Athi-Patra Ruga; South African 1984-; Votive Portrait of Illulwane
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Exhibited : WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town, Holiday, 1 December 2009 to 23 January 2010.
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Notes : This work is part of a series of homoerotic portraits featuring male figures, some fictional, which were later adapted into live performances. The title Ilulwane, which means 'bat' in Xhosa, also serves as a derogatory term used to mock young men who choose hospital circumcisions over traditional Xhosa initiation rites. In the artwork, the character Ilulwane is adorned with a full face of make-up reminiscent of the band Kiss, and combined with his posturing and costume, this emphasises the feeling of donning a façade and taking on a stage identity. When explaining the social stigma attached to those who undergo hospital circumcisions, reflecting on the pressure to adhere to traditional practices, Ruga said 'God damn you if you are not from the bush! Then you are not a man, you are Ilulwane'. This highlights the tension between modernity and tradition, as young men who opt for a medical approach to circumcision are seen as deviating from cultural norms and are insulted as 'bats', implying they are not true men. This is emphasised with the polka dot string bikini worn by Ilulwane. In 2011, the artist presented this concept in a performance at the fourth edition of Performa, a performance art biennial in New York. The synchronised swimming performance explored the complexities of tradition versus modernity through the ambiguous figure of Ilulwane, who embodies both an insider and outsider perspective on these cultural dynamics.
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