Strauss & co - 1 December 2018, Cape Town

58 Zeitz MOCAA Benefit Art Auction Patrick Bongoy’s artistic practice addresses the economic deprivation and displacement that people face after violent socio-political unrest and environmental degradation. Perhaps best known for his weighty rubber sculptures, which depict figures struggling against the forces of their bondage, Bongoy’s two-dimensional works make use of similar materials to suggest a relationship between one’s environment and one’s everyday struggle for survival. As the title suggests, Exported 1 (2018) reflects a tactile relationship with the environment that is deeply ingrained within the economic fabric of the everyday. The words ‘MADE’,‘KONGO’ and ‘CHINA’ are cut out from three hanging strips of rubber. They read like price tags, drawing attention to the costs of labour against the backdrop of international trade relations. Patrick Bongoy (b. 1980, DRC) has held numerous exhibitions at EBONY/Curated, and has exhibited his work at Gallery MOMO, Cape Town (South Africa: 2018); 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London (2017); the Alliance Française, Cape Town (South Africa: 2015); and the Center Wallonia in Brussels (Belgium: 2012). 27 Patrick Bongoy CONGOLESE 1980- Exported 1 2018 found rubber inner tubes 67 by 110cm ZAR50 000 - 70 000 £2 800 - 3 900 $3 600 - 5 000 € 3 200 - 4 400 PROVENANCE Donated by the artist. Courtesy of EBONY/CURATED.