Now celebrating its 15th year of exhibiting experimental contemporary art, Locust Projects is pleased to present Intethe (Sketch for an Opera), South African sculptor Nicholas Hlobo’s first major project in Miami. Hlobo is known for sprawling sculptures whose organic forms seem to tumble and unfold through the exhibition space. The installation will incorporate these large scale leather sculptures into a multifaceted performance space and video installation. For the first time, he will collaborate with Miami-based Haitian band Papaloko and Loray Mistik on a sketch for an opera entitled Intethe (“Locust” in the Xhosa language), exploring notions of shared identity throughout the global African diaspora.

The idea of identity when one unpacks it is complicated and specific to the individual. Through his work, Hlobo expresses an interest in the commingling of cultural dichotomies: traditional vs. colonial, rural vs. urban, child vs. adult, straight vs. queer, which are stitched together to form unexpected new tapestries. The performance will explore cultural and spiritual hybridity, looking for fertile ground to unlock the otherwise inaccessible notions and spaces through which the Haitian musicians identity adds a layer to the operatic sketch. The opera will be set amongst the installation, and part of the gallery will function as a dressing room for the performers, whose costumes will remain in the space when they are not present. The live performance will be presented twice during the exhibition and the original score, written collaboratively by the artist and musicians, will be incorporated into the installation.