Athenkosi Kwinana
BEYOND THE GAZE: THE ART OF HUMANITY WITH ATHENKOSI KWINANA
Meeting Athenkosi Kwinana via video call was one of those moments that leaves a lasting impression. Her calm presence, sharp mind, and radiant sense of purpose spoke volumes about the depth of her art. I had reached out to her after discovering her work on Instagram and being struck by the delicate balance it held — a quiet strength wrapped in sensitivity and fragility. It was as if every line and shade carried a message — a beautiful, quiet declaration: I am human.
Athenkosi’s artistic journey began in childhood. Because of her visual impairment (a natural characteristic of albinism), television was always an intimate experience — she had to stand close to the screen, often blocking her family’s view. To ease the squabbles between her daughters over the television, her mother handed Athenkosi a pen and paper — a simple act that opened a lifelong doorway to creation. Drawing soon became Athenkosi’s refuge and, later, her form of self-therapy. Through years of isolation, misunderstanding, and bullying, she found solace in the lines she drew — a private dialogue that would one day become a public statement.
Born in 1995 in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, Athenkosi grew up navigating the dual realities of invisibility and hypervisibility that often accompany albinism. Art became her way to process those experiences — a space where she could transform pain into expression and silence into voice. After earning a National Diploma in Fine Art in 2017 and a Bachelor of Technology in Fine Arts from Walter Sisulu University in 2018, she pursued a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Johannesburg, completing it in 2022. Now based in Johannesburg, she continues to refine her artistic language through professional drawing and printmaking.
As a person with albinism, Athenkosi’s art is both personal and political. Her work examines how people with albinism are seen — and too often unseen — within Black South African communities. Through her practice, she explores the layers of prejudice, gender-based perception, and cultural stigma that have long shaped these representations. She seeks not only to document this reality but to transform it, reimagining the image of albinism in African contemporary art and beyond.
What fueled this mission, marking a turning point in her practice, was her supervisor at university, who encouraged her to focus her research on issues surrounding albinism. Through drawings and large-scale prints, she began confronting the myths and fears that perpetuate discrimination and violence, especially within Black communities. Her works, bold in both scale and intention, are designed to be accessible to people with visual impairments — a thoughtful reflection of her lifelong relationship with sight and perception.
Her artistic influences range from South African visual activist Zanele Muholi to printmaker Diane Victor, both of whom challenge systems of representation with fearless clarity. In the same spirit, Athenkosi’s artistic mission is deeply rooted in activism — to resist the fetishization, aestheticization, or sexualization of people with albinism and instead celebrate their dignity, resilience, and truth. Through her work, she reminds us that visibility is not only about being seen — it’s about being understood.
Athenkosi’s dream is to expand the reach of her art beyond urban galleries — bringing both creativity and awareness to rural communities across South Africa and beyond, where stereotypes about albinism persist. She hopes her work will continue to resonate across diverse spaces, from local exhibitions to international platforms, inspiring dialogue about visibility, identity, and human dignity.
And in a more personal dream, she imagines one day having a studio on a small tropical island — a place of quiet creation where she can keep reflecting, drawing, and letting her art speak in peace.
Thank you, Athenkosi, for speaking to us in your most beautifully crafted truth.
Bring Athenkosi’s art into your space — a moving celebration of dignity, strength, and humanity. Explore and collect her works here: https://www.artsy.net/artist/athenkosi-kwinana
To delve deeper into Athenkosi’s world and hear her story in her own words, watch this insightful video: https://youtu.be/e4hWaRiRBa8
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Location: Johannesburg (South Africa)
***Image courtesy of Berman Contemporary