Page 166 - Tributaries Catalogue

As a fellow pilgrim on the first
pilgrimage, Phelokazi also performed as
one of Luke Rudman’s “Plastic

Monsters” in his performance artwork,
which was first released as a radical

protest against plastic pollution on
Nelson Mandela University South
Campus, Aug 26, 2019. Phelokazi’s

natural physical beauty inspired Luke to

create a figure that is encased in, and
overwhelmed by, an oversized costume

made from a vast accumulation of
extremely ugly plastic trash. This stark

contrast between beauty and ugliness
highlighted the travesty of the situation,

where human beauty, which is parallel
to, and even synonymous with, natural

beauty is slowly being surrounded,
overwhelmed and imprisoned by
plastic trash. Luke did not title the

figure, suggesting the unspeakable

tragedy, which is beyond words.
(Photo, next page: Mbokazi Ngayeka)

157