In 2015, Mkhasibe graduated with a BAFA from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. She is a Cape Town based multimedia artist and drummer (Morning Pages) who uses abstract mark-making to mimic texture and sound. Mkhasibe's interests are also in ecology and outer space.

Artist Statement:
When I was in preschool, I remember sitting at a table in my parents' garden after I had finished a drawing. I looked up at the swaying trees and realized I felt very complete. I was prone to anxiety, so this contrasting feeling was very noticeable. I did not know then that 'artist' was a profession that existed. As the years went on, I found myself interested in kid's books, cartoons and other creative outlets that I could participate in, such as ballet and floor of gymnastics, where I could imagine narratives to movement. When I was in primary school, I enjoyed doing crafts with friends and art as an extracurricular activity. In high school, art-hosting websites, graphic novels, learning about street artists and seeing album art of the bands I used to listen to nudged me further into expanding my scope of art. I eventually majored in art theory and practical work in high school and went on to study Fine Art at university. Artistic expression has always felt a part of me, so much so, it feels strange to not create.

Because art is now so integral to me, I know I will continue to create for the rest of my life as it is essential to my well-being. I look forward to collaborating with other artists, I would love to exhibit more works in both solo and group shows in other countries and for art to be the reason why I travel (residencies, for example). I am also a drummer and so forging parallel paths for art and music would be amazing. I would love exhibitions of my own to be safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces.

My artwork can be poetic in its message. I don't think human progress means the destruction of the environment. To me, ingenuity means understanding that we are interlinked to our environment and each other - that having empathy is a strength. I've always had an interest in how our relationship to space reflects our environmental culture on earth, in a macro-micro sense. I'm more of an alarmist on these ideas and I interweave them into Sci-Fi or illustrative narratives in my art. When I post my work online, there's usually a description of the artwork linked to the image. It's important for art to be accessible to people and for intentions to be understood. As much as social media has an algorithmic bias, it has been a way for art to feel more inviting when one does come across an artist they like. It has also provided a space for me to consistently exhibit my own work on my own terms in a field where galleries gatekeep and are exclusive in real life. I believe art can still hold importance and value, irrespective of the space in which it is held.

This piece is an attempt at grappling with humanity's idea of progress in relation to humans getting closer to dominating the moon for its resources. Few are shaping what will happen there while earth aches. Which cultures will be carried into space - environmentally destructive ones or those that consider gentler paths? Which mode of existing will be glorified as human greatness when the first baby is born in space?

A video accompanied this piece on social media (while it was a work in progress) of myself standing in a forest, mimicking the rising moon, with soundscaping that I created for it. From earth, we also project our esoteric and personal ideas onto the moon, many of which recognize and value ideas of intuition. This feeling is the same sense of meditative contemplation and expansiveness we feel when gazing at the moon.

By being brave in being our kinder selves, we can mirror the mirror that we observe at night and raise our metaphorical moons to the sky. In doing so, we become collective beacons, creating a constellation of hope during an uncertain time.

To learn more about Caitlin Mkhasibe and her work, check out her website and follow her on Instagram.