Lorraine Kalassa
Lorraine Kalassa, Untitled 2, from the series Embracing Bikwembe, 2018. © Lorraine Kalassa
Embracing Bikwembe
In her ‘Embracing Bikwembe’ pinhole photograph series, Lorraine Kalassa photographs herself dressed in different outfits made from a traditional printed cotton wax fabric referred to as Bikwembe (plural of Kikwembe) in Swahili. Living in South Africa, where xenophobia has been prevalent for many years, the artist felt that she could not be bold in how she represented her identity, specifically through clothing and speech. Traditional wear was a way for the artist to reconnect with her Congolese heritage. Her growing admiration for clothing was also nurtured through living with and observing one of her aunts who is a professional dressmaker. This series was completed as part of her first-ever project at University.⠀
Lorraine Kalassa, Untitled 3, from the series Embracing Bikwembe, 2018. © Lorraine Kalassa
Lorraine Kalassa, Untitled 4, from the series Embracing Bikwembe, 2018. © Lorraine Kalassa
Lorraine Kalassa, Untitled 1, from the series Embracing Bikwembe, 2018. © Lorraine Kalassa
Lorraine Kalassa, Untitled 5, from the series Embracing Bikwembe, 2018. © Lorraine Kalassa
About Lorraine Kalassa
Lorraine Kalassa (b. 1998) is a student at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town, currently completing her third year in the undergraduate programme. She was born in Pretoria, South Africa and is a Congolese national. Through her personal and educational learnings, her practice is developing into one that is multidisciplinary, expressing herself through a range of media such as photography, printmaking, sculpture and other craft-like work. As a second-generation immigrant, her work explores issues of identity, mobility and belonging, borrowing elements from different geographical contexts and national histories.