Somerset House - Mary Sibande: I Came Apart at the Seams

[Mary Sibande: I Came Apart at the Seams]

Director: Andy Mundy-Castle

​

Project Description

​

I Came Apart at the Seams follows the transformative journey of Artist Mary Sibande’s avatar, Sophie. Taking form as a series of colourful human-scale sculptures modelled on Sibande herself, Sophie transgresses from her humble beginnings as a domestic housemaid into myriad empowered characters, transcending racial bias and marginalisation. Iterations of these striking installations are also captured in vibrant large-scale photography, documenting Sophie’s journey. Through these works, Sibande pays homage to the generations of women in her family who worked as domestic labourers. In sharing their previously untold stories, Sibande challenges stereotypical depictions of Black women in post-apartheid South Africa throughout history and today.