Sfiso Ka Mkame b.1963, Clermont, KwaZulu-Natal uses a technique of layering colour planes with oil pastel and then scraping through the surfaces to create patterned effects that are suggestive of African fabric designs.
His work addresses amongst others, themes relating to the role of women in society, Zulu cosmology, and the connection between people and their ancestors. This is conveyed through harmonic colour arrangement, line, and design.
In The Family, a spiritual atmosphere is created by figures, with outward-looking, flattened faces staring at the viewer. Their flattened body forms appear active whilst their gaze is fixed.The father is depicted with his child, while the mother sits slightly apart, despite the proximity and appears less engaged.
Their patterned clothing, which sometimes overlaps onto their skin, references African textile traditions.
Mkame’s work is included in South African museums and numerous private collections. His oeuvre is featured “10 Years 100 Artists,” ed. Bell Roberts, 2004, as well as other academic publications.
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