Leisurely Reading: Sophie with her Newspaper

2024

Not on view

Mary Sibande creates "counter-historical narratives" in which she challenges stereotypes and examines the ways in which race, gender, and labor interact, particularly in her native South Africa. Working in a variety of mediums, she centers the character of "Sophie," who resembles her and acts as her alter-ego. Through her, she examines her family’s history of forced domestic labor under Apartheid, challenging stereotypes and the ways in which race, gender, and labor interact, particularly in South Africa under an authoritarian regime. Sophie is shown in a variety of uniforms, all of which have symbolic meaning. Here she is shown in blue and white, inspiring Sibande to term such works "Sophie’s "Blue Phase." Such uniforms were worn by South African domestic workers yet rather than showing Sophie ‘s labor, here she is depicted reading a giant newspaper, an act of leisure and pleasure., Sibande portrays Sophie’s dreams and fantasies, noting that such stories and experiences were often denied to Black woman especially under apartheid.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Leisurely Reading: Sophie with her Newspaper
Artist: Mary Sibande (South African, born Barberton, Mpumalanga 1982)
Date: 2024
Medium: Woodcut with monotype
Dimensions: 41 1/2 × 30 in. (105.4 × 76.2 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Purchase, Jockey Hollow Foundation Gift, 2025
Object Number: 2025.574
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

By Mary Sibande

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Leisurely Sailing: Sophie with her Binoculars, Mary Sibande South African, Woodcut with linocut — Leisurely Sailing: Sophie with her Binoculars
Mary Sibande
2025

Untitled (Figure 1 - Crowd Pleaser, Figure 2 - Dunce, Figure 3, Standing Rhino), William Kentridge South African, Drypoint — Untitled (Figure 1 - Crowd Pleaser, Figure 2 - Dunce, Figure 3, Standing Rhino)
Multiple artists/makers
2005

Leviathan (Arc Shadow Procession), William Kentridge South African, Chine collé of black Canson paper on printed text from Leviathan — Leviathan (Arc Shadow Procession)
William Kentridge
2000

The Lulu Plays, William Kentridge South African, Artist's book, letterpress in black and red ink with 67 offset lithographs — The Lulu Plays
William Kentridge
2015

A suite of five linocuts individually titled: Juapong, Kpetoe, Tsito, Vane, Kpong, Atta Kwami Ghanaian, Linocut — A suite of five linocuts individually titled: Juapong, Kpetoe, Tsito, Vane, Kpong
Atta Kwami
2006

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.