Charmaine Chanakira
b. 1994, Harare
“I am Charmaine Chanakira, a Zimbabwean born, London raised, Afro expressionist painter. I moved around a lot growing up, so navigating my identity had always been an issue for me but at the tender age of 27 I discovered that I’m not just one thing, I am all and none. I am self-taught, with no formal education in art or illustration and my artwork is generally generated by impulse and emotion.
My current collection is inspired by my experience as a black/ Zimbabwean woman living in the UK. Coming from a Zimbabwean background, I have always found it difficult to open up and talk about my feelings and experiences. The idea of therapy and seeking help for mental health and social issues was very taboo in my community which made it very hard for people like me to get any help and support. Having felt like this for most of my life, I want to challenge the perception of the black experience and mental health by creating a collection that opens up a dialogue about being black in the UK.” -Chanakira
“My work explores the relationship between Jungian archetypes and the black, African - Zimbabwean experience. With influences as diverse as Katsushika Hokusai and Kojo Marfo, my art is a synergy of the unconscious mind and the tumultuous rollercoaster of existence. Since starting my training as an art therapist, I have been fascinated with the theoretical limits of the universe. Each time I paint or draw, I recreate a part of myself, an abstract portrait of my soul. I’m a spiritual hippy so I believe that art can unlock different aspects of ourselves that we cannot see in our conscious life. I like to create artwork, that keeps the observer’s attention, I want them to discover the subtle features that may lay beneath the surface.”
-Chanakira
Works For Sale
'Strings Attached'
'The Game'