Umseme Uyakhuluma: A Celestial Conversation
Umseme Uyakhuluma: A Celestial Conversation is the first solo worldview collection of the eponymous all-female collective, depicting a tale of two women responding to a spiritual request between them, their bloodline and their land. Using vivid colors like blue, amber, and red to symbolize spiritual transformation, the work invokes Ndebele culture, merging past traditions with present healing practices for future generations.
Doyle Wham Gallery, 91a Rivington Street, London, Great Britain. Runs through December 7, 2024.
Exhibition Description
"Doyle Wham is delighted to present the first worldwide solo exhibition of Umseme Uyakhuluma, an all-female artistic collective whose eponymous project is inspired by ancient forms of communication on the African continent. Umseme Uyakhuluma: A Celestial Conversation documents the journey of two women who answer a calling to perform a ritual enabling them to spiritually reconnect with the land and heal their bloodline. This calling first came to the artist Zana Masombuka (aka Ndebele Superhero) in a dream and led her to form the Umseme Uyakhuluma collective. The phrase “Umseme Uyakhuluma” means “when the straw mat speaks” and refers to one of Africa’s oldest methods of recording information through the weaving of straw mats (umseme). Traditionally, messages were woven into mats in the form of symbols, a practice which continues today among Bantu people across the African continent. This includes the Ndebele in South Africa, who are renowned for their richly symbolic geometric designs and vivid colour palette. This colour palette plays a significant role in the Umseme Uyakhuluma series, representing the different states of spiritual transformation the women experience." - Doyle Wham Gallery
Gallery
