Thamsanga Mfuphi, Thembelihle, 2025

Born in 1998 in the rural town of Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, Thamsanga Mfuphi is a self-taught artist whose work is shaped by a profound personal journey. After the passing of his mother in 2002, he moved to Zimbabwe to live with his stepmother’s family, where he endured years of hardship, abuse, and neglect. Denied access to education for much of his childhood and often left without food or shelter, Mfuphi turned to art as a refuge—a way to heal, process his experiences, and give form to his story using whatever materials were at hand.

In 2017, he matriculated and went on to earn a Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management from the University of Johannesburg, graduating in record time. His motivation for pursuing business studies was to gain the tools to transform his artistic talent into a sustainable career. Following this, he refined his creative practice at Artist Proof Studio, where he continues to develop advanced printmaking techniques and expand his visual language.

Thembelihle reflects the resilience, hope, and personal truth that underpin Mfuphi’s work—each piece a testament to survival and self-determination.