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Wangechi Mutu

Kenya
1972
Her work delves into themes like gender, race, and colonialism, often focusing on the misrepresentation and violence experienced by Black women. Mutu's art features a mix of mediums and is known for its exploration of the female body, incorporating elements that challenge perceptions of beauty and power.

Wangechi Mutu, a Kenyan American artist born in 1972, has made significant contributions to painting, sculpture, film, and performance art.

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Wangechi Mutu was born in Nairobi, Kenya and currently works in both New York, USA and Nairobi, Kenya.

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She received her MFA in Sculpture from Yale University School of Art in New Haven, CT, USA in 2000 and her BFA from Cooper Union for the Advancement of the Arts and Science in New York, NY, USA in 1996. Mutu also attended I.B. United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, UK in 1991.

Artworks

The composition suggests a bizarre reimagining of the Edenic story, with butterflies hovering above them. This piece exhibits Mutu's characteristic combination of the beautiful and grotesque, forming a compelling visual narrative.
A Passing Thought Such Frightening Ape
2003
This collage by Wangechi Mutu, incorporating ink and Mylar polyester film, explores themes of femininity, hybridity, and transformation.
In Killing Fields Sweet Butterfly Ascend
2003
An intricate collage by Wangechi Mutu, blending human, animal, and plant elements to explore themes of hybridity, femininity, and transformation.
Soul Peg Leg
2001
See our sources
Wangechi Mutu: Victoria Miro
Victoria Miro
Wangechi Mutu: Phillips
Phillips
In Killing Fields: Sweet Butterfly Ascend
Gallery Rosenfeld
Wangechi Mutu: Double Take
Bordercrossing Mag
Wangechi Mutu: Auction Piece
Phillips
Resonant Surgeries: The Collaged World of Wangechi Mutu
Bordercrossing Mag
In Killing Fields, Sweet Butterfly Ascend
Gallery Rosenfeld