Nkanga often portrays the natural world as a site of valuable knowledge for humans. Her tapestry Tied to the Other Side, set in an ambiguous landscape, employs abstracted shapes and textures to unfurl a universal narrative: the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. On one end is an arrangement of fragmented limbs sprouting from dense vegetation. Over time, shown in the image’s progression from right to left, these body parts fall into states of decay and slowly become the spiritual energy source for radiating lights at the other end of the tapestry. This light, the artist seems to illustrate, will one day nourish the earth and spawn new life. She explains: “Even in death there is the possibility of regeneration. Nothing is lost; everything is used again.”
2023
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Textile
A work consisting of natural or artificial fibers, often woven. Can refer to artist-created sculptures, hand-woven works, and industrially produced fabrics.
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