Vanessa Tembane is a South African artist of Mozambican heritage, currently based in Johannesburg. She holds a master’s degree in Fine Arts and is an acclaimed artist, having received the prestigious Ampersand Fellowship in 2018, among other awards.
Working primarily in collage and digital print media, Tembane’s art is a deep exploration of how her mother's narratives have influenced her own identity and sense of belonging. She creates strange and beautiful hybridized composites by merging her photographs taken in South Africa with those of her Mozambican relatives. These collages are further enriched with photographic cut-outs of capulanas—vibrant fabrics given to her by her grandmother and aunts during visits to Mozambique.
Through this process, Tembane’s work becomes a powerful means of telling stories about her origins and what is, for her, an alternative “home” culture. Her art enables her to identify with her mother’s country by constructing new, imagined memories, ultimately forging a unique and personal sense of belonging.
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Vanessa Tembane is a South African artist of Mozambican heritage, currently based in Johannesburg. She holds a master’s degree in Fine Arts and is an acclaimed artist, having received the prestigious Ampersand Fellowship in 2018, among other awards.
Working primarily in collage and digital print media, Tembane’s art is a deep exploration of how her mother's narratives have influenced her own identity and sense of belonging. She creates strange and beautiful hybridized composites by merging her photographs taken in South Africa with those of her Mozambican relatives. These collages are further enriched with photographic cut-outs of capulanas—vibrant fabrics given to her by her grandmother and aunts during visits to Mozambique.
Through this process, Tembane’s work becomes a powerful means of telling stories about her origins and what is, for her, an alternative “home” culture. Her art enables her to identify with her mother’s country by constructing new, imagined memories, ultimately forging a unique and personal sense of belonging.
