Kapwani KiwangaElliptical Field, 2023
Steel Structure, Sisal
Variable Dimensions
Kapwani Kiwanga’s practice centers around a keen sense for the inherent properties of materials and in turn their ability to communicate multiple layers of meaning. 'Elliptical Field' (2023) consists of a series of sculptures and furniture using sisal, a fiber material derived from the flowering plant Agave sisalana. Sisal is abundant in Tanzania, where the artist's parental family resides, although it is not native to the region. It was introduced to Africa illegally by German plantation owners for large-scale cultivation. Used for making ropes and twines, it has become one of the country's major exports, degrading to soil by becoming the monoculture of the land.
