Lungiswa Gqunta is the first show at the gallery by the artist Lungiswa Gqunta, who showcases a combination of recent and new works. Through her work, Lungiswa Gqunta grapples with the complexities of the South African post-colonial cultural and political landscape. Focusing on creating multisensory experiences that attempt to articulate the social imbalances that persist as a legacy of both patriarchal dominance and colonialism, Gqunta exposes different forms of violence and systemic inequality in South Africa. A photographic and video series which documents the activity of folding sheets as a site of unearthing and intergenerational knowledge exchange. This moment of archiving stems from a larger project titled Riotous Assembly, which celebrates black revolt and collective healing and resistance, focusing on the often overlooked importance of women within these narratives. The gathering is about an action that goes beyond domestic labour; it is that moment when you get to learn about your family’s history of survival and resistance. It’s the moment when a young girl gets to understand how her mother keeps all her strength throughout the hardships and what her aunt’s methods of healing are. This body of work is a continuous collective conversation.
