Kimatho Mafafo

Kimatho Mafafo (born 1964) is a South African multidisciplinary artist. Quotes From a young age, I knew that creativity was in my genes and that it was something that I would like to follow I’m grateful that I have women assisting me, to help bring my pieces to life Having different voices helps me to create beautiful works with more depth When you look at my previous work it came from a space of pain Because I work from my personal experience, my work is always reflective of what I go through in life. As women, we go through a lot; I try to reveal that through my art to inspire other women that might share a similar story At this moment, I’m in a space of rediscovering joy, through finding and reinventing myself I found an escape through my artwork Expressing my pain in that work, in the hopes that it would touch other women or enlighten them was a necessary emotional release With time, I was able to heal, and that experience helped me to find myself and recognise who am I as an artist, and as a woman Black women are what I know and it’s part of who I am When I describe my medium or textile, I say I ‘paint with thread’ because I come from a painting background I would say that I didn’t choose embroidery – it chose me Humans are far from simple; we’re layered beings – especially females I feel like, in the world, there’s so much healing that’s needed to be done. It’s not always easy to mimic emotions, and as much as I try to translate them through detail, it’s up to the viewer to experience my work I feel that as an artist, part of your role is to enlighten your community and teach others There’s a crisis of gender-based violence and women are being targeted Even though it may seem like a political concern, as an artist, I need to play my part in the community and inspire other women to talk about issues that are happening at home. At the end of the day, you have no choice but to trust in your creation Art focus: Interview with Artist, Kimathi Mafafo 17 March 2023 Growing up in an environment where community service and artistic expression were prioritized profoundly shaped who I am today Reflecting on my journey, I realize many of my stories stem from my childhood experiences I realized that my education there did not teach me as much as my father did Even if I feel I am an artist, sometimes I am not aware of the distinction between making craft and fine art I'm sharing stories about myself as a woman, particularly as a Black woman. I aim to tell the story of a woman navigating her daily life—whether a housewife or a career-driven individual, juggling motherhood and professional responsibilities I want to heal others through my experiences The woman in my work, representing me as a Black woman, embodies my struggles You can't fake a feeling and then try to determine that I'm telling global stories. I'm expressing what I feel in the moment. Though it features a Black figure, I believe my work is meant to resonate globally In our modern lives, surrounded by concrete buildings, we lose touch with our humanity There’s a woman I envision who is surrounded by greenery but feels stifled. She's in a safe environment, dressed or wrapped in a blanket, almost like a deer. While in this safe space, she often senses that she could accomplish more if she stepped beyond her comfort zone. Outside this safe space lies beautiful foliage and flowers, symbolizing the abundance of opportunities available to her beyond the boundaries of safety Embracing the unknown has become a safe space for me I feel there’s a sense of creativity that comes from living in an unstructured environment rather than being bound by strict rules. There's something connecting with hope, with the universe, coming from somewhere that I don't know As African people, we inherently possess vibrancy, and elements like the sun and what we eat significantly shape our essence. Fashion is something that is in me, even the way I dress As a woman, for me, black joy means having the freedom to express myself authentically, without boundaries or the fear of hurting anyone The joy of being Black comes from knowing and accepting who you are without trying to mimic other races There is a deep freedom in self-acceptance True joy lies in identifying with and loving myself as a Black person. I consider everything around me part of my artistic expression, and I want to utilize the space I inhabit Kimathi Mafafo: Embracing the unknown has become a safe space for me 1 December 2024 Category:1964 births Category:Living people