Mary Sibande’s powerful depictions of her avatar Sophie interrogate historical narratives of racial oppression in South Africa, and transcend them. The alter ego is first presented as a domestic servant, before inhabiting a number of different empowering characters, utilizing increasingly elaborate costuming and fantastic, heroic scenes—often in the form of sensational life-sized sculptures. Sibande also uses colour to address the country’s apartheid history, with Sophie wearing tones of blue, purple and red. Alluding to the domestic uniforms worn by her relatives, events such as the Cape Town’s 1989 Purple Rain protest, and the stirring power of anger, particularly the allusion to the old Zulu expression “he is angry, he turned into a red dog”, Sibande weaves a story that celebrates the fortitude and endurance of every woman Sophie represents, and condemns her oppressors. Her new exhibition I Came Apart at the Seams is on show at Somerset House until 5 January.
