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 neo-colonial South Africa. His work also serve as a meditation of the past to probe and celebrate the contribution of African design in shaping language and the social status of the people. This is achieved through the use of embedded designs, colour and shapes in garments and household items. This is meant to bring meaning to life and also connect the past to present existence.

He use 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 use 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 diaspora. However these patterns also celebrate virtues such as patience, unity and craftsmanship. These are the values that have been central in the people of colour surviving the various atrocities in the continent of Africa and diaspora. Last, but not least, the use of patterns aims to highlight the systematic inconsistencies. The idiosyncratic consistency of inconsistencies within the system.

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

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