10 Facts About Tschabalala Self

Tschabalala Self's goal is to "create alternative narratives around the black body".

Much of Tschabalala Self's work uses elements from black culture to construct quilt-like portraits.

Tschabalala Self has held residencies at the American Academy in Rome, the La Brea Studio, T293 in Naples, Italy, and Red Bull House of Art in Detroit.

Tschabalala Self's work has been featured in a solo exhibition at the Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art in London.

Tschabalala Self's work is in the permanent collection of Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, California; Perez Art Museum Miami, Miami, Florida; Rubell Family Collection, Miami, Florida, and the JP Morgan Chase Art Collection.

Tschabalala Self is represented by Pilar Corrias and Galerie Eva Presenhuber.

Tschabalala Self starts her artwork with a line drawing of the character she wants to illustrate, then takes different objects to create her collage of items to go over that drawing.

Tschabalala Self uses shapes to build her characters while emphasizing objects or parts of the body that might be noticed first or carry a psychological or physical weight to them.

Tschabalala Self's approach is most commonly androgynous and does not solely reference one gender.

Tschabalala Self's work allows the viewer to contemplate the cultural and historical significance of the labor and sacrifice required of Black Americans to produce cotton itself during the 19th century.