Working with a variety of materials, including ceramics, wood, steel and paper, Mozambican sculptor Luís Santos has created a new set of works for his first solo exhibition in South Africa, entitled “Boy, don’t talk politics”. The phrase was taken from a famous song by Waldemar Bastos and Dulce Pontes entitled “Velha Xica”. The instruction is used ironically by the artist to represent the Mozambican political scene and the civil unrest it has caused.
The solo exhibition on display at the Reservoir Gallery features works organized into four elements: glazed ceramic feet, sculptures of fingers and toes, handmade wooden benches, rusted iron panels with wires and paper. These elements are continuations of a set of symbols developed by the artist over the past few years.
The exhibition’s central work, Demonstration (2025), is a large-scale installation composed of 51 glazed ceramic feet, made from river clay from Maputo province. All 51 sculptures are left feet, modeled to give the impression of movement. The quantity refers to Article 51 of the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique (CRM): “All citizens have the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration, in accordance with the law.”
This left-wing connotation—without distinction of sex—indicates popular movements inspired by leftist ideals, the idea of people power or the people in power. In some sculptures, the soles are revealed and, because they are not glazed, convey a sense of vulnerability.
Written by: Eduardo Quive
