Viewing Wangari Mathenge

Vivid colours, expressive brushwork and figures surrounded by everyday objects characterise Wangari Mathenge’s figurative paintings, often based on herself or family members. ‘I’ve heard comments about how empowering and inspiring it is for black people to see themselves reflected this way,’ Mathenge once said. ‘However, for me, painting is merely an expression of myself, a form of catharsis.’

Mathenge’s first solo exhibition in the UK, now on display at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, draws on her early memories and personal observations to address the diasporic experience of home and identity. Central to the exhibition is Mathenge’s first large-scale installation, incorporating her first stop-motion animation, showing a family living space from the 1970s, replete with retro furniture, books and music. Hanging inside are paintings from The Expats, a series that responds to photographs from her childhood.

Also on display are new large-scale paintings depicting intimate scenes within the home. Some of her figures are at rest. Others are reading, sipping coffee or braiding hair. In this series, Mathenge reclaims the domestic sphere — traditionally a space for labour — as a place of sanctuary and learning. Add to your autumn agenda sharpish.