The collective exhibition Gathering Fragments, showcased at the Goodman Gallery in Cape Town until 2025, January 11, brings together nine iconic figures of global contemporary art: Ghada Amer, El Anatsui, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Leonardo Drew, Remy Jungerman, William Kentridge, Kapwani Kiwanga, Atta Kwami, and Hank Willis Thomas. Through their immersive works, these artists explore abstraction not merely as a creative medium but as a powerful tool to question the social and historical structures shaping our existence.
This exhibition transcends a purely aesthetic experience. It becomes a vehicle for exploring intersections of history, power, and knowledge, offering a renewed interpretation of the fragmented narratives that make up our world. These works create “ephemeral cartographies,” reflecting the ever-evolving nature of cultural and personal storytelling.
An Immersion into Abstraction: Exploring Fragments of Identity
Each artist in Gathering Fragments contributes to exploring the complex themes of belonging, identity, and collective memory.
Ghada Amer: Originally from Egypt, Ghada Amer challenges the patriarchal conventions of art history through her diverse practice, which includes painting, sculpture, ceramics, and installations. By employing mixed media, she subverts traditional frameworks of femininity representation, delving into sociocultural and religious narratives influencing women’s identities. Her works, featured in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, embody a subtle yet powerful critique of societal norms.
El Anatsui: This Ghanaian master of sculpture and assemblage creates monumental works using recycled materials like bottle caps. His fluid metallic tapestries, reminiscent of traditional textiles, narrate stories of consumption, migration, and cultural interconnections. Anatsui transcends materiality to address global issues related to ecology and collective memory.
Remy Jungerman: Hailing from Suriname, Jungerman explores the intersections of Western modernism and Maroon traditions of the African diaspora. His compositions incorporate fragments of textiles, kaolin clay, and other symbolic materials, creating hybrid works that challenge art history and global cultural dynamics.
South African Icons in Contemporary Art
Two South African artists, William Kentridge and David Koloane, play central roles in the exhibition, offering profound insights into the country’s historical and contemporary realities.
William Kentridge: Renowned for his drawings, animations, and theatrical productions, Kentridge examines universal themes such as oppression, memory, and justice. His works, included in major collections like MoMA and the Centre Pompidou, reflect a constant exploration of history’s impact on individuals. His use of black and white, ephemeral elements, and animation gives his creations a unique emotional intensity.
David Koloane: A pioneer of South African art, Koloane used Johannesburg as a metaphor for sociopolitical struggles. His visually poetic works shed light on the cultural dynamics of townships, from jazz musicians to vibrant urban scenes. His dedication to supporting Black artists during and after apartheid underscores his role as a mentor and visionary.
Diverse Perspectives on Belonging and Power
The exhibition also features artists whose work explores resilience, transformation, and cultural identity.
Kapwani Kiwanga: This Canadian-Tanzanian artist examines the relationship between power structures and historical narratives. Her installations, often grounded in rigorous research, probe mechanisms of control and resistance.
Hank Willis Thomas: Known for his conceptual approach to identity, Thomas uses cultural symbols to examine racial, economic, and social dynamics. His works, spanning photography and sculpture, unveil profound truths about the human condition.
Nolan Oswald Dennis: By blending abstraction and cartography, Dennis creates works that interrogate systems of knowledge and global control mechanisms. His minimalist compositions invite reflection on the fluidity of borders and identities.
An Immersive Artistic Experience
Gathering Fragments is not just an exhibition; it is an invitation to explore fragmented yet interconnected narratives presented by visionary artists. The dialogue between the works offers a nuanced understanding of abstraction as a universal language and a method of resilience. Visitors are encouraged to navigate this visual universe, both poetic and provocative, and rediscover their own perceptions of identity and memory.