My mothers garden: Umcimbi I (A Gathering I), 2022, 200 × 200 cm, Donated by the Arndt Foundation to Kunstmuseum Magdeburg, Germany
My mothers garden: Umcimbi III (A gathering III), 2022, 200 x 200
Paradise IIIII, 2020, 119.4 x 89.2 cm
Born 1999 Soweto, South Africa
The strong presence of her characters, whether relaxed reading, fooling around with friends or in intimate situations, shows an impressive sense of questioning the often-used narrative about African women. Tshabalala's paintings tell stories of lightness, strength and self confidence - of women like her in the 2020s: young and black.
The South African artist belongs to a new generation that has discovered and reinterpreted figurative painting as an opportunity of human expression for themselves. Based on her own self-determination, she creates self-images of women who celebrate their black identity and deviate from the usual narrative about black women.
Tshabalala's characters are colourful, powerful interpretations of her everyday reality. She frequently contrasts deliberately placed primary colours with the deep black, flat, hardly developed faces of the figures and testify to a rarely seen, spontaneous, free and refreshing approach to colour.
The strong presence of her characters, whether relaxed reading, fooling around with friends or in intimate situations, shows an impressive sense of questioning the often-used narrative about African women. Tshabalala's paintings tell stories of lightness, strength and self confidence - of women like her in the 2020s: young and black.
The South African artist belongs to a new generation that has discovered and reinterpreted figurative painting as an opportunity of human expression for themselves. Based on her own self-determination, she creates self-images of women who celebrate their black identity and deviate from the usual narrative about black women.
Tshabalala's characters are colourful, powerful interpretations of her everyday reality. She frequently contrasts deliberately placed primary colours with the deep black, flat, hardly developed faces of the figures and testify to a rarely seen, spontaneous, free and refreshing approach to colour.
See work