"The Green Mile" - Velaphi Sylvester Kumwenda (50x30cm)
The Green Mile is the latest image I enjoyed creating, using media I am fond of: pen and markers. In the late 70s, as a child, I was introduced to an ink pen by my mother. Without access to paint, the pen became my preferred tool as a fine artist to express emotions. Scrap paper, readily available in our cities, served as my canvases. However, creating 'The Green Mile' on cloth, I found, was much more exciting than on paper.
'The Green Mile' refers to death row, a term used in America. This concept struck me when I watched a documentary on death row. It presented an image of the choices many of us make in life. The first drug for most is alcohol, and when driven by negative emotions, people often seek stronger substances. This leads them down a path of sin, metaphorically making them a 'dead man walking' the Green Mile in the streets.
"Goust baby" - Velaphi Sylvester Kumwenda (80x30cm)
Ghost Baby is a mixed media piece using acrylic paint and color markers. The idea for Ghost Baby was inspired by the images in the late Credo Mutwa's books, particularly those about the Ngune symbols, with this piece representing future generations. It explores the concept of bringing these symbols into contemporary times, personified through the character of Caroline. The artwork touches on the sensitive issues of child abuse and the reality that some women face with abortion. The lines in the piece symbolize the yin and yang of love, often unspoken and deeply felt, especially in the aftermath of leaving the clinic.
"The Green Mile" - Velaphi Sylvester Kumwenda (50x30cm)
The Green Mile is the latest image I enjoyed creating, using media I am fond of: pen and markers. In the late 70s, as a child, I was introduced to an ink pen by my mother. Without access to paint, the pen became my preferred tool as a fine artist to express emotions. Scrap paper, readily available in our cities, served as my canvases. However, creating 'The Green Mile' on cloth, I found, was much more exciting than on paper.
'The Green Mile' refers to death row, a term used in America. This concept struck me when I watched a documentary on death row. It presented an image of the choices many of us make in life. The first drug for most is alcohol, and when driven by negative emotions, people often seek stronger substances. This leads them down a path of sin, metaphorically making them a 'dead man walking' the Green Mile in the streets.