Helen Mmakgabo Sebidi (b. 1943, South African)
The child’s mother holds the sharp side of the knife
1988-89
Pastel on paper
73 1/2 x 110 1/4 inches
Iziko SANG collection

 

Starting Helen Mmakgabo Sebidi’s artistic career with depictions of rural life, she did not make artistic social commentary until the mid-1980s. Even once she shifted to illustrating experiences in an urban environment, Sebidi never self-identified as a feminist. However, Sebidi said her art aimed to demonstrate “the conflict between women and men, the past and the present.” Sebidi’s work expressed the conflicts and challenges presented to South African women during her lifetime. She put forward feminist ideals by presenting women as people with power and agency. This work depicts a woman pulling a chain amidst chaos, which demonstrates these ideals of female strength. This chain represents South African tradition, while the work as a whole symbolizes a woman’s responsibility to carry on tradition despite changing times. Therefore, Sebidi contributes to the feminist movement with a new perspective that views women as powerful beings having important cultural responsibilities.