ARTAFRICAthe realisation of the pieces, something that comes into existence through them after manifesting
through me. It is my creation, but it also incorporates their craft and their mastery, and implies a
three-tier exchange between ‘them and me’, and something that is beyond ‘them or me.’
Your works on fabric, such as Surtenture #8 (...for the crown shall rest on your head or your
head on the crown) and the creation of works in collaboration with Beninese craftsmen is
reminiscent of South African artists who also work with local communities and craftspeople.
What do you make of the fact that work from Benin, made by an artist who has never been
to South Africa, resonates so strongly with artists here in SA?
I think it has to do with several factors. Considering the idea of artists being antennae, several of
them can tune in to the same signal. I think it also expresses the fact that art is universal, our first
and last contact with spirituality, which essentially functions in a quantum way and therefore implies
synchronicity. Besides, I think this movement of incorporating a collective element in the process of
creating art has social and political meaning and reflects the fact that fundamentally, art is a collective
phenomenon. Creation has a mysterious element to it that allows very different people to come
together and make it happen.
In a recent interview you made comments about style, saying if it’s done to better evolve the
corpus, it’s a positive thing, but if it’s done to enhance the brand-visibility or marketability of the
artist, it is negative. As an artist who is gaining acclaim throughout Africa and internationally,
how do you navigate this balance? What advice would you give to other emerging artists?
For me, navigating this balance simply has to do with maintaining my integrity. I don’t create artworks
that would “fit my style,” and I think my corpus attests to it. I strive to try new things, to venture
THAT ART FAIR / IN CONVERSATION WITH EMO DE MEDEIROS 10/22
LEFT TO RIGHT: Emo de Medeiros, Surtenture #03 (The Civil War Episode I - Alien nation), 2015. Fabric, paint, NFC chips; Emo de
Medeiros, Surtenture #03 (The Civil War Episode II - Liberation), 2015. Fabric, paint, NFC chips.
FEATURE / THAT ART FAIR