Royal Kita With Red Stripes

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Artist: Peter McCarthy

Title: Royal Kita With Red Stripes

Attribution: Royal Kita With Red Stripes, 2021, Peter T. McCarthy

Year: 2021

Materials: re-purposed nylon zippers

Dimensions: 235cm x 215cm

Image Statement: During 2020, when Côte d'Ivoire was bracing itself for the potential of violent elections and feared another bloody civil unrest, I received a large donation of unwanted zippers. As I played with them in my studio and at home I was struck by their bold colours and the irony this presented. Zippers are only brightly coloured in order to blend in and disappear. They are intended to be invisible servants holding the object or garment together. I couldn’t resist playing with this. I started piecing them together into long, striped bands like traditional Kita (Kenté) cloth. This work is surprising, maybe even comical, but deep down for me it is a plea and prayer for the kind of leadership we need: humble persons willing to make themselves beautiful through service.