Time & Location
23 Mar 2023, 11:00 – 15 Apr 2023, 14:00
Africa First x Gordon, HaPelech St 6, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
About the Exhibition
Opening Hours
Monday-Thursday 11:00-17:00
Friday, Saturday and Sunday by appointment
We are thrilled to present the first solo exhibition in Israel of South African artist Feni Chulumanco.
Born in 1994 in the Eastern Cape, Chulumanco moved to Langa Township in Cape Town at a young age. His passion for the arts was evident from a young age, and he was fortunate enough to meet Miss Nkunzi, his Art, Culture, and Design teacher at Isilimela Comprehensive High School, who encouraged him to pursue his passion.
In his paintings, Chulumanco explores the concept of individualism by focusing on the depleted human figure, encased in glass boxes. His works are an invitation to the viewer to reflect on their own identity, self-worth, and sense of fulfillment. Chulumanco's journey of personal growth and self-discovery is an inspiration to all who encounter his work.
By displaying domestic objects, the Artist pays homage to how these elements were used to decorate the home space by our parents and how this signified status and played a significant role in his upbringing. Re-telling his lived experience, compelling faceless solitary figures are always painted against a background of textiles and notably saturated colors, such as mustard walls from memories of his late grandmother's home. Chulumanco notes that these figures are self-portraits as well as recreations of his brother and himself at home.
The house context assumes in fact a double connotation, where the traditional role of cozy shelter of love is opposed to its actual function – in the case of Chulumanco's personal experience – of safe house, a sort of panic room which prevents those dangers and threats spreading in the streets from breaking in. In this sense, Chulumanco chooses to describe the private sphere rather than shedding a light on the unfortunate events which are commonplace in South Africa, giving viewers a sense of universal feeling, and letting them see what's behind the walls.
We invite you to join us in celebrating the work of this exceptional artist for his first solo exhibition in Israel.