Things Happen, 2021

In "Things Happen," Tribambuka encapsulates the myriad dimensions of urban existence through an intricate interplay of monotype, letterpress, ephemera, and acrylics on board. This abstract mixed media collage emerges as a rich, textural exploration of the city's collective unconscious, employing a vocabulary of Jungian symbols to delve into the psychic and spiritual undercurrents that pulsate beneath the concrete surfaces of urban landscapes.

At the heart of this piece lies the archetype of the city as both a maternal container and an alchemical crucible, a space where individual and collective destinies intertwine and transmute. The use of monotype introduces a unique, one-of-a-kind quality to each element, echoing the singularity of the urban experience, where every moment and encounter is unrepeatable. Through letterpress, Tribambuka invokes the power of the word – not only as a vehicle of communication but as a foundational structure of reality itself, reminiscent of the logos. These printed elements, some clear and some obscured, mimic the layers of history and narrative that construct and confound our understanding of the city.

Ephemera, carefully selected and integrated, serve as the remnants of daily life, the discarded artifacts that, when recontextualised, offer profound insights into the collective psyche of urban dwellers. These fragments of the mundane – ticket stubs, newspaper clippings, leaflets – are elevated to symbols of transience and impermanence, reminding viewers that the city is perpetually in a state of becoming.

Acrylics bind these diverse elements together, providing bursts of colour that range from the jarring to the sublime, mirroring the emotional spectrum evoked by city life. The choice of acrylics, with their capacity for both transparency and opacity, speaks to the dual nature of urban existence, where clarity and mystery coexist and boundaries between the public and private self are continually negotiated.

"Things Happen" invites viewers to contemplate the city not merely as a physical space but as a living, breathing entity, a collective soul that reflects our deepest fears, desires, and aspirations. Tribambuka's work stands as a testament to the transformative power of urban life and the endless possibilities it holds for personal and collective evolution. In this collage, the city is unveiled not just as a place where things happen, but as a dynamic character in the ongoing narrative of human consciousness, constantly shaping and being shaped by those who traverse its ever-changing landscape.