Kimati

Kimathi Mafafo, born in 1984 in Kimberley, South Africa, is a multidisciplinary artist recognized for her use of embroidery, oil painting, and installation to explore themes of gender, identity, and heritage. She holds a National Diploma in Fine Arts from the College of Cape Town (2007) and a National Diploma in Film and Video from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (2016). Her work often features abstracted female forms surrounded by lush greenery, which contrasts with the arid environment of her childhood in Kimberley. Mafafo is passionate about celebrating Black women and challenging historical stereotypes of gender inequality in Africa. She has also founded an informal embroidery society to empower Capetonian women and provide a platform for their artistic voices. Her exhibitions have included shows in Berlin and London, where she continues to focus on themes of transformation, healing, and joy in her personal journey and her art.