Trailblazing Women in Art
In the vibrant world of art, women are weaving narratives that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. Join us as we celebrate the creativity and boldness of five remarkable female artists who are leaving an indelible mark on the art scene.
Exhibitor: Under the Aegis (Cape Town, South Africa)
Buqaqawuli Thamani Nobakada
Emerging as a promising contemporary mixed media artist, Buqaqawuli hails from the Western Cape and is rooted in both Philippi and a remote village in Lady Frere, Eastern Cape. She was introduced to the world of fine art during her adolescence in Johannesburg, and has since honed her craft, primarily utilising acrylic paint on laced paper, often embellished with custom clay or gold jewellery. Her work pulsates with passion; she celebrates the fluidity of borders, whether they exist in the realms of imagination, cognition, or reality.
Currently in her third year of Fine Arts studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Buqaqawuli’s artistic journey extends beyond South Africa’s borders. She is currently participating in the ‘I Am & Nothing Else’ group exhibition with Affinity Art Gallery in Lagos, Nigeria, and has showcased her work in notable exhibitions such as ‘Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt’ at FNB Art Joburg, and the SOMA exhibition in France. Buqaqawuli’s art transcends boundaries, inviting viewers to explore the interconnectedness of identity and experience.
Exhibitor: Suburbia Contemporary (Barcelona, Spain)
Amy Rusch
This Cape Town-born millennial is a versatile artist whose practice spans multiple disciplines. She delves into the realm of mark-making, employing stitched thread to intricately layer found plastic bags. Through the fusion of materials and the rhythmic interplay of machine motion and sound, Amy crafts a narrative that resonates with both auditory and tactile dimensions of contemporary culture. In her exploration, she seeks to bridge the vast expanse of time, weaving threads that traverse millions of years of stratigraphic history.
Her current body of work draws inspiration from oceanic voyages, archaeological diggings, and microscopic examinations of the natural world. These pieces serve as traces, interpretations or cartographic representations of embodied sensory experiences, converging into multi-sensory amalgamations of sound, vibration, line and colour. Through her art, Amy invites viewers to embark on a journey of discovery, where the boundaries between past and present, surface and depth, dissolve into a harmonious symphony of perception.
Exhibitor: First Floor Gallery Harare (Harare, Zimbabwe)
Amanda Shingirayi Mushate
Amanda emerges as a prominent figure in contemporary Zimbabwean painting, recognised for her innovative approach to abstraction and gaining traction on the international stage. Despite the male-dominated landscape, she navigates her role as both a young woman and a new mother with grace, serving as a beacon of empowerment and advocacy for female artists. With a firm belief in the compatibility of art and family life, she paves the way for others to pursue their creative passions without compromising personal priorities.
Driven by a quest for identity and purpose, she draws inspiration from music and the human experience, transcending figurative boundaries to express her joys, burdens, and aspirations through painting and sculpture. Her canvases, characterised by passion and playfulness, invite viewers into intricate labyrinths of emotion and imagination.
Her work has garnered widespread acclaim and attracted attention from collectors around the globe, earning placement in esteemed private collections in Cape Town, New York, Harare, London, Amsterdam and Paris. Through her art, she endeavours to carve out a hopeful vision of the future, encouraging individuals to embrace their true calling amid the noise of negativity, and chart their own path to fulfilment.
Exhibitor: Everard Read (Cape Ton, Franschoek, Johannesburg, South Africa and London, UK)
Erin Chaplin
Born in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, this self-taught artist continues to explore and expand her artistic horizons with each new creation. Erin’s art delves into deeply personal and introspective realms.
While her initial inspiration springs from nature, her work extends beyond mere depiction, delving into reactions to Christian religious doctrine and probing the depths of human vulnerability through abstraction. Erin’s exploration centres on the interplay between the natural and the artificial, aiming to capture the fleeting essence of youth and vitality juxtaposed with inevitable decay – depicting fresh fruit and flowers as they slowly wilt and decompose.
Navigating the complexities of the still-life genre, Erin employs a combination of muted tones and deliberately chosen unconventional colours to infuse her floral compositions with an intriguing dynamism. This interplay of hues invites viewers to engage with her work on a deeper level, evoking a sense of both familiarity and surprise. In her impasto paintings, Chaplin metaphorically encapsulates the delicate rawness and vulnerability inherent in the human condition. Each stroke of her brush becomes a reflection of life’s unfolding journey, inviting viewers to contemplate the intricacies of existence.
Exhibitor: Kalashnikovv (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Boemo Diale
Currently based in Johannesburg, this multidisciplinary artist is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Film and Television at the University of The Witwatersrand. Having traversed various racial landscapes while growing up in Rustenburg, Mafikeng and the Johannesburg suburbs, she draws upon her experiences to explore the complex interplay of identities.
Her art delves into the inner world of her childhood self, navigating the liminal spaces between rural and urban environments. Through her work, she intricately examines themes of gender, race, culture, identity, mental health, and spirituality. Infused with vibrant colours and a playful tone, her pieces offer a colourful exploration of race, gender, spirituality and identity, resonating with the complexities of being a racially ambiguous black woman in contemporary society.