The Black Body: Position and Stance

Nandipha Mntambo, Minotaurus, 2015 Cast bronze on sandstone base

Minotaurus:

Nandipha Mntambo, born in 1982, is a South African artist that creates sculptures that center on the female body and identity. During a visit to Mozambique, she observed bullfighting inspiring her to implement cattle in her work. Mntambo converts herself into a minotaur in this self-portrait using horns and hair covering her various bodily extremities, but she still retains her humanoid features. She is interested in the binary between the animal and the human. She uses her own body to depict this schism. This sculpture is an example of "Hybrid Arts," a movement gaining traction in the contemporary art scene.

Fahamu Pecou, Native Tongue/Ogbe Oyeku, 2015 Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas

Native Tongue/Ogbe Oyeku:

Fahamu Pecou creates intricate pieces of art that combine his passion for Hip Hop culture and determination to refute stereotypes of Black masculinity. Pecou draws you in with the words Negro Digest that refers back to the magazine publication in the 1940’s which targeted Black audiences to promote Black pride. The figure in the center depicts the artist himself and is dressed in both modern and traditional African attire like the Dan mask on the back of the figure’s head. These references point to the potent message Pecou is trying to convey about Black men and their need for protection.