Tschabalala Self
Taffy, 2020
Fabric, crushed velvet, linen, satin, acrylic thread and painted canvas on canvas
213.4 x 182.9 cm
84 x 72 in
84 x 72 in
Copyright The Artist
Further images
The protagonist in this work in placed squarely on a black and white checkered floor. Behind her elaborate shape lie a translucent shadow, a image of her distinct from her...
The protagonist in this work in placed squarely on a black and white checkered floor. Behind her elaborate shape lie a translucent shadow, a image of her distinct from her physical form. The floor represents the duality of the waking-life—the shadow alludes to the potential of the subconscious. She, left between both realities, stares out to the viewer. The title “Taffy” comes from the candy making process - one in which a mass of boiled sugar is stretched and pulled. A process I believe can be analogous to the development of a feminine identity and/or persona. Taffy, the name of the protagonist in this work is navigating the road towards such named end.