Created By
Fumani Maluleke
Charcoal and pastels on paper (Framed and mounted)
Curator
Luke Chapman
In "Unity begins at home," Maluleke masterfully intertwines the personal and the political, inviting viewers to contemplate the nuanced layers of communal identity and resilience. The strategic use of composition, with the figures' backs turned towards us, underscores a poignant reflection on agency and observation. Through the symbolic presence of tires, Maluleke navigates the intricate web of history and contemporary existence, imbuing the artwork with a profound sense of collective memory and perseverance. The juxtaposition of vibrant hues against a brooding sky serves as a visual allegory, evoking a narrative of hope amidst the looming challenges of the unknown future.
In Unity begins at home Maluleke offers us not just a scene but a proposition—a visual thesis about childhood, community, and futurity that reverberates beyond its immediate representational qualities. What Fumani achieves in this deceptively straightforward composition is a profound visual argument about community formation. The title doesn't just label the image; it activates it. "Unity begins at home" reads simultaneously as a political statement, as proverb, as aspiration. These three figures, standing together at the threshold between domestic space and broader landscape, become embodiments of solidarity's first principles. In the larger context of contemporary South African visual culture, this work participates in a crucial reclamation of everyday Black childhood as worthy of artistic attention—a seemingly simple gesture with revolutionary implications for representation and value. Maluleke doesn't sentimentalize or objectify; he witnesses and honors.
Created By
Fumani Maluleke
151 x 199 cm | 59 x 78 in
2024
