Dumo Qwaqwa

Artist Catalogue

Virtual Exhibition

Between the Seen and Unseen

I am a multidisciplinary artist born in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. My practice mainly involves the interplay between sculpture, photography, film, and drawing. At the heart of my practice lies a profound fascination with the human experience and a relentless commitment to deconstructing the very fabric of knowledge: how it is conceived, communicated, and preserved throughout time.

This naturally leads me to explore themes such as faith, the self, the body, language, and culture. Inspired by the storytelling and oral tradition of the Xhosa culture, my work weaves narratives as a means of giving form to the intangible aspects of being human.

As a result of my faith in God, central to my work is the exploration of the human, first as a spirit then as a being that coexists with and within society. Through my art, I prompt viewers to critically reflect on the knowledge systems that inform their understanding of themselves and the society they exist within - their genesis, dissemination and impact in a world that overflows with information.

My work then becomes a dialogue, with the audience playing an active role in the process of meaning-making. It is a journey of exploration through which the viewer unravels the complexities that exist within themselves and within the broader society. Through the tactile process of deconstruction, I transform the intangible into the tangible, inviting viewers to engage with the physicality of knowledge production.

My work then becomes a dialogue, with the audience playing an active role in the process of meaning-making.