INKOSI MASONDO V
In series V, is the last iteration of the body of work, where now I investigate the layer of what these two sides look like and how can I bring them into an art form to express the concept and communicate the message further beyond emotions and space. During 15 October 2024, at Stellenbosch Farms, I photographed a series of photographs to showcase the conflicting identity in a more visual form other than to just discuss that and show it in the indigenous attire. In these photographs I had to represent myself as the main character displaying the inherited traditions. I showcased my cultural side, where there is this warrior fighting to not be forgotten and lost in time. Then the female represents Christianity the religion I grew up under and the church being filled with mainly women.
The traditional character is in representation of my cultural and traditional side, where I celebrate and embrace my inherited identity with many traditions such as lobola, traditional wedding and imbeleko.
The female character is in representation of my religion and her being a female is because my church is filled with more women than men. The character symbolises the Christianity as my found religion and in this contempt as Christianity is mainly known for using more words and be calm and praising and worshiping God.
The characters are symbols not people they represent my culture and religion. My inherited tradition is filled with this harsh truth that it must fight through every day to not be lost in time. The religion is calm, contempt with knowing that its power is the word it believes in & its time exists in the post-colonial society. They display the conflicting identity in culture and religion. As this showcases the challenge I deal with as these two sides want to rule over me and I have to claim one of them, but I want to choose both because with hybridity brings out a unique individual and as a Black South African, I believe that should be a future.
