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Monday, March 10, 2014

ZOOLOO VINDALOO



A new body of work by veteran Zululand exhibitionist Peter Engblom is running at the KNSA Gallery.

In describing the exhibition in her Art Notes for The Mercury, Marianne Meijer describes it as “an eye-opener that will leave viewers provoked by many things.”

“Peter Engblom is an enigma,” says artSMart Editor. “Just when you think you’ve got a handle on his style and output, he comes up with another fascinating flight of fantasy. His knowledge of history and customs are woven into his intriguing photographs. He takes photoshopping to another level.”

As Meijer continues: “The exhibition can make you laugh. It puzzles. It tickles the palette with switches from cool sushi to hot vindaloo. But the biggest impact is that it challenges belief systems.”

Mpunzi Shezi is a fictional character of Engblom’s own creation. He is the first Zulu missionary to Japan. This new exhibition follows in the grand romantic travel adventures of the inimitable Shezi who is back from his travels to Goa, India. Shezi first met his artistic muse, Naokichi Nakamura (remember ‘Zulu Sushi’?), nearly a hundred years ago and went on to become the first Zulu Guru teaching Ubuntu to the Buddhists while explaining Zen to the Zulus.

Peter Engblom’s exhibition runs in the KZNSA’s Mezzanine Gallery until March 16.