Mbali Tshabalala
2021
The challenges of being a black women range diversely from experiencing racism, patriarchy, sexism, misogyny, labour intensive gender roles and grave limitations to safety. Being a professional, a mother, a daughter, sibling, and partner/wife coupled with all these experiences and limited financial freedom as capitalism and debt holds the black women hostage.
It at times becomes all too much for one soul to bear.
Popular social and traditional black narratives prohibit feminine forms of weakness and govern the experiences and responses of black womaness. Phrases such as the “Mosadi ke kgotlello” (a women’s strength is seen in her perseverance) or “mosadi otshwara thipa ko bohaleng” (a woman is capable and built to hold the knife on its sharp side) contribute heavily towards the narrative of tenacity and resilience of the black woman.
The art of South African born artist, Mbali Tshabalala investigates these notions as she places herself at the centre of her inquisition. She questions her own feelings of being weak, or falling short of the narratives of the strong black woman and not having your shit together. Having battled depression and anxiety she further examines the stigma that comes with cultural social and religious beliefs that come with mental illness and weakness.
Tshabalala also questions if one fits in to the black excellence narrative that pressures us, the valiant display of expensive lifestyles, cars, houses, holidays as representations of black excellence.
The multidimensional questioning and search for answers is beautifully represented in the works of Tshabalala as she uses a soft palette of pinks, yellows, blues and a strong black that is usually placed tenderly and delicately in pattern resembling a natural flow of plant life.
Her works feature silhouettes of a female face or figure placed amicably and freely amongst the artwork, transporting one into a new personal realm without the noise of the outside world and its challenges. The works embraces freedom, freeing one from the pressures of society, and advocate for peace, tranquility and an assurance in one’s capability, focusing on creating safe spaces and generating positive notions of self, good mental health and hope for a better future.
