Strauss & co - 13 November 2017, Johannesburg

109 145 Mary Sibande SOUTH AFRICAN 1982– Her Majesty, Queen Sophie signed, dated 2010, numbered 5/10 and inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin; inscribed with the artist’s name, the title, medium and edition number on a Gallery MOMO label adhered to the reverse colour digital print image size: 82,5 by 55 cm R80 000 – 120 000 EXHIBITED Another example from this edition is in the Scheryn Art Collection and will also be exhibited at the upcoming Lagos Photo Festival 2017. Using a combination of photography, performance and sculpture Mary Sibande invokes the colonial binaries of ‘slave’and ‘master’ in her instantly recognisable works. In this specific binary the artist envisions herself as the character Sophie, who is based on women who were domestic workers in the artist’s personal life. Sophie, who is modelled on Sibande herself, is gradually presented as wearing ambitious Victorian dresses which comment on European elitism and how modes of beauty are determined by European standards.