Ubuhle Women

Ubuhle was established in 1999 on a former sugar plantation north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ubuhle means "beauty" in the Xhosa and Zulu languages and it describes the shimmering quality of light on glass. The exhibit showcases a new form of bead art, the ndwangos, developed by the community of women living and working together, using skills handed down through generations to enable their financial independence. The black fabric on which they work is reminiscent of the Xhosa headscarves and skirts that many of them grew up wearing. By stretching this textile like a canvas, the artists transform the cloth into a contemporary art form, many which take months to create, using colored Czech glass beads. A number of the artists represented in this exhibit have succumbed to HIV/AIDS. These works of art were on display at the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, on loan from the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum.