Owanto in her studio with Flowers V (The Cut) Image courtesy of Owanto Studio
The artist feels that she has a sense of mission and states “We keep a record of the past since it has to do with who we are today. The images have to be seen by many in order for us to learn from what has previously taken place. Ultimately, the past and present forge the future. That line of thought is at the core of me.” Initially, Owanto had no interest in the issue of FGM/C. However, after an intense search on the internet, she realised that there are over 200 million women and girls alive today who have suffered from it and that it is a much bigger issue than most people imagine, going beyond small communities.
As a woman and a mother, she decided to take action. Flowers IV (Celebration) has ushered in and opened important conversations within cultural institutions, which are essential in validating and sharing the voices and stories of so many. The Flowers Series has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world, including at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) Cape Town, the largest museum of contemporary art from Africa and the diaspora. Such spaces allow the survivor, the scholar, the curator, the intellectual, the collector, and the general public to sit in conversation
Flowers IV (Celebration) was shown as part of a Solo Exhibition ”One Thousand Voices” at The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, 06.02.19 - 21.06.19, Curated by Gcotyelwa Mashiqa and Sakhi Gcina. Image courtesy of the ZEITZ MOCAA
with each other and people at the grassroots level as well as the NGOs.
It is global, transcending specific countries, ethnicities, and religious beliefs
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Dec 2022 | Collective Action Magazine
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