Mthobisi Maphumulo is a South African contemporary artist born on the 8th of September 1988 at Imfume Mission (South coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal) in Durban.

He is the founder of Amasosha Art Movement, which is a vibrant collective of Durban Artists that promotes hard work, solidarity and collaboration of ideas

amongst artists. He is also a founder of art project space called Ikomkhulu art space located in the city. This project space host film screening, art residency, art

classes and art exhibitions.

His work is an investigation of the socio-political construction of African communities in the contemporary world. His work also serves as a meditation of the past to probe and celebrate the contribution of African artifacts and design in shaping language and the social status of the people. He embeds designs, colour and shapes in garments and household items to bring meaning that connect the past to the present existence.

He uses oil pastels to reimagine and recreate a variety of design patterns in most of the garments worn by his characters and their backgrounds. The spiritual, domestic and royal designs embedded in these garments transpose the narratives of the subjects and bring them to a space of new possibilities. These design patterns are also a metaphoric device he uses to restore pride and royalty. They are also critical in the expression of identity and dignity to the people of colour in the continent and some part of diaspora. However these patterns also celebrate virtues such as patience, unity and craftsmanship. Last, but not least, the use of patterns aims to highlight the systematic inconsistencies in the modern world.

Education and Training

2015, The business of Art by curate.@.space, Certificate

2013, Printmaking Workshop Durban Art Gallery

2012, Mural certificate, Bremen (Germany)

2010, Visual Art Certificate, Bat Centre, Durban

2011, Velobala weekend art classes, certificate, African Art Centre

Related Work Experience

2022, An Art Director and founder of Amasosha Art Movement

2022,Facilitator at Ikomkhulu Art Space

2013, Assistance in Don’t Panic Exhibition by curator Gabi Ngcobo ,Durban Art Gallery

2012, Facilitator at Wushini Art Culture Heritage (Art in schools project)

Exhibitions

2024, Confluence art exhibition at Galerie Herold Bremen in Germany
2022, Inkaba art exhibition with Amasosha Art Movement at Durban Art Gallery
2020,Turbine Art Fair exhibition with World Art Gallery in Cape town

2019,Articulate Africa book fair exhibition at Durban Exhibition Centre

2018, 7th International Biennial pastel exhibition –Nowy Sacz 2018 in Poland

2017,Group exhibition, From the horses mouth at Ebony gallery.

2016, Group exhibition, Beyond binaries at Durban Art Gallery

2015,Group exhibition, Fresh produced at Turbine Art Fair

2015,Group exhibition, Blowing Minds at Unisa gallery Pretoria

2014,Twenty /20-A clear vision, Growing the Mandela Legacy at Unisa Art Gallery (Pretoria)

2012,Contemporal Voices at African Art Centre

2011,Izikhwepha Zethu at Durban Art Gallery

2010,Group exhibition at Durban Art Gallery