MBALI TSHABALALA, Ethereal Roots
Mixed media on paper, 50 x 35.5 cm
"My work examines the systems that shape us – societal and governmental structures that claim to enforce, embody or distort order. Through my art, I explore how order can be interpreted, dismantled and reimagined, weaving both personal and universal reflections into this inquiry. As a woman, my experience within these systems is shaped by a constant tension between imposed structures and the resilience required to navigate them. Women, particularly in spaces like Johannesburg, are often tasked with holding together fragile frameworks while adapting to instability and chaos. This duality informs my perspective, where the act of creating becomes both a reclamation and a reimagining of order. Downtown Johannesburg, alive in its contradictions, reflects these dynamics. Fleeting moments of balance and structure emerge from the city’s relentless energy – a harmony found in chaos. This interplay mirrors the rhythms of nature, where fractals, cycles and symmetry reveal a hidden organization that holds chaos and balance in tension. These patterns also speak to a deeper, spiritual order – a profound alignment within the universe where resilience and transformation become acts of quiet power."
- Mbali Tshabalala
Specialists in contemporary art from South Africa. Established in 1913. South African artists are part of the global conversation. We seek to make their voices heard.
