Nkosinathi Quwe in collaboration with Keiskamma Art Project, administered by Spier Arts Trust

Imvomvo

2023
Embroidered tapestry 

970 x 1405 x 35 mm

Courtesy Spier Collection

Nkosinathi Quwe sees his art as a calling. He is a visual messenger – telling stories in his work that have been told before but by bringing in new elements and layers, he connects differently with his viewer. 

 Quwe explains the title of this collaborative work: 

“Imvomvo is very synonymous to the Eastern Cape, one immediately thinks of the aloe plant, the rondavels and the landscape with rolling hills that stretch as far as the eye can see. Imvomvo is the red spear-shaped shoot that appears at the apex of the aloe plant. This red shoot is known for its sweet nectar while the rest of the plant is bitter in taste, such an interesting paradox- the bittersweet nature of life itself.”  

Quwe was born and raised in Butterworth, Eastern Cape before he moved to Johannesburg. He worked on site in Hamburg for a week, with the embroiderers that chose to work with him. Sharing personal stories and ideas, they concluded that just like Imvomvo (sweet) and the aloe (bitter), the plant itself is symbolic of daily life in Hamburg, Eastern Cape. In fact, that could be said about life anywhere in the world.  

The aloe plant is medicinal in nature; it is known for curing ailments and for cleansing/ detoxifying the body. The Xhosa people believed that the more bitter the medicine, the stronger its potency is; a true metaphor for the human condition – how our bitter life experiences usually make us stronger.  

Imvomvo is about finding beauty in the mundane, moments in life that we take for granted – like being grateful for the smallest achievements. This group of co-creators chose images and symbols that resonate with the traditions and customs of the Xhosa; for example, the white goat is symbolic of ancestral rituals (sacrifice) and is central in traditional Xhosa life. The goat is also symbolic of well-being and a man’s virality for procreation. Goats serve as mediums of communication between the living and the ancestors; interrogating the spiritual well-being of a people.  

The pond (water) with the reeds symbolizes the abundance of life and great potential which Hamburg possesses. The intention behind Imvomvo was to celebrate life and the people that make Hamburg what it is today. Also, a portrayal of tremendous potential, growth and beauty – like the valleys and mountain ranges in the background. A complete symphony that is accompanied by a man with a herd of sheep, walking down a slope.