Art, exhibition

Sthenjwa Luthuli South African artist pictured in his studio, PHOTO: Unit London

Sthenjwa Luthuli's second solo exhibition with Unit London, Inzalo Ye Langa: Birthplace of the Sun, is inspired by African history and culture. The exhibition explores ancestral connections and ancient traditions, taking its name from the African name for a series of stones believed to be the oldest manmade structure in the world.

The exhibition presents a series of Luthuli's meticulously hand-carved and painted pieces, each inspired by African history and Black ancestral traditions. The circular patterns of color in each artwork are inspired by traditional healing methods, with African healers often using colorful beads in their process.

Luthuli has also incorporated sculpture into his artistic practice for the first time, using leftover sawdust from his wood carvings as a sculptural material. He mixes the sawdust with wood glue to produce a texture similar to clay, using it to create three-dimensional figures.

Throughout his recent career, Luthuli has incorporated headless figures into his wood carvings. These figures represent both the missing names and identities of the artist's forebears, lost to time and the devastation of colonization, as well as Luthuli's strong belief in the human spirit. In sculptural form, each figure seems to float or freefall in abstract space, presenting a space of liberation.

Inzalo Ye Langa: Birthplace of the Sun presents Luthuli's wish to communicate intangible ideas of history and spirituality to younger generations, reminding us of a more ancient and organic way of life.