Title: The Snake Underwear 2016
Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas
Unframed: 162cm x 204cm
The artworks: Save Democracy and The Snake Underwear, was written about by Motlatsi Khosi (Reff) after their appearance in the exhibition, Masked Reality, held at Everard Read gallery in Johannesburg in 2017. He stated that Ngobeni’s work “relies on a so-called iconography of the oppressed” he also explained that these images “resonated with those living within the constant reality of structural violence.”
Ngobeni’s work speaks of the discontent experienced by the larger part of South Africa’s society. With the lead up to South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994 promises of a free and just society were made. After 20 years in power these politicians have not honored their commitments towards the South African public. Instead, we have serious problems with corruption and looting within government.
Scott Williams (2018:1) accurately referred to the contorted humanoid figures in Ngobeni’s paintings as representing spineless archetypes. Stating that his work echoes Pier Passolini’s words: “…This power manipulates human bodies in the most terrible way, transforming their consciences and instituting new, alienating, and fake values…”
