Emerging female artists discuss the personal ahead of FNB Art Joburg weekend
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Congolese born South African based artist Cinthia Sifa Mulanga told an audience assembled at the Bioscope at 44 Stanley in Milpark, Johannesburg that whenever she has an exhibition that is accessible to Congolese residents in South Africa, they like other viewers, are intrigued by her work, immersing themselves in the narrative. However the Congolese community sometimes ask her why she does not create works that show their lives as Congolese people.
“But my work is about my own experience of life, a Congolese person growing up in South Africa, and therefore I express myself within the frame work of that multi-cultural identity,” she said.
This sentiment and dilemma facing Mulanga in her art practice is probably shared by several artists who find themselves having to grapple two identities, for example born in another country, such as in her case, but growing up in another country, and as a result living and experiencing life from these complex cultural influences. And often it is these hybrid influences that shape the art practice of an artist.
The artist expressed this view in answer to a question posed by panel discussion moderator Zaza Hlalethwa who asked each of the participants how their specific communities respond to some of the culturally specific sensitive issues they often raise in the artistic endeavours. The all women panel discussion held in the cosy Bioscope on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, was organised by the FNB Art Joburg in collaboration with the French Institute, ahead of the weekend’s opening of the annual FNB Art Joburg art fair at the Sandton Convention Centre.
Mulanga who during the Covbid-19 pandemic emerged as an important voice on the contemporary visual art scene in South Africa, managed to do well with her works and they became popular with collectors online, in some cases, selling out whatever was put up there for sale. She will be participating at the FNB Art Joburg at the weekend with her new series of prints up for grabs by collectors.
On these prints Mulanga worked remotely with well-known Master Printmaker Jillian Ross during the hjard lockdown, who for years, has been known for working with David Krut Projects, overseeing the printmaking workshop there.
The panel discussion that also featured other artists currently making waves on the contemporary scene in South Africa, especially when it comes to black people’s experience on the visual art scene, was preceded by a screening of interviews with each panellist in a series called Construct. The series in its second season focuses on emerging artists to deal with issues of identity and sexuality, among others, that may emanate from their personal art practices .
The artists were interviewed mainly in their work spaces talking about a whole range of issues affecting them as female artists working in an environment that is often male centred with women artists often finding themselves at the periphery of the centre of art making and practice, particularly artists of colour. The other participating artists were Zandile Tshabalala, The other participating artists were Zandile Tshabalala, Reshma Chhiba, and Teresa Kutala Fermino, who all took good account of themselves on the discussion table.