Athi-Patra Ruga

WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town

Acquired from the above by the present owner

South African artist, Athi Patra Ruga uses performance, photography, video, textiles, and printmaking to explore themes of utopia, dystopia, and memory. His work often examines the body in relation to sensuality, culture, and ideology, creating cultural hybrids. Ruga's art also addresses sexuality, Xhosa culture, and the role of queerness in post-apartheid South Africa. This image is part of a series Ruga created during a residency in Switzerland. Ruga was inspired by an ad showing white and black sheep, with the latter symbolising criminals and foreigners. He found the Afro costume at a fancy-dress store, using it in a performance on the streets of Geneva. Ruga's performative practice involves embodying a hyper-expression of otherness in public spaces. "I made clothes that became sculptural and non-utilitarian, almost like soft sculptures. I began wearing them to challenge perceptions and influence how others respond to me. These costumes act as choreographers beyond my control" (Athi-Patra Ruga in an interview with Pamella Dlungwana, 2014).