The V&A Waterfront’s Artist Alliance is expanding their platform to help young creatives showcase their talent, grow their business, and connect with the creative community.
Introducing the Artist Alliance Virtual Gallery, a platform where art lovers can explore and engage with remarkable art from some of South Africa’s most talented artists. This virtual space goes beyond simply admiring art—it also allows you to support artists by purchasing their work, helping them continue their creative journeys while enhancing your own space with unique pieces.
The inaugural exhibition, A Feminine Gaze: Women’s Perspective in Contemporary Art, showcases the powerful and diverse voices of women artists. This exhibition delves into themes of identity, gender, sexuality, race, class, power, and the deeply personal narratives and emotions of the artists.
THE INAUGURAL EXHIBITION
A Feminine Gaze: Women’s Perspective in Contemporary Art is a poignant exhibition presented by The V&A Waterfront Artist Alliance in partnership with Creative Nestlings, curated by the esteemed Nonka Mbonambi.
The virtual exhibition invites viewers to bear witness to their resilience in the face of adversity and to celebrate their contributions. The showcase aims to amplify women’s voices, challenge societal expectations, and foster empathy and understanding. Taking part in the exhibition are Artist Alliance incubation alumni Mbhali Manzini and Larissa Mnyamana, as well as Micke Buitendag, Naledi Modupi, Parusha Naidoo, Nonka Mbonambi, Leanne Van, Puleng Mongale, Lungiswa Joe and Amogelang Monjane.
The diverse artworks on display range from moments of quiet reflection to vibrant expressions of identity, offering a multifaceted view of the world through a woman’s eyes. This exhibition reminds us that there is strength in vulnerability, power in resilience, and beauty in women.
MEET THE ARTISTS AND THEIR WORK
Mbhali Manzini
Mbhali is a Cape Town-based illustrator, art director and visual artist. She was a 2023 V&A Waterfront Artist Alliance Ambassador.
Larissa Mnyamana
With an Afrofuturistic lens, Larissa brings a fresh voice to the design world, where her services are in high demand. Larissa’s work aims to create moments of contemplation and offers a universe of its own within each project.
Micke Buitendag
Micke’s painting style is a form of contemporary and abstract art. Micke takes her inspiration from numerous artists and explores themes of femininity and identity in her works.
Naledi Modupi
Naledi’s art celebrates South African women, showcasing mastery of both traditional and digital mediums like chalk, paint and digital art. Her portraits capture the spirit, strength and beauty of women from her community, including her mother and grandmothers, paying homage to the pivotal role they played in her upbringing.
Parusha Naidoo
Parusha uses her creations as vehicles for resistance, to unite people and tell stories. Her paintings on canvas use colours, symbolism and imagery of survival and sustenance inspired by sunrise, sunset, the ocean, mountains, fruit and forests.
Nonka Mbonambi
As a curator, Nonka harnesses the power of art to tell compelling stories and provoke thought. At Curatica, she seeks out artists whose work resonates with themes of womanhood, motherhood, and creativity, aiming to create a platform where women can share their experiences and inspire others.
Leanne Van
Leanne is a mural artist and illustrator who aims to create positive, uplifting art. She is particularly interested in creating art that starts conversations and celebrates people as individuals.
Puleng Mongale
Puleng, a self-taught South African visual artist, explores identity and spirituality through photography and digital collage. Inspired by the black working-class women in her daily life, she weaves memories, musings, and observations into her art, focusing on the women in her life, both living and departed.
Lungiswa Joe
Lungiswa seamlessly intertwines art, fashion, design, philosophy and heritage in her work, no matter the medium, delving into themes of identity, culture and heritage. Her latest artistic exploration involves working with clay.
Amogelang Monjane
Amogelang’s style is fluid and ever-evolving – employing different mediums such as oil, acrylic, pencil and linocut. This multi-skilled approach allows her the freedom to explore various artistic expressions and new ways to create. From detailed pencil sketches, and abstract acrylic paintings to textured linocuts, her work reflects her love for experimentation and discovery.
Running from October to November, the Artist Alliance Virtual Gallery provides a unique opportunity to discover these compelling voices and support South African talent.