Lesego Tatiana Ditshego -

My work attempts to question my womanhood, femininity, and identity as a woman of colour. The notion of the feminine as something small, naïve, and insignificant is something that I wrestle with daily and express in my work. I live in a context where I have the opportunities to educate myself and be independent and self-sustaining but, how far I go to attain these goals is still quite limited because of the cultural expectations that dictate what a ‘good’ woman is. I juxtaposed the pink and purple lace with dark blue of the thorns in my images to express the internal dissonance I often feel when confronted with the cultural and societal expectations that clash with my personal beliefs; that women can be assertive, ambitious, and command respect. Yet still be soft, compassionate, powerful and sensitive. Hence in my series of drypoint and lace prints I have created portraits of myself and my mother in independent and confident postures. The images express both a softness and a strength that exist in both my mother and myself. Myworkreconciles these conflicting ideals and creates space for me to express and explore my womanhood, femininity, and identity.