law, another was made that classified each person by race, called the Population Registration act. The hierarchy system placed whites first, then Asians, followed by Mixed race, and blacks. The system was formed to deprived non-white people of their human rights. It was challenging to find jobs. The most open jobs were anything that required manual labour for men and agricultural or domestic work for women. The jobs were difficult to come across and paid way below minimal wages(Richard 48).
Several decades later, around the mid-1980s, South Africa's economy began to slow down. South Africa's neighbouring nations began having black presidents, and the nation was consistently banned from participating in global events and more. In 1990, negotiations of the change in power were underway. The nation became violent with not only black and white violence but also blacks attacking their fellow blacks. On April 27th 1994, a complete power switch was made, which ended the apartheid reign. The elections held on that day was the nations first multi- racial election with full human privilege. The winning party was the ANC, which was founded in 1912.
South Africa has been cursed for several generations with bloody battles of oppression, racism, corruption, sexism and more. Trevor Noah, a well-known comedian, born from a black mother and a white father, lived during an era where his existence was a criminal act. In his autobiography, he states that during Apartheid, one of the worst crimes you could commit is having sexual relations with another race. Unlike in America, where if you are born partly black,you are considered black. Mixed race people in South Africa are classified as their own group; coloured/mixed. Additionally, Noah states, "it was illegal to be mixed (to have a black parent and a white parent), but it was not illegal to be coloured (to have two parents who were both coloured)(Noah 27)". After Apartheid, the law refusing interracial sexual activities was disbanded, but the belief was held by some Blacks and Whites. As the famous quote by J.M. Darhower goes, "There is no button that's pushed to magically alter everything. Change happens little by little. Day by day." In this case, from oppression that began around the 1650s, it can be understood that changes surrounding systemic oppression happen over a long period; decade by decade.
Third perspective The viewers perspective to com up with a belief or where the artist sits.
Citation
Nancy L. Clark, William H. Worger. “South Africa: The Rise and Fall of Apartheid.” Taylor & Francis, Taylor & Francis, 17 June 2016. pp. 123, 127
Kaplan, Irving. Area Handbook for the Republic of South Africa. For Sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1971.
Richard, Lapchick, and Stephanie Urdang. Oppression and Resistance: The Struggle of Women in Southern Africa... Greenwood Press, 1982. pp. 48, 52.
Meyer, Natanya. “South Africa’s Youth Unemployment Dilemma: Whose Baby Is It Anyway?” Journal of Economics and Behavioural Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 2017, p. 56.
Schönteich, Martin, and Antoinette Louw. Crime in South Africa: a Country and Cities Profile. Institute for Security Studies, 2001.
Noah, Trevor. Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, Hodder & Stoughton General Division, 2016, pp. 27–28.
Cement, Wood, Acrylic Paints, African Beads 30in x 20in x 45in (l x b x h) March 20, 2021
