KUDZANAI-VIOLET HWAMI (B. 1993)

‘At the end of the day the work is personal, and I’m attempting to stretch the meaning behind all my paintings. But I always keep in mind that I’m working in stages. Right now, I am playing around with subject and themes – not forcing anything. If the painting demands seriousness, I’ll allow that. If it demands fun and silliness, I welcome that too. […] I mean, if you take a look at a painting I made titled Sisi Themba’s post surgery, Harare General Hospital, 2050, I’ve depicted a transwoman lying on what looks like a couch, proudly posing in her new skin. In that I’m commenting on today’s cultural phenomenon but also what might be possible for Zimbabwean transgender people in the future.’ KUDZANAI-VIOLET HWAMI