Ishana Sen Das
Cinga Samson “Ukuphuthelwa”
Cinga Samson’s exhibit at The White Cube embodies the isiXhosa word Ukuphuthelwa, which translates to “unable to sleep.” Samson uses shades of grey and white sparingly to convey human figures against dark backgrounds, as though the scenes are illuminated by only the moon. This careful use of color and light gives the impression of a dream or a memory imprinted in the mind. His work features characters with bright white, pupil-less eyes, adding to the insomniac feeling of his paintings.
In Ukuwelwa komda, the dynamic posing of the figures is reminiscent of a renaissance-style painting. The characters all feel deeply engrossed in what they’re doing, almost as if in a trance or carrying out a ritual. The painting, like others in the show, depicts a guardian-like bird at the top of the work, looking down at the humans.
As the press release explains, Ukuphuthelwa does not have the same negative connotation that insomnia has in English: “for Samson, sleeplessness is not a condition to be cured, but rather a state of spiritual alertness, a sensitivity that deepens in the dark.” Through Samson’s eyes, we experience this sensitivity in the way that his vision adjusts to the low light, but also through the level of detail that he captures.
I really enjoyed your review! Reading your descriptions definitely jogged my memory of this show and your writing illuminated themes from the press release that I had forgotten. I particularly like the discussion towards the end about the difference between insomnia and Ukuphuthelwa. My only note would be I think in the beginning it would be helpful to clarify that the works on display are large paintings. It took me a second to remember what the artwork was and I think it would be helpful to someone who hadn't seen the show if you said from the start that the show features relatively large-scale paintings.
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