Goddess-like female figures appear within luscious woven landscapes, their bodies wrapped in boldly patterned fabrics and embellished with golden jewellery. In the work of South African artist Kimathi Mafafo nature is explored not just as a physical space, but as a state of being which is associated with feminine energies, creativity, self-expression, commune and motherhood. Drawing on references from classical art as well as on her own personal experiences, Seizing the Day, her solo exhibition at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, West Palm Beach, celebrates the natural world as a powerful source for inspiration, strength and learning.

 

Mafafo considers each of her textiles to be part of an ongoing and evolving tapestry that responds to her personal life and emotional states as well as the world around her. While the weaving of each composition is a labour intensive process involving collaboration with two other women whom Mafafo trained, she rarely knows the final shape a work will take until it is complete, relying on colour, material and intuition to guide the narrative. This tension between knowing and unknowing is captured through the contrast between uniformity, where the stitch marks precisely render shapes such as the women’s bodies, and abandon, where ribbons, fabrics and threads tangle, loop and fray. For Mafafo, it also visualises a dialogue between the external and internal worlds, the rigid social expectations that are placed on women versus the volatile environment of our psyche.