THE title of Kabelo Kim Modise’s exhibition ‘Line of Duty’ reminds me of everything to do with war. I visualise weaponry, violence and a detailed history of Namibia’s brutal past portrayed in a series of vivid imagery.
Being an avid fan of the first-person shooter video games ‘Call of Duty’, my mindset is ready and willing to be transported into a historic era (in HD, of course), but knowing Modise’s work, it’s safer to expect the unexpected.
As I make my way into the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN), I see… apples. Green apples at that, trapped in an oval-shaped net.
Ignoring the cold and emptiness of the gallery, curiosity draws me into a trance-like state and I proceed further to inspect each frame.
Most of the artworks are unique linoleum prints, intricately designed with the help of a skilled hand and a V-shaped chisel or gouge, into seemingly abstract relief. Although I was a reluctant Geography student back in the day, I’m glad I remember the basics of contour lines.
Modise’s linoleum works are a perfectly brewed mix of fauna and famous figures embedded in a series of perfect strokes of black, white and grey, but be warned, they are best viewed from up close. Admiring from afar will not induce the same emotional response as the usual scratch-your-head and squint approach, fairly described in an experience I had with one piece in particular.
At first glance, I see little balls of people physically stretched out against a monochromatic background and all I can think of is how sad it is to be tortured like that. There’s so much evil captured in that frame and it’s beautiful, I think. Those faceless people depicted in bobbles of brown and yellow are in so much pain and it’s amazing how I can sense that. Simply genius, sad as it is. I admire the sentiments captured within the frame and confidently boast how well I’ve figured it out in such a short span of time, until I read the title: ‘Rose Connection’, to which I scratch my head and squint. And then I see it – beautiful yellow roses in full bloom, thorny and all, to the finest detail.
Significant political figures and past African presidents, such as the late and great Nelson Mandela, are also carefully structured in their linoleum glory and I wonder if this is the theme I’m supposed to spot. Who said politics can’t be artistic?
The patriotism Modise displays in his work, including the pula piece from Botswana, which, judging by his background, could be a shout-out to his country of birth, is commendable. His talent and level of skill are evident through careful inspection of each of the pieces and artists would know that this process is scarily difficult. From mirror images and printing to transferring plates using direct pressure, a massive amount of concentration is needed, because one mistake or one contour out of place could ruin the image entirely. One has to admire Modise’s craftsmanship.
Sadly, the photographs are not as visually stimulating as I thought they would be – Asian Caribbean beauties in costume posing for a photograph, a young lady showing off her body paint near a stand in black and white… It’s more of a ‘been there, seen that’ type of deal and bluntly put, a keyword away on Google.
A couple of images are interesting enough to linger on for a few minutes, but other than that, it a mystery if visitors would part with N$6 000 for them.
The prices range from about N$6 000 to N$10 000 at most and the collection has plenty to capture your eye, although it is best to choose as carefully as possible.
‘Line Of Duty’ by Kabelo Kim Modise will be running until 23 June at the NAGN.
