Join us this evening for the opening reception of Sthenjwa Luthuli's anticipated second solo exhibition at Unit London and Sho Shibuya's debut UK presentation.
Sthenjwa Luthuli’s second solo show at Unit London presents his first sculptural works alongside a new series of his meticulously hand-carved woodblock paintings. Each artwork is inspired by African history, harking back to ancestral traditions prior to the arrival of colonising forces.
The exhibition takes its name from Inzalo Ye Langa, or Birthplace of the Sun, the African name for a series of stones believed to be the oldest manmade structure in the world. Situated in the sacred site of Mpumalanga in South Africa, the stones are a unique example of a monolithic solar calendar and represent the explicit connection between craft and spirituality - a relationship that is central to Sthenjwa’s practice.
Sho Shibuya’s first UK exhibition presents a visual diary of the artist’s work from a period between January and May 2023, featuring thirty newspaper paintings and one sculpture, also created from newspaper. Collecting The New York Times for use as his material, Shibuya paints the morning sunrise on the newspaper’s front cover. Counterbalancing the divisive content of front-page news, Month offers the unifying quality of nature as an alternative, providing perspective on our daily lives.
Shibuya is a Japanese artist living in Brooklyn, New York. His work is primarily concerned with exploring the concept of time and creating a visual, emotional record of its passing. Recent exhibitions include Art Basel Miami x Saint Laurent, Miami, USA and Monde Reale at the 23rd Milano Triennale, with Fondation Cartier, Milan, Italy.
Image 1: Sthenjwa Luthuli at Unit London, 2023. Image 2. AbaseKhemu, 2023, Hand-carved super wood block, with mixed media, 136 x 92 x 4 cm. Image 3: Spirit Identity, 2023. Hand-carved super wood block, with mixed media, paint, sawdust and beads, 136 x 92 x 4 cm. Image 4: Sho Shibuya at Unit London, 2023. Image 5: 230207, 2023. Acrylic on newspaper, 67 x 42 cm (framed). Image 6: 230519, 2023. Acrylic on newspaper, 67 x 42 cm (framed). Image 7: Henry Hudson in his studio, 2023.
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