A photography exhibition depicting indigenous South African Ancestral belief & Christianity, in relation to missionary activity & the colonisation of the country, addressing the long-term repercussions of the 19th century European colonial agenda. It discusses the attempted dismantling of Ancestral religion & its replacement with Christianity whilst considering documentary photography & the western gaze, & exploring the sanctity of keeping traditional beliefs alive & the adaptation to the world we know today.
The complex interplay between Christianity and Ancestral religion manifests within artist Giya Makondo-Wills’ own family, where it is common practice to call on God and The Gods. Being both British and South African, she addresses the clash of beliefs from the point of view of the coloniser and the colonised. Embodying a dual perspective, she highlights the symbiotic relationship between cultural elements and the resilience of pre-colonial customs in as they adopt a modern guise.
This event is the winner of Irene Mensah.