Artwork Description
Two women, seen from behind, carry large bundles on their heads in Articles II by Lisette Forsyth. Their clothing is picked out in soft pinks, reds and warm neutrals, while the original print of an 1886 Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette remains clearly visible through and around the painted figures.
There is an intriguing connection between the women and the document Forsyth chose for the work. The Gazette records a Customs Return listing goods brought into the Cape Colony, with headings for quantity, declared value and duty. Against this formal accounting of goods and value, the women are shown carrying their own substantial loads. It gives the old bureaucratic page a very human presence and leaves plenty for the viewer to consider without spelling out a single interpretation.
Painted on an original historical document dated 1886, Articles II is a one-of-a-kind South African figurative artwork measuring 30 × 42 cm. It is sold unframed for R16,250.
