From South Africa to the World

South African ceramic artist, Zizipho Poswa recently exhibited iiNtsika zeSizwe (Pillars of the Nation) in the USA. This exhibition marks Poswa’s first solo presentation in the United States and her inaugural collection created entirely in bronze.

Poswa’s monumental sculptures, with a tendency towards modernism, draw inspiration from the spirituality and traditions of her Xhosa culture. iiNtsika zeSizwe builds upon the thematic interests of her initial series of significant ceramic sculptures, which involved stacking abstract forms on voluminous bases to create totems representing female strength and resilience. These works delve into the practice of “umthwalo” (load), in which African women carry heavy items on their heads, often walking long distances in rural areas.

Each ceramic form in iiNtsika zeSizwe, Pillars of the Nation has been named after a significant woman from Zizipho Poswa’s home village of Holela in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa. The titles have been formed by blending the Xhosa term ‘Mam’, meaning ‘mother’, and the respective name of each honoured woman. The body of work pays intimate homage to the women within the artist’s extended community, the mothers, sisters, providers, healers and caretakers.

They are custodians of Xhosa ritual and custom, preserving traditions as they are passed on from one generation to the next. The loads they carry reach beyond physical offerings essential to the survival of their communities. They bear the symbolic weight of womanhood with an unyielding generosity of spirit.

Mam’uNoSayini

2023

Bronze

41.34 x 40.94 x 14.17 in

Edition of 5 + 2AP

Honouring another local woman, the name Sayini means trace or presence. The work’s form represents a bundle of sticks. Firewood is collected from the village’s nearby forest to be used in the cooking of the community’s shared food. The gathering of wood is one of the most physically demanding tasks for the local women. The women work sustainably, only harvesting wood from fallen or dead trees. The chore requires numerous hands, offering the opportunity for coming together, exchange, problemsolving and connection amongst the village’s women.

Poswa’s monumental sculptures, with a tendency towards modernism, draw inspiration from the spirituality and traditions of her Xhosa culture.

Mam’uNoBongile

2023

Bronze

51.97 x 33.07 x 23.62 in

Edition of 5 + 2AP

Named after an important woman in Poswa’s home community, the Xhosa name Bongile means to praise or give thanks. The work’s depicted load – an ample stalk of bananas – honours the women of West Africa. The region is home to major banana-producing countries where the fruits are a vital source of economic empowerment for women.

Mam’uNoAnswari

2023

Bronze

40.55 x 27.17 x 25.98 in Edition of 5 + 2AP

This work honours another matriarch from Poswa’s village whose name, Answari, is a derivation of the English word answer, meaning response or solution. Mama uNoAnswari is a keeper of livestock in the village, tending traditional farm animals including chickens, goats and cattle. The work’s depicted load is a plate laden with carrots. Poswa has childhood memories of Mama uNoAnswari cooking carrots, pulled from the earth of the village’s garden and shared with the community.

Mam’uNoSekshin

2023

Bronze

52.36 x 24.41 x 21.65 in Edition of 5 + 2AP

The name Sekshin is a phoneticisation of the English word ‘section’. Mama uNoSekshin’s husband, like many men in the community, works in the mines to financially provide for his family. When a bride is welcomed into the groom’s family, they are given a name that carries particular significance. Her gifted name refers to the particular section of the mine in which her husband works. The load depicted in this sculpture is a bundle of oranges which, though not commonly farmed in the region surrounding Poswa’s village, are a fairly inexpensive and nutritious fruit frequently available at the local market.

Mam’uNoNezile

2023

Bronze

53.54 x 23.62 x 22.83 in Edition of 5 + 2AP

Mam’uNoNezile is titled after a neighbour and matriarch from Poswa’s village. The woman – Mama uNoNezile – is a local farmer, breadwinner, and single mother to her family. The work’s abstract form represents an amalgam of different loads. These abstracted fruits and vegetables are symbolic of both nourishment and maternal abundance.

Mam’uNoMathemba

2023

Bronze

64.57 x 29.53 x 28.35 in Edition of 5 + 2AP

This work is titled after Poswa’s neighbour and friend, Mama uNoMathemba, the Xhosa name meaning hope. The work’s load is an abstracted bundle of corn, the most widely grown grain crop in South Africa. Produced throughout the year and able to flourish in diverse environments, this staple crop is used to make a variety of foods and is also used as feed for the community’s livestock.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/zizipo_poswa

Mam’uNoZinzile

2023

Bronze

50.39 x 24.41 x 17.32 in Edition of 5 + 2AP

The name ‘Zinzile’ means steadfast or unwavering. The work’s load speaks to the oblong form of a wooden barrel lying on its side. Traditionally gifted to Xhosa women on the occasion of their marriage, the barrel is a significant customary gift. Initially used to brew beer for the wedding ceremony, the barrel’s ample capacity to store hardy provisions, like maize or grain, is essential to sustaining the family through the winter seasons