Homesick

‘Homesick’ is a poignant reflection on the long-standing practice of labour migration among African men and its emotional toll on families and communities. The work draws from a history rooted in colonial disruption, particularly during apartheid, when British authorities-imposed hut and cattle taxes. These policies forced men to leave their rural homes and travel to urban centres in search of work, often leaving behind wives, children, and a way of life deeply tied to land, livestock, and communal identity. What began as a survival strategy under colonial rule has since become an entrenched pattern—one that continues across generations, even when no longer obligatory. Today, political unrest and economic hardship have extended this migration beyond national borders, pushing men to neighbouring countries or distant continents in pursuit of livelihood. Homesick speaks to the emotional weight of this displacement: the longing for home, the quiet erosion of intimacy over time, and the deep sense of absence felt by both those who leave and those who remain. The artist evokes the vulnerability of rural homes left unguarded, the strength of women enduring nights alone, and the symbolic role of ancestors who watch over and protect the family in the absence of the father. Through this work, Mbayiwa draws attention not only to the personal cost of separation but also to the resilience embedded in African familial and spiritual structures. Even as the flowers of love may wither in the time it takes to return home, the connection to one’s roots—and the yearning for reunion— remains ever present.

Signed by the artist - front bottom left corner.