Overview
New solo exhibition by Tschabalala Self, The Illusion of the Self, showcases the artist’s wide-ranging practice, including paintings, immersive installations, music video works and furniture, coming together to produce spaces that cut-and-mix dream and reality.
Born in Harlem, New York, Self’s work is infused with the vibrancy of the Harlem Renaissance – its dance, music, and the exploration of the Black body’s existential experience in constrained spaces and times. Through unconventional collage techniques, combining paint, fabric and discarded canvas fragments, Self creates a unique diaspora aesthetic. This hybrid grammar not only challenges mainstream cultural stereotypes of Black female bodies but also deconstructs outdated narratives in art history related to race and gender.
Installation views, Tschabalala Self: The Illusion of the Self, Longlati Foundation, Shanghai. 20 March–19 July 2025. Courtesy of Longlati Foundation.
