Art & Identity

Express personal and cultural identity through art

Art and Personal Identity

Art can express who we are — our heritage, experiences, beliefs and feelings. Many artists create self-portraits, autobiographical work or art about their community. In South Africa, art has been a powerful tool for asserting identity against systems that tried to erase it.

Example

Identity in SA Art

• Zanele Muholi: photographs celebrating Black LGBTQ+ identities • Esther Mahlangu: Ndebele patterns asserting cultural pride • William Kentridge: animations exploring SA history and memory • Mary Sibande: sculptures examining domestic worker identity • Street art: graffiti artists expressing youth identity Your artwork can explore: family, culture, dreams, challenges, community

Note

Remember

Your identity is complex — you belong to many groups and have many experiences that shape who you are. Art lets you explore and express this complexity. There is no wrong way to express identity through art — be honest, be brave, be yourself.

Key Vocabulary

IdentityWho you are — shaped by culture, experiences, beliefs

Self-portraitAn artwork an artist makes of themselves

AutobiographicalAbout the artist's own life story

RepresentationHow people and groups are shown in art and media

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