Tracey Rose, The Prelude: La Marcha de la Aparicion, 2003. Pigment inks on cotton rag paper, 73 x 49 cm. © and courtesy of the artist.

The radical artistry of Tracey Rose comes to light in the most extensive retrospective of the artist’s works to date at the Kunstmuseum Bern.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE, ARTCENTRON

BERN, SWITZERLAND — After more than three decades, Tracey Rose has emerged as one of the top contemporary artists from South Africa in the global art scene. Her confrontational yet intuitive works on race, gender, women’s rights, racism, and power relationships set her apart from her contemporaries. But more importantly, her outstanding ability to use her body and other media such as video, performance art, and candid art installations make her art more engaging.

Many of the works that define Rose’s artistic career so far are currently on display at the Kunstmuseum Bern in Tracey Rose: Shooting Down Babylon. This is the most extensive retrospective of the artist’s work to date. This exhibition features Tracey Rose’s body of work, showcasing the bold expressions that have resonated globally since the mid-1990s.

Shooting Down Babylon

The exhibition’s title, Shooting Down Babylon, comes from an installation created in 2016 in response to Donald Trump’s election victory. In this project, Rose undertook cleansing rituals, documenting them on film. Then she weaved them into a captivating, physically immersive video sculpture. That installation served as a prelude to this retrospective, as it underscores the artist’s deep-rooted connection to the physical realm, to rage, and the quest for spirituality.

Shooting Down Babylon traces Rose’s artistic evolution from her early inquiries into identity to her exploration of violence aesthetics and fascination with healing rituals. Spanning the years 1990 to 2021, the exhibition features notable works such as T.K.O. (Technical Knock-Out) (2000) from the Kunstmuseum Bern’s collection, where Rose has been represented since 2001.

The exhibition features about a hundred pieces, some from the Kunstmuseum Bern collection. Each piece exemplifies the groundbreaking contributions of the artist to performance and multimedia art, starting more than three decades ago. It is evident from this collection on display that the themes of Rose’s works have remained consistent through the years. They continue to address issues of post-colonialism, sexuality, racism, gender, and apartheid.

The core of Rose’s work is an exploration of the power of performance art and the body. She views these core areas as spaces for expressing fury, protest, and resilience. Additionally, she sees them as a place to engender dialogue and healing. To articulate her thoughts on multiple issues, Rose explores her sensational performative approach across various mediums. Drawing, photography, video, sculpture, and installation are poignant media she uses to communicate her intentions. She uses these media to shed critical light on pivotal experiences in the transition to a post-colonial era.

A space of Protest, Fury, Resilience, and Dialogue

Rose’s body of work is a profound exploration of the potency of performance and the body as sites of resistance, healing, and discourse. Many of her works have roots in South Africa and vividly articulate her experiences growing up during apartheid. They highlight the maltreatment of black South Africans, the subjugation of women, and how religion was used to justify cruelty. However, Rose’s thematic scope extends beyond South Africa. It encompasses her experience of racial, political, or gender-based discrimination far beyond the reality of South Africa. They critically reference the experiences of people who have experienced racism, political persecution, or sexist discrimination worldwide. Even as the artist exposes the ills of the world, she also leaves a window open for healing and reconciliation. Her recent works focus particularly on the process of healing from traumatic experiences, whether individual or collective.

The curatorial approach for Shooting Down Babylon eschews a linear or thematic approach, despite the works on display spanning 31 years. According to Kathleen Bühler, Chief Curator of the Kunstmuseum Bern, this approach was deliberate. She stated that the intention was to create an open landscape that allows for cross-interaction and dialogue between themes and elements inherent in the works. The result is a bold installation that ensures conversation among themes of protest, satire, anti-monuments, utopia, and spirituality.

Expressing Feelings and Emotions

In several artworks, Tracey Rose is forceful in expressing her feelings and emotions. She unrelentingly addresses the subjugation of black women and attacks issues antithetical to women’s rights. The artist vociferously criticizes and challenges the mistreatment of women. To further actualize how hegemonic discourses have shaped human experiences, Rose reinterprets established thought patterns and traditions. She repeatedly probes cultural, sexual, or ethical identities, creating space for dialogue. The artist’s deliberate effort to challenge norms is evident. By pushing boundaries and encouraging a reevaluation of mythical and religious narratives in an absurd and anarchic fashion, she gives viewers the chance to rethink their understanding of established narratives.

An excellent instance is the series Lucie’s Fur, in which Rose presents an alternate narrative of the Bible creation story. In her reinterpretation of the story, she depicts Adam and Eve as a queer couple and their expulsion from Eden, as a somewhat perplexed journey by a hybrid figure through the Garden of Eden in the Canary Islands. As with her other works, Rose’s fearlessness in contesting established religious narratives is palpable. In an era where critiquing Christian religious texts is anathema, the artist deserves every commendation. But beyond raising critical concerns about the creation story, the artist’s bold and amusing reimagining approach to this theme forces the viewer to question her narrativity and their perception of reality.

A Tribute to Nelson Mandela

Shooting Down Babylon features the Mandela Balls series, ten new works commissioned for this exhibition. They add to the artist’s ongoing effort to address her South African experience and the captivating heroic history of Nelson Mandela. In 1994, Nelson Mandela, after years of incarceration, became the first democratically elected President of South Africa. In the Mandela Balls series, Rose captures the essence of South Africa’s transformation into a ‘Rainbow Nation.’ She retains the revolutionary spirit through analytical depth, the stance of resistance, and a voice of protest. Inspired by Langston Hughes’s poem “A Dream Deferred,” Rose’s creation of 95 monuments to the freedom fighter symbolizes a profound tribute to Nelson Mandela. Each monument represents a year of Mandela’s impactful life. Through these delicate and sometimes humorous objects, she explores Mandela’s enduring legacy.

Shooting Down Babylon was put together by Zeitz MOCAA (Cape Town, South Africa). The curators of the exhibition are Koyo Kouoh, Director, and Chief Curator of Zeitz MOCAA, and Tandazani Dhlakama, Curator of Zeitz MOCAA. They worked in collaboration with Kathleen Bühler to ensure a better comprehension of Rose’s ideas and concepts. Together, they offer a profound exploration of the artist’s impactful journey through themes of identity, post-colonialism, and social justice.

Tracey Rose: Deep-rooted Connection

This powerful retrospective highlights Rose’s ability to challenge established norms. Her strength to redefine narratives, and provoke thought underscores her status as a visionary artist. Through her innovative use of performance, multimedia, and diverse artistic mediums, she invites viewers to rethink conventional perspectives and engage in critical discourse. Shooting Down Babylon not only celebrates Rose’s significant contributions to contemporary art but also serves as a testament to the enduring power of art to inspire change. It provokes dialogue and shapes our understanding of the world around us.