Lona Ndzimande’s practice explores Black womanhood through the lens of her Zulu upbringing. Using mixed media – including acrylic, Zulu glass beads, fabric, pearls, papier mâché, and paper collage – she creates layered portraits that celebrate Blackness, femininity, and self-expression while interrogating societal expectations and purity culture.
Ndzimande’s work balances intimacy, defiance, and joy, incorporating textures, draped beads, and sculptural elements to highlight resilience, sensuality, and the complexity of identity. Through her bold visual language, she builds archives of Black femininity that honour tradition while engaging critically with contemporary life.
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Lona Ndzimande’s practice explores Black womanhood through the lens of her Zulu upbringing. Using mixed media – including acrylic, Zulu glass beads, fabric, pearls, papier mâché, and paper collage – she creates layered portraits that celebrate Blackness, femininity, and self-expression while interrogating societal expectations and purity culture.
Ndzimande’s work balances intimacy, defiance, and joy, incorporating textures, draped beads, and sculptural elements to highlight resilience, sensuality, and the complexity of identity. Through her bold visual language, she builds archives of Black femininity that honour tradition while engaging critically with contemporary life.
