Charity Vilakazi — kalashnikovv gallery

Nokukhanya Charity Vilakazi

Instagram

b. 1992 - Ethekwini, RSA

Nokukhanya Charity Vilakazi is a multimedia artist and visual orator. Working primarily with the mediums of painting and photography, her practice centres around the interrogation and exploration of African mythology, folklore and the self (spirituality, ritual and feminism). Vilakazi is a graduate of the Market Photo Workshop Advanced program and SACII Art accelerator incubator.

She currently lives and works in Johannesburg.

“My work looks at how stories validate female agency and are restorative and empowered by the African womxn’s psyche by highlighting them in folk- tales that illustrate the liberated and disruptive potential of female power, resilience, wisdom and agency. Showing how the wisdom of folklore intersects with myth, fantasy, and social history to instigate social change and egalitarian relations whilst celebrating the womxn of Africa as key protagonists. Both in their power and in their humanity. My work incorporates ibomvu (red clay) with acrylic paints to honour the beauty of my characters as it was and still is a form of beautification practiced by African womxn.”