Siphiwe Mnguni, Isitshwala (01), 2024 (framed)
Soft pastel, oil pastel, oil stick and adhesive on watercolour paper, 38.5cm x 29.5cm
Siphiwe Mnguni's practice navigates the notion of identity whilst exploring the iconography of the black female nude in relation to her own body. Challenging traditional representations of the figure in western art history, Siphiwe's work is also informed by subconscious thought and her own experiences as a young British-Zimbabwean woman living in south east London.
Drawing from life is intrinsic to Siphiwe's work; her images seem to hover between abstraction and figuration. ‘I take photos of myself in weird positions, draw my reflection in the mirror, or ask friends to sit for me on FaceTime.’ This framed unique work is one of a series titled after a much-loved Southern African dish which is a staple food in Zimbabwe. Siphiwe says; ‘the process of cooking Isitshwala is a laborious one, with the semolina being pounded over and over again on a high heat, until the desired elasticity and malleability is created. This malleability of Isitshwala is similar to the continued pressure and shaping of the black female figure. These new works explore whether these tropes that have caused such hardening, can be reshaped and given new meaning.’
Siphiwe gained a BA (Hons) in Fashion, Textiles and Interiors at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham (2012 – 2015) with a focus upon print design. Alongside her artistic practice she currently works full time for the arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms as a project curator leading workshops and managing large-scale artist commissions in hospitals. She was included in a group exhibition with Tart Gallery, London, in December 2021 and her works on paper are held in several private collections. Oliver Projects has been proud to show Siphiwe’s unique works in two group exhibitions and also launched the artist’s first limited edition print at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in 2023. Siphiwe lives in Forest Hill, south east London.
Soft pastel, oil pastel, oil stick and adhesive on watercolour paper, 38.5cm x 29.5cm
Siphiwe Mnguni's practice navigates the notion of identity whilst exploring the iconography of the black female nude in relation to her own body. Challenging traditional representations of the figure in western art history, Siphiwe's work is also informed by subconscious thought and her own experiences as a young British-Zimbabwean woman living in south east London.
Drawing from life is intrinsic to Siphiwe's work; her images seem to hover between abstraction and figuration. ‘I take photos of myself in weird positions, draw my reflection in the mirror, or ask friends to sit for me on FaceTime.’ This framed unique work is one of a series titled after a much-loved Southern African dish which is a staple food in Zimbabwe. Siphiwe says; ‘the process of cooking Isitshwala is a laborious one, with the semolina being pounded over and over again on a high heat, until the desired elasticity and malleability is created. This malleability of Isitshwala is similar to the continued pressure and shaping of the black female figure. These new works explore whether these tropes that have caused such hardening, can be reshaped and given new meaning.’
Siphiwe gained a BA (Hons) in Fashion, Textiles and Interiors at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham (2012 – 2015) with a focus upon print design. Alongside her artistic practice she currently works full time for the arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms as a project curator leading workshops and managing large-scale artist commissions in hospitals. She was included in a group exhibition with Tart Gallery, London, in December 2021 and her works on paper are held in several private collections. Oliver Projects has been proud to show Siphiwe’s unique works in two group exhibitions and also launched the artist’s first limited edition print at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in 2023. Siphiwe lives in Forest Hill, south east London.
Soft pastel, oil pastel, oil stick and adhesive on watercolour paper, 38.5cm x 29.5cm
Siphiwe Mnguni's practice navigates the notion of identity whilst exploring the iconography of the black female nude in relation to her own body. Challenging traditional representations of the figure in western art history, Siphiwe's work is also informed by subconscious thought and her own experiences as a young British-Zimbabwean woman living in south east London.
Drawing from life is intrinsic to Siphiwe's work; her images seem to hover between abstraction and figuration. ‘I take photos of myself in weird positions, draw my reflection in the mirror, or ask friends to sit for me on FaceTime.’ This framed unique work is one of a series titled after a much-loved Southern African dish which is a staple food in Zimbabwe. Siphiwe says; ‘the process of cooking Isitshwala is a laborious one, with the semolina being pounded over and over again on a high heat, until the desired elasticity and malleability is created. This malleability of Isitshwala is similar to the continued pressure and shaping of the black female figure. These new works explore whether these tropes that have caused such hardening, can be reshaped and given new meaning.’
Siphiwe gained a BA (Hons) in Fashion, Textiles and Interiors at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham (2012 – 2015) with a focus upon print design. Alongside her artistic practice she currently works full time for the arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms as a project curator leading workshops and managing large-scale artist commissions in hospitals. She was included in a group exhibition with Tart Gallery, London, in December 2021 and her works on paper are held in several private collections. Oliver Projects has been proud to show Siphiwe’s unique works in two group exhibitions and also launched the artist’s first limited edition print at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair in 2023. Siphiwe lives in Forest Hill, south east London.
