Natali Downing (b. 1982) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Mossel Bay, South Africa. Raised as a bilingual white woman in post-apartheid South Africa, her lived experience continues to inform her exploration of social structures and inherited ideologies. Before fully committing to art in 2014, Downing earned an LLB degree from the University of South Africa (Unisa). Her practice is rooted in process and research, often beginning with visual diaries and an archive of images that serve as a foundation for conceptual framework and creative catalyst. This approach to artmaking was recognized by her lecturers and led to invitations to present her methodology at workshops throughout her academic and professional journey. Downing was also employed as an artist’s production assistant and workshop facilitator during her studies. In 2019, she graduated with distinctions from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor of Visual Art. Since then, she has taught art classes and presented creative workshops for adults across the Garden Route, sharing her knowledge in a variety of mediums and processes. Recently, the artist has taken a sharp turn and began working primarily in painting, while also engaging with drawing and printmaking. Downing’s work addresses both historical and contemporary social issues. Currently living in a predominantly conservative, largely white Afrikaner community, she uses her practice to critically reflect on her own positionality—interrogating inherited belief systems and social dynamics with nuance, humour and empathy.
