The first solo exhibition of Phumelele Tshabalala presents new mixed-media works on canvas, board, and paper at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery in London. “Becoming water from the same source” features 13 works by the South African artist. Electric colors cast his fascinating subjects in a theatrical light. Tshabalala lives and works in Johannesburg, having recently returned to his hometown after several years in the United States, where he was based in Los Angeles after earning an MFA in Visual Art from SUNY Purchase College, New York (2016). Inspired by the emotional and cultural transition, his images of real individuals and representational characters celebrate his community, those who have shaped him, and notions of home and belonging.
“Phumelele Tshabalala: Becoming water from the same source” is on view at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London, March 19-May 1, 2021. The show is also presented in an online viewing room.