Nomthunzi Mashalaba Presents 'Mamiya'

South Africa Wed 16-05-2012

Nomthunzi Mashalaba Presents 'Mamiya'
Press Release | Blank Projects

"Mamiya, I do not presume to know the course of her life nor will I ever understand her predicament, motherhood and the pursuit of family."

Nomthunzi Mashalaba's Mamiya

_{Nomthunzu Mashalaba. Charcoal and acrylic on cotton fabric.}

Blank projects is pleased to present Nomthunzi Mahalaba’s second solo exhibition, Mamiya. In this exhibition, Mashalaba explores the possibility of rematerializing moments in her past by using old family photographs as tools to reincarnate the past in the present.

This exercise is centred on the artist’s relationship with, and memories of her mother. With a light hand, Mashalaba tests photography as a relational medium through reworkings of the source images in large-scale charcoal and mixed media drawings on stretched cotton fabric, and intimate smaller drawings and collages.

Seventy six at present, she grew up to mother five children; 1959 Nodumo, 1964 Tembani, 1969 Noxolo, 1972 Linda and Nomthunzi. Rematerializing selected moments in her past, this body of work explores a daughter’s perspectives about her mom from old photographs."

_{Nomthunzu Mashalaba. Found image on card. x cm}

Nomthunzi Mashalaba (b. 1979) graduated with a B-Tech (Fine Arts) from Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria (2006). Her first solo exhibition, "Square" was held at blank projects in 2007. Selected group exhibitions include: Crossing boundaries… Qatar VCUQ art gallery, Matters Conceptual, Erdmann Contemporary (2010).Tussen orde en avontuur, Artscape, Cape Town (2009). In 2006 she received a Sasol New Signatures merit award. Her work is represented by numerous corporate and private collections. Nomthunzi Mashalaba lives and works in Cape Town.