PRESS RELEASE
NANDIPHA MNTAMBO - Chimera
May 18 – Jun 10, 2023
Everard Read Johannesburg is thrilled to present Chimera a solo exhibition by Nandipha Mntambo.
The upcoming exhibition, "Chimera," by Nandipha Mntambo will showcase her latest series of paintings inspired by the eponymous mythological creature. The term "Chimera" is typically used to describe mythical or fictional creatures that are composed of various animal parts. Mntambo's paintings are drawn from the Greek Chimera, which is a fire-breathing hybrid creature with the body of a lion, a goat's head protruding from its back, and a snake's tail.
Mntambo is a multidisciplinary artist who primarily focuses on painting to explore form, material, and illusion. Her immersive large-scale works aim to draw viewers into her creative process, evoking a sense of mystery and intrigue by playing with the oppositions of desire and repulsion, invitation, and warning.
The Chimera of Greek mythology was said to be the offspring of the Goddess Echidna, a half-woman, half-snake creature who resided in solitude in a cave. Echidna was the mate of the fearsome monster Typhon, a serpentine giant, and one of the deadliest creatures in Greek mythology. Mntambo’s ongoing meditation on binaries is driven by her interest in the hybrid and shapeshifting duality of Echidna, who is simultaneously maternal and lethal.
Mntambo's latest series of paintings reference secret desires, hopes, and fears that may never come to fruition, mirroring the Chimera as an illusion or fabrication of the mind. Her works allude to the complexities inherent in relationships and the interdependent nature of good and bad, light, and shadow.
"Chimera" will be on exhibit at Everard Read Gallery from 18th May – 10th June.
For additional information, please contact Nkuli Nhleko – nkuli@everard.co.za.
