"Animals reinforce a political statement: Colbert Mashile draws from African traditions where clans have animal totems, to produce surreal works" by Mary Corrigall, published in Businessday, South Africa, 11th April 2017

Colbert Mashile: Truth or Dare at Everard Read Cape Town until 7 May 2017.

"I make art intuitively. I don’t try to be too obvious or too serious. I use the animal characters as a way of storytelling."

All of the subjects in the artworks in this exhibition are animals. Hyenas, rabbits, cats, lizards and crocodiles appear in intimate domestic settings, fixing the anthropomorphic theme. The tradition of using animals in political satire might have Eurocentric roots, but Mashile draws inspiration from African traditions in which clans have animal totems.

"The animal for each clan tells you something about the character of that clan. My father’s clan is linked to lions, my mother’s [clan], pythons...We tell stories, poems about each totem to elevate the animal. So, even if you are a tortoise, there will be a poem that highlights its strengths." says the artist.

 Click here for a link to the full article.

Click here to read more about the artist.