Skip to main content Smithsonian Institution

Catalog Data

Maker:
Winston Saoli, 1950-1995, born South Africa  Search this
Medium:
Mixed media on paper
Dimensions:
H x W: 63.0 x 48.6 cm (24 13/16 x 19 1/8 in.)
Type:
Painting
Geography:
South Africa
Date:
1992
Label Text:
Winston Saoli was a casualty of apartheid: He was imprisoned in 1972 for nine months without a trial. Some believed he had died in prison. In 1994, however, Saoli wrote a letter to a friend in which he said, "I am still very much in the land of the living and in spite of the fact that I carry a heavy cross, I love both mankind and life and above all the new South Africa."
"Shroud of Darkness," one of Saoli's later works before he died of cancer, reflects both the artist's joy and torment.
Description:
Painting in mixed media on paper depicting a blocky, abstract, square-headed human figure from the torso up with zigzag hair outlined in black next to a geometric shape that appears to be a drum and a circle hovering above the human figure. The black outlined figures are over a mixture of colors, from blue, red and orange, to greens and pinks.
Provenance:
Winston Saoli Art Foundation
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
Human  Search this
musical instrument  Search this
geometric motif  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of the Winston Saoli Art Foundation
Object number:
98-7-2
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© 1997 Winston Saoli Art Foundation
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys72b0039de-9434-4aad-80e0-fde3b1c0fed6
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_98-7-2