Ejire (Double Rhyme) is a solo exhibition of intricately carved wooden sculptures by Beninese artist Dominique Zinkpè.
Opening 19 February, 2025, this will mark Zinkpè's first exhibition with the gallery and will feature a number of large-scale, architectural sculptures and wall reliefs. Their expansive forms are assembled from hundreds of carved Ibeji figurines, materialising the dualism and inter-connection between the self and society. Describing his artistic practice as a form of priesthood, Zinkpè seeks to preserve and animate the Vodun spiritual beliefs at the heart of traditional Yoruba culture.
According to Yoruba belief, the orisha (deity) of Ibeji carries the powers of fertility and prosperity, and is embodied in the human form of twins. In the traditional cultures of Benin, Nigeria, Togo and Ghana, twins are considered special beings whose birth portends great blessings. They are believed to share the same soul, which is why the Yoruba people also refer to twins as “ejire”, meaning ‘double rhyme’ or to be more exact, ‘two persons that rhyme with each other’, ‘two persons that are the same’. They are frequently eulogised in song and poetry, and given special family and community privileges. When one dies, a figurine is carved to house the deceased twin’s spirit, to memorialise and venerate them through various rituals and ceremonies.
| Hours | Monday to Friday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PMSaturday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM; Sundays & Public Holidays, Closed |
| Venue | Southern Guild |
| Type | Exhibition |
| Duration | 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM |
| City | Cape Town |
About
Southern Guild
Established in 2008 by Trevyn and Julian McGowan, Southern Guild represents contemporary artists from Africa and its diaspora. With a focus on Africa’s rich tradition of utilitarian and ritualistic art, the gallery’s programme furthers the continent’s contribution to global art movements. Southern Guild’s artists explore the preservation of culture, spirituality, identity, ancestral knowledge, and ecology within our current landscape. In the true spirit of a guild, the gallery was founded on the principles of community and collaboration, and grew out of a desire to provoke new work, facilitate alliances between differing disciplines, and articulate what it means to be human. Having pioneered the collectible design category on the continent, the gallery showcases excellence across both functional and contemporary art. Southern Guild partners meaningfully with artists through artwork production and exhibition-making to foster their careers and propel their capacity for creative evolution. The gallery nurtures new talent through educational projects, talks, mentorship initiatives, and its own GUILD Residency, an international studio programme for artists seeking to engage with the local context. Southern Guild is invested in the growth of the African creative ecosystem, cultivating an ethos of cultural exchange and interconnectedness through its robust international fair and biennale programme, and by partnering with curators, institutions, and museums to realise distinctive interdisciplinary projects. Since 2018, the gallery has collaborated with BMW South Africa on a year-round programme of meaningful activations that promote artist development and propel their careers. Works by its artists have been acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, LACMA, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pérez Art Museum, Mint Museum, Harn Museum, Denver Art Museum, Vitra Museum, Design Museum Gent and National Gallery of Victoria. Gallery artists have also exhibited at institutions including Centre Pompidou, Brooklyn Museum, Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain in Saint-Étienne Métropole (MAMC+), Seoul Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and African American Museum of Dallas. Located in Cape Town, the gallery will expand internationally with a 5,000 sqft space opening in Melrose Hill, Los Angeles in February 2024.
