Semiotic Interpretations and Cultural Significance of Found Objects in the Creative Practices of Zulu Artists in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to examine the creative use of found objects in the artistic work produced in the Zulu community of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The research, therefore, focused on determining the cultural significance and semiotic interpretations of these found objects in the Zulu community of KZN. By engaging with these works in museums and cultural centres, this study identified found objects that were historically used and objects currently used in the creative production of art by indigenous artists in KZN. It then compared these to European modernist approaches. The theoretical background of this study is situated within Roland Barthes’ Theory of Semiotics, which examines the cultural and symbolic meanings of objects. This paper was approached from a decolonial perspective. This positions the study within the context of current trends in contemporary art discourse and highlights how Eurocentric narratives have historically marginalised indigenous innovation and often presented African artistic production as inferior.