Morongwa (The one who is sent)
Perspex, candle wax, wicks, carpet imprint and beads
2-Part: 121 cm x 70 cm; 114 cm x 70 cm
Artist’s Statement
This installation challenges unilateral views of spirituality through a series of two floor carpets resembling prayer mats. Made from found objects such as red, blue, white, and yellow candles and beads(blue and white), each element holds significance in my spiritual practice. I transformed the candles by burning, melting, mixing, and imprinting them with a reed carpet.
The white candle opens the space, symbolising purity and light. The blue represents my paternal ancestors, the yellow honours my maternal lineage, and the red provides spiritual protection. Together, these colours create a space where different spiritual dimensions coexist, acknowledging both ancestral and divine presence.
By manipulating the candles through melting and reorientation, I shift their form from vertical to horizontal, challenging hierarchical notions in spirituality. This tilt references the axis mundi, metaphorically placing Christianity and African spiritual practices on equal footing. The horizontal arrangement resists the idea of one path being superior, instead presenting a layered spiritual world where multiple practices speak to a shared divine centre.
This work serves as a reminder that, even in ancestral practices, God remains central. Ancestors are not deities; rather, they act as intercessors, mediating between ourselves, who are often seen as “impure”, and God. The installation becomes a space of spiritual negotiation, balance, and unity, resisting binary understandings and encouraging a more expansive, inclusive spirituality rooted in personal and cultural memory.
Gallery
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