LOT 16: Samantha Maseko | Woman to Woman | 2023

Samantha Maseko, an Artist Proof Studio graduate, explores black femininity through printmaking, mixed media, and painting, challenging perceptions of blackness in relation to hair, colourism, and the sexualisation of the black body. Rooted in a love for fashion, her work consistently presents blackness as aesthetically powerful, as seen in pieces like Optical Fa?ade I & II and Hear No Evil, where natural hair becomes a crowning symbol of pride. In Rebellion and Sense of Self, she reimagines a past where blackness is framed in aristocratic grandeur, aligning with Amy Sherald?s call for relief from the politicisation of black bodies. Maseko?s art envisions a world where black identity is celebrated beyond historical burdens, offering empowering alternatives to mainstream narratives.