Cinthia Sifa Mulanga

Cinthia Sifa Mulanga was born in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. Sifa graduated her 3rd year in 2020 at Artist Proof Studio in printmaking combining techniques such as intaglio, Linocut and silkscreening. Her third year body of work explored the politics surrounding the domestic space and notions of beauty within an Afropolitan context. Sifa's works in many mediums including painting, collage, drawing, photography.

In 2019, she was awarded first place for a work created for a tribute exhibition to Louis Khela Maqhubela & Douglas Portway presented by Artist Proof Studio in partnership with Strauss & Co at the Turbine Art Fair. Sifa was also a trainee in the Special Projects Unit at the Artist Proof Studio and has received commissions from Bidvest Bank and Hogan Lovell. In 2020 Sifa participated in The TLC Student Lockdown Collection and exhibited her works on Latitudes Online. She currently lives and works in Johannesburg.

More from the artist: “My work explores beauty constructs as well as its psychological and physical impact on African women through the search of my own identity and those around me. I create moments within domestic spaces by using different mediums like acrylic with oil paint, charcoal, ink, collage from personal photographs, newspaper and magazines. Female silhouettes represent the "perfect women " perceived by society or the “absorber” that’s absorbs from social media. The moments I create in domestic spaces are dialogues between perceived beauty standards, and stereotypes which function to both challenge and embrace African women. The Barbie doll, a primary inspiration in my work, is used with other feminine objects or symbols with associations to African women, representing thoughts, misconceptions, perceptions and emotions. These spaces allow me to create conversations and interrogate notions of beauty.”

Exhibitions

2018 Participation in group exhibition, “animal in distress” with Little Artist and JSE Deutsche Bank at Grahams Fine Art, Johannesburg
2019 “Louis Khela Maqhubela & Douglas Portway” presented by Artist Proof Studio and Strauss & Co at the RMB Turbine Art Fair. First prize winner
2020 The student Lock Down Collection with Artist Proof Studio and The University of Johannesburg
2020 Presented on Latitudes Online
2020 Green recovery project for climate change portfolio with Artist proof studio
2020 The Human experience group exhibition with The Project Space
2020 The Eclectic group exhibition at The Artroom Gallery
2020 3rd year group exhibition graduation with Artist proof studio
2020 Lagos group exhibition curated by Azu Ngwagbugo "liminality in infinite spaces "
2021 London Art Fair EDITs represented by African Arty in partnership with Latitudes Online

2021: Latitudes Online x The Lockdown Collection Open Call Collection Auction
2021: Intimate Spaces, African Arty, Casablanca in partnership with Latitudes Online

2021: Art on a Postcard Summer Auction Fundraiser for The Hepatitis C Trust
2021: UN Women, A Force for Change, Agora Gallery, NYC
2021: Mother of Mankind, The House of Fine Arts London curated by Adora Mba
2021: ‘I love who you are, I love who you ain’t’ Miami Billbrady Gallery curated by Wunika Mukan
2021: Africa Present Artnet Auction presented in collaboration with Latitudes Online

2021 AKAA Fair Paris presented by African Arty
2022: Investec Cape Town Art Fair presented by Botho Space