# Wangari Mathenge

Wangari Mathenge (b. 1973) is a Kenyan-born visual artist lives and works between London, UK, Chicago, IL USA, and Nairobi, Kenya. Her practice, which includes drawings, ceramics, sculpture, animation, installations and paintings, explores the multifaceted nature of African identity and culture, examining the flow of ideas, objects, and social practices across the continent and diaspora. Mathenge‚ work often centers on the experiences of Black women, reimagining the domestic sphere as a site of empowerment and knowledge production. She has exhibited in cities including New York, Los Angeles, London, Miami, Chicago, New York, Hong Kong and Frankfurt. Wangari Mathenge's website.

## Background and Education

Mathenge pursued higher education in the United States, earning degrees from Howard University and Georgetown University Law Center, where she specialized in International Business and Economic Law. Later, she shifted her focus to art, completing an MFA at School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2021. Mathenge degrees include B.S. International Business Administration, a MBA, Juris Doctor (J.D.)Masters in Law (LLM) and most recently Masters in Painting and Drawing (MFA) in 2021.

### Art

Mathenge's vibrant paintings, characterized by intricate patterns and bold colors, explore the multifaceted experiences of Black women within African societies. Drawing inspiration from East African textiles like the Khanga, her work often incorporates cultural objects to challenge traditional gender roles and celebrate Black female identity.
Mathenge's practice extends beyond traditional painting, encompassing installations and animations that further enrich her narratives.

## Solo Exhibitions

* 2023 A Day of Rest, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London UK
* 2023 Tidal Wave of Colour, Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, CA
* 2021 "You Are Here" (Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London UK

## Notable works in public collections

* Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden NYC, NY - Colonial Veranda (After Wood's "American Gothic"), 2023 - Oil, oil stick and acrylic on canvas.
* Crocker Art Museum Sacramento CA- Home Sweet Home (After Seurat, Manet and Pippin), 2023 - Oil and oil stick on canvas
* Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Turin, Italy - The Ascendants VII (The Living Room), 2020 Oil on canvas
* Rubell Family Collection Miami Fl- The Ascendants XI (Homage To Ecclesiastes Three, One through Eight), 2021 - Oil on canvas
* Weisman Art Museum Minnesota - The Ascendants VIII (Local Natives), 2020 - Oil on Canvas

## Notable Group Exhibitions

* 2021 Black American Portraits: LACMA
* 2022 "When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting" Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), South Africa

## Publications and Recent Media
##### Print

* 2025 100 Years of How Black Painters See Themselves - The New York Times By Emily LaBarge.
* 2024 Women sitting book: Sylvie Comet, Revue Lisieres
* 2022 African Art Now, Osei Bonsu, Octopus Publishing Group
* 2022 Great Women Painters, Edited by Alison Gingeras, Phaidon Press

###### Video

* 2024 Conversation on the Collection - Wangari Mathenge, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento California.

###### Audio

* 2024 In the Studio - BBC World Service - Anna Bailey
* 2024 All Of It - Artist Wangari Mathenge's New Show, WNYC - Alison Stewart