Xanthe Somers unveils “Invisible Hand”: narrative threads, identity and craftsmanship

Until 7 November, the Southern Guild in Cape Town is lighting up with a solo exhibition by Xanthe Somers, entitled ‘Invisible Hand’. A showcase for creativity, the gallery is delighted to present the large-scale ceramic sculptures of this Zimbabwean artist, whose artistic approach offers a thoughtful critique of extractive economies and notions of domesticity in a post-colonial context. The exhibition also offers a sensory journey through her homeland, exploring themes of history, craft and identity.

London resident Xanthe Somers unveils three monumental vessels in this new series of works, the fruit of her residency at GUILD earlier this year. This artistic experience gave rise to these handmade masterpieces, highlighting a creative discipline that is often undervalued. Handicrafts, hastily described as women’s work, nevertheless carry a heavy cultural heritage and deserve to be celebrated.

Combining techniques such as sewing, mending, weaving and stitching, craftsmanship is an invaluable creative force. When fully exploited, it gives life to works of striking cultural depth. These practices, often perceived as mere hobbies, are in fact of significant cultural and artistic value, both in public spaces and in our homes.

The title of the exhibition ‘Invisible Hand’ evokes the free market theory of the economist Adam Smith. According to this theory, the pursuit of self-interest by individuals, businesses and legal entities would indirectly benefit society as a whole, promoting economic growth and prosperity without the need for central coordination or direction. In choosing this title to highlight work and efforts that are often devalued, Xanthe Somers aspires to epistemological justice, questioning the degree of ‘autonomy’ of the market.

The body of work presented by the contemporary artist draws its inspiration from indigenous Zimbabwean art, and is set in the political and historical context of Binga, which was hard hit by the construction of Lake Kariba between 1955 and 1959. This monumental project, which created the world’s largest artificial lake in terms of volume, had devastating consequences: tracts of land were submerged, natural habitats were altered, wildlife was affected, and more than 57,000 people were displaced from the banks of the Zambezi River.

Xanthe Somers appropriates the traditional basket-making techniques of the region, translating this practice into clay. She uses weaving as a metaphor and mnemonic method, highlighting clay’s ability to capture memory and articulate concepts related to domesticity. Although considered an everyday material, clay is of vital importance: the bricks that form the foundations of our homes come from the earth that supports them. And stoneware objects, whether plates or special vessels, represent the very substratum of human existence, establishing a profound link between culture and environment.

Xanthe Somers’ work is also inspired by Lucy Larcom’s poem Weaving, written in 1868. This poem echoes the experiences of Massachusetts factory workers before the Civil War, guiding readers through the reality of the weaver at the loom. Among her creations is the ceramic Of Woof and Woe, a handmade vessel measuring just over a metre in height. Its title comes from the third stanza of the poem, which ends with these poignant words: ‘But every time I weave, the world of women haunts me’. Tinted a pewter colour with pearlescent highlights, this work imitates soapstone, often used in sculpture in Zimbabwe.

Evoking a basket typical of the Binga region, the vessel features two distinct weaving styles: heavy loops that merge into a more delicate three-strand clay braid. The recurrence of the word weaving in Larcom’s poem is echoed in Xanthe Somers‘ technique, generating images of ceaseless movement and transforming the act into a binding necessity. Through weaving, the artist extends the tiny threads that make up our social tapestries. In this context, weaving symbolises social cohesion, the creation of meaning and the preservation of memory. She connects her bodily movements to a wider network of marginalised women, whose talents, efforts and work are often minimised, mocked or erased.

With its looping shapes and vibrant colours, The Weary Weaver in ‘Invisible Hand’ is more reminiscent of Xanthe Somers’ earlier work than Of Woof and Woe. Inspired by Zimbabwe’s post-colonial politics, the lines and colours of this vessel – green, yellow, red and white – resemble those of her native country’s flag. White rings run through perforations in the body of the container, offering the viewer a glimpse inside. The title, taken from the last stanza of Larcom’s poem, underlines our collective moral burden and reminds us of our responsibility to offer support and solidarity to those who are oppressed.

In ‘Invisible Hand’, Xanthe Somers prompts us to reflect on how the post-colony fuels campaigns of violence against marginalised peoples, inviting us to consider the banality with which cruelty can take hold. To accompany the exhibition, the Zimbabwean artist has written a poem in which she asks: ‘What tapestry are we creating and what does history say? What exists at the ends and what happens in the fray? Which thread is pulled and not replaced? Who repairs the holes when they tear? Who wipes the dust off this trodden carpet? Who cleans the sheets we lie on? What tangled dreams knot like lace, while others unravel and collapse?’