{"id":94220,"date":"2017-06-06T22:47:38","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T20:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/sculptures-slides-and-slavery-a-new-way-of-telling-lusophone-african-stories-the-conversation\/"},"modified":"2017-06-06T22:47:38","modified_gmt":"2017-06-06T20:47:38","slug":"sculptures-slides-and-slavery-a-new-way-of-telling-lusophone-african-stories-the-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/sculptures-slides-and-slavery-a-new-way-of-telling-lusophone-african-stories-the-conversation\/","title":{"rendered":"Sculptures, slides and slavery: a new way of telling Lusophone African stories | The Conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sculptures, slides and slavery: a new way of telling Lusophone African stories<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\u00c2ngela Ferreira's 'Wattle and Daub' – performance by Selma Uamusse at 'Old School\u2019, Lisbon in February 2016. <\/span> Vera Marmelo<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Johannesburg Art Gallery is hosting \u00c2ngela Ferreira\u2019s solo exhibition, \u201cSouth Facing\u201d. Ferreira\u2019s work is concerned with the ongoing impact of colonialism and post-colonialism particularly in the Global South. Ferreira is both artist and academic. With her dual African Portuguese identity Ferreira\u2019s work is rooted in South Africa, Mozambique and Portugal. The Conversation Africa\u2019s Charles Leonard spoke to her.<\/em><\/p>\n

You are based in Lisbon. Do you still identify as an African artist?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mine is a complicated personal story, but not unusual in southern Africa. I was born in Mozambique, studied in Cape Town and hold both Portuguese and South African passports. I am a Luso-South African. My critical roots are very solidly grounded in South Africa, and I presently teach and live in Lisbon. <\/p>\n

Yes, I identify as an African artist. My conceptually driven and subtly political practice is not part of the mainstream production in the South African art context of the moment but I would like to believe that I still have something to contribute in this milieu. \u201cSouth Facing\u201d is a good example of the rich intersections between Mozambique, South Africa and Portugal which I draw from in my work. I intend to pursue my life project of exploring and digging out meaning in this area.<\/p>\n

Please tell us about \u201cWattle and Daub\u201d (2016) which forms part of \u201cSouth Facing\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This work evolved as a response to an invitation to devise a new work for performance space called \u201cOld School\u201d in Lisbon. \u201cOld School\u201d is located in an area of the city known as \u201cPo\u00e7o dos Negros\u201d which means \u201cwell of the black people\u201d. Historically it housed the water well which served Lisbon\u2019s black community from the 1700s. At that time most of this community were slaves.<\/p>\n