Dimakatso Mathopa is an artist who explores historical forms of printmaking, such as cyanotype printing, in her work. She challenges the colonial use of photography and its impact on black subjects, particularly in South Africa. Her art explores the displacement of black people, drawing from her own family history of losing their ancestral land.
Using techniques like cyanotype printing and silkscreen, Mathopa transforms conceptualized photographs taken in colonial settings into thought-provoking art pieces.
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She often incorporates her own body as a subject in her work, aiming to influence and challenge the norms of photography, especially in how black women are represented.
Dimakatso’s art subverts the colonial gaze by emphasizing the presence and importance of black subjects in spaces, regardless of societal norms. She aims to question and redefine historical representations of black women, highlighting the stereotypes that persist in South Africa today.
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Through her art, Mathopa seeks to reclaim personal narratives and tell the stories of individuals who have been marginalized. By photographing herself in colonial settings and using her body to challenge traditional depictions, she confronts the historical misrepresentations of black women in South Africa.
