18th Mar, 2026 19:00
Modern & Contemporary Art
41
Kimathi Mafafo (South Africa 1984-)
Voiceless II
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2019
Signature details: signed on the reverse
Exchange Rates*: USD 6 301 – 9 451
GBP 4 655 – 6 982
EURO 5 335 – 8 003
R100,000 - R150,000
Buyers Premium
oil on canvas
Artwork date: 2019
Signature details: signed on the reverse
Exchange Rates*: USD 6 301 – 9 451
GBP 4 655 – 6 982
EURO 5 335 – 8 003
(1)
150 x 114 x 4 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Cape Town.
Artnet, Online, Africa Present, 31 August to 14 September 2021.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in Kimberley, South Africa, Kimathi Mafafo is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans embroidery, oil painting, and installation. Her work interrogates colonial and patriarchal stereotypes that have historically framed African women as either ornamental or subservient, offering instead images of autonomy, and quiet power.
The artist’s abstracted female figures are often enveloped by lush greenery and sensuous drapery. These verdant, dreamlike environments are far removed from the arid mining town of her upbringing and the settings function not as literal spaces but as psychological terrains and sites of retreat and restoration. Indeed, the artist’s earliest works are partly autobiographical, tracing the story of a woman retreating from urban life to rediscover strength in nature and within herself.
Mafafo’s father, G. Rocky Mafafo, was also a respected artist, a watercolourist. He encouraged his children to attend art classes at the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberly. There, Mafafo was inspired by the 16th - and 17th -century Dutch still-life paintings in the museum’s collection, whose vivid colour and meticulous detail continue to inform the richness and tactility of her surfaces.
Through her practice, Mafafo seeks to affirm the beauty, dignity, and inner worlds of Black women, encouraging viewers to consider themes of self-worth and empowerment. Her work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, with her most recent solo show in 2025 at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in Florida, USA.
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the Indianapolis Museum of Art; Figge Art Museum, Iowa; Kilbourn Collection, Cape Town; William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberly; Standard Bank Corporate Art Collection, Johannesburg; Africa First Collection, Israel; IZIKO South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein; The Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town; Spiers Arts Trust, Cape Town; Nelson Mandela Art Museum and the Gqeberha ; Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch.
The overall condition is very good.
Bubble wrap has stuck onto the canvas, resulting in minor paint loss in areas.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
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Auction: Modern & Contemporary Art, 18th Mar, 2026
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