Fiberworks - A Celebration of South African
Fiber and Textile Artists

Title: By A Thread
Ntombikayise

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb.
(Beautiful beads together make even greater beauty.)

Title: By A Thread
Jabulisile

Description: "The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb.
(Beautiful beads together make even greater beauty.)"""

Title: By A Thread
Ngoneni

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: By A Thread
Nthombi

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: By A Thread
Bongekhile

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: By A Thread
Khongeni

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: By A Thread
Jabhile

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: By A Thread
Pelsiwe

Description: The work entitled "By a Thread" combines embroidery and writing done on my sewing machine, with beadwork done by women of the Amangwe Zulu Beadwork Project, the threads of our handwork pulling together our shared concern with HIV and AIDS.

The work consists of eight panels, each named after a person affected by AIDS. Each panel also depicts different ways of coping with AIDS.

There is symbolism with cultural references in the objects used in these collages. The beaded discs are used as decorations on traditional Zulu hats, the serviettes onto which they are sewn, speak of nourishing and serving in European culture, while the reedmats reflect a multitude of Zulu occasions, including burial.

In juxtaposing my handwork with that of tribal Zulu women, I suggest that people across the social spectrum are affected and that differences in culture and background lead to different approaches to craftmaking, as well as to handling the disease and to finding solutions.

"Obucu obuhle obuhamba ngabuningi" Zulu proverb

Title: Loveletters 1

Description: These four works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart,yet there are so many similarities under the surface, which transcend all differences.

Title: Loveletter 2

Description: These four works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart,yet there are so many similarities under the surface, which transcend all differences.

Title: Loveletter 3

Description: These four works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart,yet there are so many similarities under the surface, which transcend all differences.

Title: Loveletter 4

Description: These four works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart,yet there are so many similarities under the surface, which transcend all differences.

Title: Loveletters nr 5

Description: These works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Mine was fighting the border war against ANC insurgents, hers was working on the mines in Johannesburg. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart, yet there are so many human similarities, transcending all differences.

Title: Loveletters nr 6

Description: These works are a comparison between the loveletters that Ngoneni Kubekha and I sent to our boyfriends in the 1970's. Mine was fighting the border war against ANC insurgents, hers was working on the mines in Johannesburg. Our lives and skills were seemingly worlds apart, yet there are so many human similarities, transcending all differences.

Title: Boeta wore Twotone

Description: Two tone shirts, which are sold at outlets where farmers buy their farming equipment, have become a "uniform" associated with South African farmers throughout the continent. Farmers' live under many threats: from nature's whims and patterns, to economic and political factors, to global warming and more. The title, written in the past tense, reinforces this concept : When did Boeta wear two-tone and what changed that? Why the round format?

Title:

Description: Karen se verlangnes

Title: Ngoneni se weiveldnes

Description: Description: The use of my crochetwork and embroidery represents a European background, in juxtaposition with traditional Zulu beadwork, done by Ngoneni Kubheka of the Amangwe Zulu Tribe, who is a subsistence farmer. Her cattle are kept in the tribal grazing areas, under the acacia trees depicted in this work
The combination of elements thus suggests our attempts to create a safe, secure environment, physically and emotionally, within a society consisting of a variety of cultures, religions and perspectives.

Title: Riemvasmaak

Description: The community of Riemvasmaak was forcibly removed from their land in the 1970s in order to set up a military training ground. Some people were sent to Namibia and others to the then Ciskei, to their "ethnic homelands". In 1994, in the first land restitution case, the land was returned to the original Riemvasmakers and their now grown-up children, once again tearing apart communities. The "returnees" have battled for another two decades now to build a sense of community and to utilise the rich resources of their land, battling with corruption and dysfunctional support systems. This sabotage by ommission has become symptomatic of South Africa's land reformation. The people, like the landscape itself, are being irreparably damaged by repetitive cycles, the past endlessly continuing to contaminate the future.

Title: Slipping

Description: Part of my series of works Prayers to heal the land, this landscape is a meditation on nature and food production slipping away, from farmers who lose their lives and land, from the dispossesed who are losing hope of being vindicated, from us all as we are ruining the ecology, and from the public who were locked in during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Title: Two Wrongs

Description: his is part of a series of works: Prayers to heal the Land , a response to the emotional debate on land ownership in SA. The two wrongs are that the reasonable voice is not being heard and that the good relationships between people are being misrepresented by politicians and the media. Beadwork prayerfully done by Ngoneni Kubhekha.

Corina Lemmer