Rele Gallery presents “Ubu bukata bupela ubumi (This bread gives life)” by the acclaimed Zambian artist Gladys Kalichini at the prestigious Liste Art Fair Basel 2024. This multi-sensory intervention, crafted specifically for the fair, offers a profound exploration of women’s roles within societal spheres through moving images and site-specific installations.
Kalichini’s project utilises lace fabrics and water as conduits to gather diverse narratives and memories from women. The installation intertwines video, sculpture and art to delve into Zambia’s colonial and postcolonial histories, touching on themes of trauma and death. Through her work, Kalichini critically examines the archival space, highlighting how women’s contributions to Zambia’s political history have often been omitted or erased.
Born in 1989 in Lusaka, Zambia, Gladys Kalichini is a contemporary visual artist and scholar. Her art is deeply rooted in the concepts of erasure, memory and the representation and visibility of women in colonial resistance narratives. Kalichini’s intricate installations draw extensively from research materials and archival photographs of women involved in independence struggles. Her work challenges dominant historical narratives that have traditionally minimised women’s roles in political change.
Kalichini holds a Master of Fine Art and a PhD in Art History and Visual Culture from Rhodes University in South Africa. She has exhibited widely, including at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, the African Biennale of Photography in Mali, and the Kochi Biennale in India. Her accolades include the main prize at the 2022 Henrike Grohs Art Award and the Prince Claus Seed Award. Kalichini is also a member of the Arts of Africa and Global Souths research programme, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Research Fund.
Rele invites art enthusiasts to experience this compelling installation at Liste Art Fair Basel from June 10th to 16th, 2024, at Stand 8 in Messe Basel. For more information, visit Rele’s page on Artsy or contact their London gallery at london@rele.co.
