Lawrence LEMAOANA (b. 1982)
Hierarchy of Colour (100% Zulu Boy)
2007
digital print on 100% cotton rag paper
edition 6/10
42 x 59.5 cm
Hierarchy of Mockery: A Man Amongst Men
2007
digital print on 100% cotton rag paper
edition 10/10
44.5 x 42 cm
BIOGRAPHY
Born and based in Johannesburg, Lawrence Lemaoana is known for his critical examination of social and political structures through mixed-media artworks, often incorporating textiles. Lemaoana uses Kanga cloth – a fabric with vibrant colours and patterns that is popular in East Africa – as a backdrop for his bold and satirical critiques of authority, media and patriarchy. His work is especially recognised for its subversive commentary on media-driven narratives and political messaging in South Africa.
Lemaoana’s use of Kanga cloth imbues his works with layers of meaning rooted in traditional African culture, which he contrasts with pop art influences. This blend enables him to play with ambiguity and irony, presenting slogans and phrases that mimic propagandistic media language but that are altered to challenge authority and engage viewers in questions of power and resistance. Lemaoana has described his work as a response to ‘museumisation’ in African art, challenging the colonial frameworks often imposed on African visual culture. Instead, he uses familiar fabrics to offer a ‘cosmopolitan and visionary perspective’ on the complex identities within contemporary African societies.
Lemaoana has gained international acclaim, exhibiting in Europe, the United States, and across Africa. His works are featured in collections globally and have appeared in exhibitions that explore themes of identity, resistance and cultural reclamation. Some of his most notable exhibitions include Freedom is a Stone’s Throw Away, which critiques South African political discourse, and installations like I’m Tired of Marching, in which he reinterprets Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s message about the fatigue of fighting for equality. Through such pieces, Lemaoana’s art reflects both personal and collective experiences of injustice, creating spaces where art meets activism.