Cinthia Sifa Mulanga

Cinthia Sifa Mulanga (b. 1997, Lubumbashi, DRC) s a contemporary artist known for her poignant explorations of the Black female experience through painting and collage. Raised in South Africa, Mulanga's practice is rooted in her diverse cultural experiences. Trained as a printmaker at Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg, she later gravitated towards painting and collage, mediums that have come to define her artistic journey.

Mulanga's art focuses on the representation of Black women, engaging with various personas and emotions to highlight the complexities of female identity. Her multi-perspectival portraits juxtapose multiple women within architectural spaces, creating open conversations about beauty and identity. By incorporating painted or collaged artworks within her compositions, Mulanga challenges the absence of Black female subjects in Western painting and critiques the representation of women by male artists.

Her visual references often draw from popular culture and the history of Western art, recontextualizing these elements to pay tribute to other artists and explore aspirational lifestyles. Mulanga's work has been showcased in numerous exhibitions, including her solo show "In The Becoming" at Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg (2022) and group exhibitions at Bill Brady Gallery in Miami and The Artroom Gallery in Johannesburg.

Mulanga has also received several accolades, including recognition from the Normal Sovereign African Art Prize (2023) and the British Fashion Council’s New Wave Creatives. She has collaborated with prominent brands like Gucci, reimagining the iconic Diana Tote Bag. Mulanga continues to live and work in Johannesburg.