emma smith/Kenneth Shandu

My first observation of Kenneth Shandu work brought and immediate response which happened to be a question, “why am I so accustom to perfection” of which the answer as a jewellery student, the answer was jewellery is supposed to be perfect, but then then next thought that questions itself was, ‘is it? In what sense is jewellery perfect? Is it the way it is constructed or the way it appears? Quickly I reconstructed my thoughts to contemporary jewellery. Meaning that understanding things, as they seem does not mean what they appear to be. Kenneth’s work is 90 percent recycled materials particularly cut board that look provoked a feeling of things done abruptly; the construction of the human cut boards looked unfinished. In addition, the face collage that looked as not managed.

Now art has many functions, it does require one to apply themselves to the art as presented and finding out what role does the art play among its functions, reading an artist statement in particular does give perspective to that. After reading Mr. Shandu’s artist statement that did put many things into perspective, that addressed me to believe that his body of work is used as a social commentary. His art explores issues of social exclusion particularly on the homeless people. He portrays his observations, emotions, and experiences through his work. He uses metaphors to subvert stereotypes about marginalized people. In order to convey his message, he uses a range of disciples including, drawings, sculpture, and particularly he explores a concept of using cut board in conjunction with other materials such as fabrics, wood, glass, steel, and sand. Cut board is a reoccurring material that features in a number of his artworks, refer to figure 1. The use of cut board as a found object in his body of work metaphorically explains his observations of the homeless people who are not equally accommodated into society, because they do not fit neatly into social norms.

In conclusion, Kenneth Shandu’s art serves as a social commentary as he uses it as a vehicle for the delivery of content that often relates his prevalent observation of social conditions that particularly affect the homeless in the society he lives in. Trying to fully understand the art that looks unfinished as seem in human cut boards that have sticky tape not properly stuck, refer to figure 1. Lastly, collage made of brown paper looks as not managed refer to figure 2.

Both these figure to me depict the state of unfinished work that needs to be done towards eradicating homelessness and the work that needs to be done to properly manage the societies we live in. 

figure 1.

figure 2.