Michael Armitage doesn’t just paint—he rewires the way we see history. 'Mpeketoni' might appear dreamlike at first glance, but look closer: bark cloth ripples like skin, spectral figures hover in jewel-toned pools, and a haunting backstory quietly emerges beneath the surface. In this episode of Expert Voices, Sotheby’s specialist Ottilie Windsor unpacks how a massacre, a dance, and a centuries-old piece of cloth collide in one of the most emotionally charged works of Armitage’s career. With nods to Matisse, Goya, Gauguin, and a clear rejection of exoticism, 'Mpeketoni' isn’t just a painting—it’s a powerful act of storytelling. And once you’ve seen it, it won’t leave you alone.
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