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Andrew Ntshabele South African , b. 1986
This piece is layered with fragments from golf, soccer, and swimming manuals, forming a rich, textured backdrop that speaks to Andrew Ntshabele's signature blend of visual and textual storytelling. On this dynamic surface, children are depicted mid-race, dashing across a playground. Created with a combination of these archival documents and oil paint, the artwork freezes a fleeting moment in time, suspending the children in perpetual motion.
Ntshabele skillfully plays with shadow and light to create depth, ensuring that the children and their shadows move in perfect harmony. This evokes a strong sense of nostalgia, capturing the boundless enthusiasm and unfulfilled drive of childhood—where the game is endless, and the finish line is always just out of reach. By making children a central subject in his work, Ntshabele elevates their innocence and energy, turning them into powerful symbols of hope and resilience in contemporary art