Notes

Nonceba Thami Dwanya (b. 2000, Pretoria) is a young black female artist whose journey began at the National School of Arts. She uses her art to explore and understand the unacknowledged aspects of herself, excelling in multidisciplinary portraiture through mediums such as paint, gouache, and ink. In June 2023, she curated and exhibited her debut collection titled Ausi Thami. Since then, she has completed a three-month artist residency at The Bag Factory and held another solo exhibition titled Motlatsi, along with participating in the group exhibition CAFT.

Dwanya’s work reflects the interconnectedness of personal experiences, emphasizing that self-understanding is inherently linked to the experiences of others. Her portraiture explores this concept through layers of color and texture, using silhouettes to represent both presence and absence. By highlighting the complexities of identity and the balance between the self and others, she captures the essence of coexistence and mutual influence in her artistic practice.