A thought provoking new solo exhibition by Khulekani Msweli opened at our gallery on the 1st of May. Khulekani was doing guided tours for all the visitors and it was a successful opening which created many interesting discussions!
“The life of a black man has been quite well documented in our memorials and histories. The savage, the beast, the hyper sexual, the good for nothing taker, the labour number, the little boy that is but a fully grown man, the shadow of all other living creatures. The pattern of the tale tends to follow similar traits and narratives, mostly negative and only peppered with charming character at the funeral memorial.
As a black man that is living a life, that is nothing short of a beautiful journey, of discoveries, family, spirituality, learning, unlearning, intellect, excellence, disturbing the comfortable, thrashing injustice and loving one’s self, despite all of the blemishes that history has yoked upon those of my kind, it is therefore my moment to write my eulogy. I don’t want my story to be told by someone else, as it is I that walked all of my life’s paths. If I lost my life, in 2020, due to Covid-19, I would not want you to cry at my memorial service but I would want you to celebrate with me the new narrative, of a black man, that I have been carving, throughout my entire life. A story of courage, humility, adventures, creativity, community and love. It is possible to undo injustices done to black men, by choosing to carve a new narrative that is authored by those walking consciously towards claiming what has been systematically distorted.
Don’t cry for me.” Khulekani Msweli