KUHLOBISA

Research, Curation, Exhibition Design

Kuhlobisa

[ku-hlo-bi-sa] noun/verb

can be loosely translated as decorating or adornment.

Here, it is explored as a rhythm of ordering, which is the practice of arranging and beautifying a space through domestic labour to bring both meaning and pleasure to daily life.

A curatorial exploration of domestic aesthetics through the lens of the siSwati term kuhlobisa. This term vaguely alludes to the idea of decorating or adornment, but encompasses a deeper cultural and personal significance, particularly for Black women in South Africa. It is thus expanded as a practice that is centred on the rhythm of ordering. Which represents how domestic aesthetics emerge from the act of performing domestic labour to creates experiences of fulfilment and pleasure.

This practice exists at the intersection of action, process, and experience. For example, a person may clean and arrange their space not only to tidy it but to shape how they experience it. In essence, the rhythm of ordering reflects how physical spaces - and the people who inhabit them—are both elevated and transformed through domestic practices.

The rhythm of ordering is posited as a framework for understanding the intentional and embodied nature of domestic practices. It highlights an understanding of Black women's domestic labour as an act of self-determination and cultural affirmation, rather than obligation. Thus, kuhlobisa as a practice offers a framework for analysing the significance of objects and their interactions within the home. The way objects are handled and arranged reveals their meaning in the home.

Through these interactions, the practice reflects the nuanced ways of being that emerge in the domestic space for black women.