Mmakgabo Mapula Helen Sebidi’s paintings can be meditative. One of the identifying characteristics of her work is the depiction of mythical creatures: here, the bird depicted is enigmatic and the title suggests that it is a spirit bird rather than a real one. In traditional belief systems, spirit animals, and Sebidi’s family spirit animal, the fish, in particular, usually function as teachers or messengers with a personal relationship with an individual.

A bird is seen as a messenger who brings word from the ancestors or ancestral spirits. Throughout her career, Sebidi has advocated for the preservation of spiritual African traditions and culture, which she believes are being diluted by a modern world. The artist’s rich palette bri...