Title: Spilled Milk
Medium: Toy bear, neck-brace, acrylic on canvas, perspex, hospital linen
Date: 2009

Maria is a Zimbabwean woman the same age as me, but while I go to university lectures she cleans a house in my suburb. One night her little boy had a fever so she took him to the nearest public hospital. After waiting for a few hours, he died in her arms, apparently of “diabetes”. The other day she was in a taxi accident and needed to have her hand stitched, so she spent all her savings on a surgeon in a private hospital.

At the forefront of the artwork are tears made from hospital linen, which is in shortage nationally due to theft, mismanagement and a lack of funds. However, it can be purchased in a suburban fabric shop, where it lies amidst the organza and satin of bridesmaid dresses-to-be.  Snap buttons allow the massive, ungainly tears to be detached conveniently.

"Spilled Milk" was shortlisted for the Spier Contempoary, the largest biennale art competition and exhibition in South Africa. The shortlist consisted of 200 works chosen from over 3000 entries, and provided the basis for selection of 100 finalists.