The Elder of Azania

This performance work forms part of the ongoing series, The Future White Women of Azania (2010-present), which features imaginary characters. The artist himself as well as other performer’s upper bodies are covered with colourful, liquid-filled balloons, whereas their lower bodies poses and parades around in stockings and heels. The idea is extracted both from classical Greek and Roman interpretations of southern Africa and activist’s dreams of a pre- and post-apartheid black African utopia (Athi-Patra Ruga: The Elder of Azania [Sa]). This Azania that Ruga refers to is fluid. As the Future White Women’s liquid-filled balloons pops and sags, the character vanishes and the performer is exposed.

The Elder of Azania presents a shape shifter, a spiritual figure who is both a king and trickster, as well as “Xhosa’s goat spirit and Vaslav Nijinsky’s famous faun” (Athi-Patra Ruga: The Elder of Azania [Sa]).