Turiya Magadlela draws on her personal experience as a woman, a mother, and a black artist in the context of South African society, which is still largely coercive, to tackle questions related to otherness and women’s condition. The pantyhose, iconic element of her plastic work, evokes femininity, the question of autonomous spaces for women, and the relationships between personal and public spheres.
The artist uses in fact art-making techniques traditionally associated with femininity and craft: she sews and embroiders nylon pantyhose, correctional service uniforms, prison sheets, and other conceptually loaded fabrics to address societal issues through conceptual investigation, exploring profound themes of racial and sexual discrimination, femininity, and eroticism. Through the stitching, layering and collaging them. Magadlela creates powerful, original art pieces, awe-inspiring tapestries which invite viewers to contemplate the deeper implications of race, gender, and identity. Magadlela's art indeed goes beyond mere visual representation.
Through her work with tights on a sewing machine, she offers a poignant commentary on labor conditions, gender disparities, and the enduring legacies of sexual and racial violence and abuse. These tapestries, akin to square keyholes of voyeurism, are stretched on wooden frames, inviting viewers to peer into a world fraught with historical and contemporary struggles.

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CV

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