Art, craft and spiritual works mainly from rural South Africa - Jackson Hlungwani Flashcards
In which year was Jackson Hlungwani born?
1923
In which year did Jackson Hlungwani die?
2010
Where was Jackson Hlungwani born?
In Nkanyani, Gazankulu in the Northern Transvaal.
What happened to Jackson Hlungwani in 1978?
A visionary event occurred that changed his life. He claims that Satan shot arrows through both of his legs which caused abscesses on each leg. He decided to commit suicide but Jesus visited him before he could and made a 3-fold promise: He would be healed, and become a healer himself and he would see God pass by.
How did Jackson Hlungwani react to this vision?
He became a preacher and started his own Zionist sect in Mbhokota near Elia in north-western Gazankulu.
What did Jackson Hlungwani become known as?
The little donkey, the mount that brought the Virgin Mary to Bethlehem.
Discuss the “New Jerusalem” founded by Jackson Hlungwani.
On a hill, atop which was an Iron Age site, he and his followers began building what he called New Jerusalem, a sanctuary with two altars, one for women and one for men, which he embellished with figurative sculptures.
What were Jackson Hlungwani’s main influences?
African sculpture, a mix of Tsonga Heritage and symbolism and Christian religious motifs.
What resulted in Jackson’s spiritual philosophy?
His combination of traditional elements with his Christian beliefs resulted in his own spiritual philosophy.
What is the source of Jackson’s inspiration?
His spiritual ideas are the source of the images and the inspiration for his sculptures.
What type of person was Jackson?
He was a charismatic spiritual leader, a healer and an artist. He didn’t produce art for commercial purposes but as an expression of his vision from God.
What guided Jackson’s choice of subject matter?
He was guided by his spiritual beliefs and was used as part of his sermons to teach and explain his ideas.
How did Jackson explain his sculptures?
He explained his sculptures as the communication of Christ and the ancestors through him.
What themes were common in Jackson’s works?
Opposites such as good/evil; male/female; up/down; black/white; Christ/Satan; Cain/Abel; new world/old world.
Describe Jackson’s subject matter range.
His subject matter ranges from spoons, sticks and bowls to altars, thrones and monumental fish, as well as other Christian derived figures such as Adam and Eve figures and lions.
Why did the Department of Arts and Culture declare Jackson Hlungwani a living legend in 2005?
He is important for the unique vision in his work. An entire room in the Johannesburg Art Gallery has been dedicated to his work. His work is also in numerous international galleries and collections.
How did Jackson make his sculptures?
He retained much of the original shape of the wood and used only hand tools like adzes and axes to create the broad general shapes, chisels for details and marking patterns, and sandpaper to smooth out some of the rough edges. The texture of his work reflects the natural wood grain.
What stylistic characteristics are common in Jackson’s sculptures?
They have strong angular edges to forms with simplified features, such as the angular features of eyes, lips, and nose.
How did Jackson reflect emotional proportion in his sculptures?
He used characteristics of traditional African art in the distortions of proportions and abstractions of form to reflect emotional proportion.
When did Jackson Hlungwani create “Large Crucifix and Star”?
1990-1992
What media did Jackson use to create “Large Crucifix and Star”?
wood, pencil, charcoal
What style of work was “Large Crucifix and Star” made in?
Stylised
What medium and technique was “Large Crucifix and Star” made in?
Wooden sculpture.
Describe the subject of “Large Crucifix and Star”.
The works shows a crucifix with raised arms carved into a tree trunk decorated with a complex series of carvings including an elephant, people and fish at the base. The figure of Christ is central with arms spread out.
What is unusual about the cross in “Large Crucifix and Star”?
The crossbar isn’t horizontal, but follows two branches growing upright from the central log.
What can be seen underneath Christ’s feet?
A podium is created from a separate piece of wood that transforms into what appears to be the roots of the tree.
What symbolic impression is created by “Large Crucifix and Star”?
It creates the symbolic impression of the hill of Golgotha and it is suspended above the earth, as the sculpture does not stand on the floor.
What is suspended from one of Christ’s arms in “Large Crucifix and Star”?
A three dimensional wooden form representing a star.
What spiritual meaning does “Large Crucifix and Star” have?
He expressed the idea of a cosmic harmony, the linking of heaven and earth/ God and man.
What did Hlungwani believe “Large Crucifix and Star” symbolised?
He believed that it is possible for man to live in harmony with nature.
Discuss the form of “Large Crucifix and Star”.
Simplified form but recognisable. The figure of Christ is a strong and solid figure. Christ has an enormous face with large eyes that appears to be staring down sternly.
What does the incision between Christ’s eyes in “Large Crucifix and Star” symbolise?
It is a symbol of the cross.
How is the stern look on Christ’s face created in “Large Crucifix and Star”?
The shape of the face becomes thinner towards the mouth, chin and long vertical beard. The shape of the mouth is indicate by a thin straight line which contributes to the stern look.
Describe Christ’s ears in “Large Crucifix and Star”.
On both sides of the face are two exaggeratedly large ears shaped from round relief shapes.
Describe Christ’s torso in “Large Crucifix and Star”?
The torso and legs are small in comparison to the head but still create the impression of solidity as it consists of rounded segments that indicate the different parts. Christ’s arms and hands come out directly from the sides of the head, next to the ears.
What symbolic forms did Hlungwani include over the arms in “Large Crucifix and Star”?
On the one side is a fish, the symbol of peace and tranquility and on the other side a form that looks like a decorated flat tablet that has a cross with two crossbars on it.
What symbolic forms are visible on the podium of “Large Crucifix and Star”?
There are more symbolic forms on the roots radiating from the podium such as repetitive egg shapes on one branch.
What do the eggs on the podium of “Large Crucifix and Star” symbolise?
The idea of treating people with care, as if they are fragile and it could also be a metaphorical reference to the sores that Hlungwani had on his legs.
When did Jackson Hlungwani create “Leaping Fish”?
1980’s
What medium and technique was used to create “Leaping Fish”?
Wooden sculpture
What style of work was used to create “Leaping Fish”?
Stylised
Describe the subject of “Leaping Fish”.
A sculpture of a leaping fish using the natural shape of the wood to get the curving shape of the leaping fish while the grain of the wood contributes to the visual effect of fluidity associated with the fish.
How many fish sculptures did Hlungwani make in his lifetime?
22
What does the fish represent in Christianity?
It is a recognised symbol as it represented the Greek word ‘Ichtus’ which is an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour”
What process does the symbol of the fish refer to in Christianity?
The process of being baptised through immersion or submersion in water, as is practiced by the African Zionist Church.
What does it mean to be baptised?
It is a ritual cleansing process through which the person is symbolically reborn in a new life.
How did Hlungwani interpret the symbol of the fish?
He interpreted it as a representation of peace and calm. Baptism was interpreted as symbolic of the time of transition in South Africa and the way people should deal with it.
What did Hlungwani say about the New South Africa?
In the new country we must learn to swim like fish.
What style was “Leaping Fish” made in?
An expressive style.
What does the title of “Leaping Fish” invoke?
It invokes the energy that it exudes. The fish has been depicted as gliding through the water with an expressively forked tail that adds to the feeling of movement.
Describe the fins on the fish in “Leaping Fish”?
The fins on the sides of the body are rectangular, and the texture of it is indicated with lines that are deeply carved, The fins on its back and underneath the body look sleeker and are carved close to the body.
Describe the face of the fish in “Leaping Fish”?
The face of the fish has a human feel to it as the simple line that indicated its mouth seems to be smiling and the two round cavities, that indicate the eyes, seem to be gazing upward.
How are scales represented in “Leaping Fish”?
Scales are represented in a simplified way as small marks that are evenly spread over the body of the fish.
Describe the texture of “Leaping Fish”?
The surface of this fish has been sanded to give it a smooth texture.
