In his art, the late local sculptor Vusumuzi Maduna aimed to recognize the contribution of African art and craft to the development of modern art in Europe and North America. Many notable artists of the twentieth century, such as Picasso, studied and admired African art for its abstract visual language, its bold geometrical forms, and its imaginative treatment of the human body.

Maduna once described this work as “an image of restraint and dignity.” To create it, he found inspiration in the art and culture of the Dogon people, who live in modern-day Mali, and who are especially known for their figurative sculptures and ceremonial masks. “My art is one way I can maintain a connection with my roots,” Maduna once explained. But, speaking of traditional African artists, he noted, “theirs was not my life experience. The belief systems that motivated those forms were not mine.” Therefore, Maduna viewed his work as a synthesis of African and Western forms.