Inkunzi Isematholeni which figuratively translates to & quote the leaders of tomorrow comes from the youth of today" is a series based on human conditions, his inspiration comes from his life experiences, being a South African who grew up in Zimbabwe raised by a family of women only. In this Body of work, Mfuphi Acknowledges the impact these women had in his life, the struggles they underwent to provide for their loved ones, and the love they have for their families.
Through immense figures, portraits, and landscapes, the artist carefully questions the situation of Africans and how some Africans are prisoners of their own riches.
The artist uses found materials in his work such as Mdonkana blanket, gash and recycled fabric in place of canvas, clothing pegs, and a combination of Cow dung and acrylic paint. The rawness of these materials serves as a metaphor for Struggle - someone being born in a dark situation, feeling like a prisoner in their circumstances, and having to create light and optimism in their lives.
The application of cow dung in Mfuphi’s work as a medium portrays who he is and where he is coming from, His love or enjoyment for cow dung commenced when he was young, was he used to help his grandmother carry cow dung from isibaya (the kraal) for plastering walls and floor as it is known to be a scent that attracts abaphansi (ancestors) and also a herbal medicine from Different leaves and plants. With that being said, the application of cow dung in his work also represents his late Mother, Grandmothers from the village who are working hard, farmers as well as our ancestors.
The Pegs Used to pin clothes, to make sure that when the winds occur, they do not carry the clothes away. Despite how strong the winds are, they are meant to keep them intact. Even when it rains, they meant to do that until the clothes dry off. Which is their purpose in Muphi’s body of work, they are a metaphor for Hope. They are a symbol that no matter how rough the winds are in life. HOPE must never be lost because eventually, it will stop… Even in calm winds and instead, it rains..and your life (clothes) gets together(wetter), eventually all will cease to pass because every storm runs out of the rain at some point. At that point your clothes will be dry and just like a farmer it will be time to harvest.
