Female figure c. early 20th century

These 'female figures' by Tsogo, standing tall at over 50 inches, are wood sculptures with painted features, and you can see the hand of the artist throughout. I imagine the carver working intuitively, responding to the grain and form of the wood as the figure gradually emerged. Notice how the forms are reduced to elongated cylindrical shapes. The smooth, pale surfaces contrast with the darker wood, accentuating the carved details. I'm drawn to how these forms feel both ancient and modern, echoing the work of artists like Brancusi or Modigliani, who also sought to capture the essence of the human form through simplification. We are kindred spirits, this artist and I. Working, reworking, moving between intention and accident, always open to surprise. Like all artists, Tsogo is in dialogue with the past while inventing a visual language entirely their own. I love that, don't you?