KUDZANAI CHIURAI | Ebony

Obert Contemporary Gallery, Johannesburg
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2009

Please note that this work is unframed. There appears to be very minor surface loss, visible upon close inspection, along all four framing edges, particularly to the upper left and right hand corners of the work. Largest minor surface loss measuring approx. 20mm wide and 1mm high. There appears to be an area of minor retouching within the lower centre of the work, the largest area measuring approx. 2mm. high and 5mm. wide, this is likely contemporary to the creation of the work. Inspection under UV light reveals no signs of restoration or repair. Overall the work appears to be in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Kudzanai Chiurai stirred up controversy during the build-up to Zimbabwe's violent and disputed 2008 elections with a series of controversial depictions of president Robert Mugabe; he was threatened with arrest and has been living in self-imposed exile in South Africa ever since. ‘Ebony: The Black President’ dates to the same year, 2008; while Zimbabweans despaired of Mugabe, their first black president, Americans celebrated the potential election of theirs in Barack Obama. Obama first appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine in March that year, the title reading IN OUR LIFETIME - Are we really witnessing the election of the nation's First Black President? ‘Black President’ is also the title of a series of photographic and film works and magazines produced by Chiurai in the following years, 2009-2010.