AKAA: South African artist Sakhile Cebekhulu explores "this society of masks"

South African artist Sakhile Cebekhulu in front of his work “Ucleva Wase Paki” (Park Street) exhibited at AKAA (Also Known As Africa).

© Siegfried Forster / RFI

Text by: Siegfried Forster Follow

7 mins

Invited by his gallery Bonne Espérance, photographer Sakhile Cebekulu is one of 138 artists from 40 countries who are currently exhibiting their works at AKAA, the largest French fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diasporas.

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His embroidered and colorful black and white images, somewhere between documentary and magic, are the result of a particular blend: a keen sense of observation, the desire for hybridization stemming from his passion for fashion (and his own brand

), and the claim of both his Zulu roots and his taste for Afro-futurism.

Sakhile Cebekulu was born in Johannesburg in 1989.

This photographer and fashion designer amazes with his prints penetrated and cared for by an embroidered red thread evoking love, blood and traditional scarifications.

After

, a series about his belonging to the Zulu tribe, and

, his new series

 (

) explores the change in mores and behaviors at the present time omnipresent masks. 

RFI

Sakhile Cebekhulu

I realized that you are more relaxed here, masks are almost an option.

In Johannesburg, wearing a mask is compulsory.

On the other hand, when I arrived in Paris, I realized that we all still live in one world.

Most everyone wears masks.

In your artistic work, the mask is also a question of identity.

Why

When I started designing the series, it was even before the Covid.

The title

is South African jargon which means you are wearing a mask or have a certain expression on your face.

To do this series, I left my studio to walk around town, to people watch.

I could see that they were subconsciously wearing masks on their faces, for different reasons: either to protect themselves, or to fit in, or simply to express who they are and their identity.

This is how the work came to be.

The streets of Johannesburg (“Jozi's Streets”) seen by the South African artist Sakhile Cebekhulu, currently exhibited at AKAA (Also Known As Africa).

© Siegfried Forster / RFI

Since 2020, masks have taken on such importance, but in my series, I talk more about identity, the spaces we occupy, these masks that we unconsciously put on for different reasons.

In the series, I explore downtown Johannesburg, the streets we walk on, observing people and this mask society.

If you watch the whole series, there are different masking ideas.

Some cover the face, others hide the whole body to hide their surroundings as well.

Sometimes when you walk in the city, in some specific areas, you feel like you don't even see people, but rather shadows walking around.

What story are you telling in

Park Station

is a very popular train station in South Africa where a lot of people from different regions go.

She is also known for her criminality.

The person seen in the picture trembles with fear, for that she tries to put on a mask to show that she is not afraid.

Everything is expressed in an abstract way to make things not too obvious.

There are colors, at the same time she tries to blend in, but the mask makes her stand out.

It's about finding metaphors and playing with society.

Detail of “Isithunzi 2”, an embroidered photographic print by the South African artist Sakhile Cebekhulu, currently on display at AKAA (Also Known As Africa).

© Siegfried Forster / RFI

In the three smaller images,

, the mask takes on yet another form.

Jozi's Streets

is inspired by the streets of Johannesburg, " 

 " ( " 

"). These three images represent one simple thing: Johannesburg is your mask. These people are so part of Johannesburg that they become invisible. They are Joburg. For example these street vendors who emigrated from other African countries to sell their products in Johannesburg. They become part of the streets of Joburg. When you are a Joburger, no matter which province in South Africa you are from, you become a Joburger. With your Joburger mask, you represent Johannesburg everywhere.

When you think about the last two years, with the masks, what has changed in the daily behavior of people in Johannesburg

What has changed is that it has given people the ability to consciously mask themselves.

I have a few friends who tell me, “ 

 So today they consciously wear a mask in their daily life.

The mask had a huge impact.

It almost became a second face.

And you can't go anywhere without your face, whereas with the mask people can't see your face.

The mask is used today for different types of protection.

It has become a completely crazy thing.

“Vuma Agree” (detail), embroidered photographic print by South African artist Sakhile Cebekhulu, currently on display at AKAA (Also Known As Africa).

© Siegfried Forster / RFI

When you think of culture during the coronavirus era, what has changed in culture or in the way you create

When the Covid happened, it really changed everything for me: my way of working, my way of thinking about art and being an artist in society.

Anything can happen at any time.

At one point, it felt like we had come to the end of the world.

It made me realize why I am an artist.

So, after these two years of reflection, why are you an artist today

[Laughs] I don't think that's something I can answer. I even asked Google the question: " 

 For me, it's about creating a conversation with my work, educating people and bringing certain things to light. I am a very observant person and sometimes we all see something, but we don't realize that we all see it. For the series, I had to go through some pretty dangerous areas of the city. And my job often brings me back to questions like, " 

 ". It's almost therapy for me.

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