+ WHATIFTHEWORLD . photos: © Paris Brummer
The title ADAMAH is derived from the Hebrew word, meaning ‘land’, ‘the ground’, ‘soil’ or ‘red soil, red clay’; also ‘made from earths mud’ or ‘dark- coloured like earth’s soil’. There is an etymological link between the word adamah and the biblical Adam, who is said to be made ‘of the dust of the ground’ (Genesis 2:7). The notion of ‘red soil’ in the multiple meanings of the name Adam furthers the symbolic network of themes in my practice, and echoes the heterogeneous spiritual practices that Santu Mofokeng recognised. I am interested in the symbolic overlap of ‘Christian and pagan beliefs’ here; what Santu Mofokeng calls the ‘threshing floor of faith’ in Chasing Shadows (2011).
Text by Inga Somdyala
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