Teresa Kutala Firmino

This work has been kindly donated by the artist

Born in Pomfret, a town located in the North West Province of South Africa, artist Teresa Kutala Firmino grapples with the daunting question of how to heal centuries of generational trauma. Her narratives originate from personal, collective and historical trauma. Her art negotiates both personal and collective trauma in her daily life, constructing scenes that blend past and present. Drawing from diverse sources like magazines, newspapers, historical documents, and social media, Firmino assembles these elements within vibrant, box-like stages. This creates surreal, baroque settings within confined interiors, where characters can re-enact their stories or imagine new ones. In her series "Oku pekela," artist Firmino looks into the genetic and social histories of the women in her family. This exploration was sparked by her personal experience with pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, a condition that disproportionately affects black women due to various biological, social, and cultural factors, particularly in environments marked by historical trauma. Firmino's work seeks to uncover and address the deep-seated stresses endured by African communities resulting from colonization, civil wars, and other socio-political challenges.