Take Five: Aza Mansongi

Take five is an online exhibition by Aza Mansongi that engages with the position of the self in the broader context of what we have come to term as ‘the new normal.’ Mansongi uses self-reflection as a point of departure and meditates on the tension between our changing social relations and consciousness. Through the visual dynamism of her works, we reconsider interpersonal connections and shared moments of humanity. She demonstrates an innate understanding that art is not an unconscious behaviour but rather a conscious feeling. Take Five embraces its platform as an online exhibition and calls on the viewer to embrace the exhibition’s title – to Take Five in this new moment, in this new era and embrace the renewal of the self that this age has insisted upon. Only then – after a moment of intentional rest – can we begin to rebuild.

Mansongi’s colourful abstracts radiate energy, humour and humanity. They vibrate with the hope of happiness with and for one another, despite – or, perhaps, because of - the frenetic unpredictability of modern life. Each day faces the standard challenges we have come to expect but it is compounded by the challenge of facing everyday life with a pandemic. As a result, we have been forced to pause in order to allow for processing and, in time, for healing to come to all of us. 

Take Five looks at works that vibrate with vigour and wit. They are the embodiment of celebrating life and all that it offers, with an overlay of optimism – depicted by vignettes of evil that are overwhelmed by expanses of festivity and love. The exhibition calls for us to make room for the unwanted ‘other’ that is COVID-19. By inviting in this undesirable guest, we take five for ourselves by using the moment for self-evaluation. As we appreciate her works, we reflect inwardly, finding a moment of happiness within ourselves and within our connection to others, no matter how brief it is nor how socially distanced this connection may have to be. The result is a cheerful tangle of indistinct bodies that mix and mingle, illustrating the magic of uniting and exchanging with others.

Aza Mansongi’s art doesn’t speak – it sings. And as we listen to its visual song, we see a harmony rather than a melody. We invite you to join us as we enjoy, consider and reflect on life’s moments. While hardship, strife and trauma have become mainstays of day-to-day life, these difficulties are not all-encompassing. Despite lockdown and the isolation necessitated by the pandemic, humanity prevails and through this, we will rebuild a new, shared consciousness.