portrait of a figure rendered in multicolored pigments, mostly red, with blue sections, outlined in thin, green lines, with light blue polka dots on shoulders and chest; image of figure dissolves into abstracted linear forms at the bottom; old photographs of families with young children, surround portrait; black background with blue text, some circled or outlined with red, green or blue lines; white section with "OCTOBER" in black pigment at TC; white rectangular section with Soviet symbol and text that reads "WHO OWNED HOW MUCH LAND?" inside, and outlined with red, jagged lines; black-and-white photograph in ULC

October, 2019

expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

The Zimbabwean artist Kudzanai Chiurai is known for his politically critical work, which landed him in exile in South Africa. His paintings are multi-layered collages that incorporate historical, artistic, and personal references—often difficult to fully grasp for an outsider. The sitter in this painting is unidentified. But the title (“October”), the depiction of a hammer and sickle, and the mention of land ownership all point to the October Revolution in Russia in 1917. Repossession of land was a big issue in the nascent Soviet state, as it was in post-independence Zimbabwe under the late President Mugabe.

Details
Title
October
Artist Life
born 1981
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2021.75
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

portrait of a figure rendered in multicolored pigments, mostly red, with blue sections, outlined in thin, green lines, with light blue polka dots on shoulders and chest; image of figure dissolves into abstracted linear forms at the bottom; old photographs of families with young children, surround portrait; black background with blue text, some circled or outlined with red, green or blue lines; white section with "OCTOBER" in black pigment at TC; white rectangular section with Soviet symbol and text that reads "WHO OWNED HOW MUCH LAND?" inside, and outlined with red, jagged lines; black-and-white photograph in ULC
Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.