Kimberley, Northern Cape – The William Humphreys Art Gallery (WHAG) is delighted to announce the opening of Mother Tongue, the first solo museum exhibition by South African artist Anastasia Pather. The exhibition marks a significant milestone in the artist’s career and reaffirms the gallery’s commitment to providing a platform for artists whose work expands the language of contemporary South African art.

As a national museum, WHAG is honoured to host Pather’s inaugural solo museum exhibition and celebrates this important moment in her artistic journey. The gallery believes that Mother Tongue represents the beginning of what promises to be an exciting future of museum exhibitions and international recognition for the artist.

The exhibition forms part of the William Humphreys Art Gallery’s ongoing commitment to recognising and celebrating the contributions of women in the visual arts. Mother Tongue is presented as a loan exhibition and will be shown alongside the gallery’s Women’s Printmaking Exhibition, drawn from the permanent collection. While Women’s Month provides an important moment for reflection and celebration, the decision to present this exhibition in September reflects the gallery’s belief that women artists should be acknowledged, supported, and celebrated throughout the year rather than being confined to a single commemorative period. Together, these exhibitions create a compelling dialogue around women’s voices, artistic expression, identity, memory, and representation, while affirming the enduring significance of women’s contributions to South Africa’s cultural landscape.

Reflecting on the title and conceptual foundation of the exhibition, Anastasia Pather explains:

“The title of my show, Mother Tongue, is about a reckoning and understanding that art-making has always been my first language. I have tried to understand myself through my culture, but that has always felt like something I inherited, not something I am. Intuitively, I think, express and process through painting.”

A distinctive aspect of Pather’s practice is her decision to paint primarily with her fingers rather than conventional brushes. This direct and tactile engagement with the canvas collapses the distance between artist and artwork, allowing gesture, touch, and intuition to become integral elements of the creative process. In Mother Tongue, the act of painting itself becomes a form of communication—an embodied language through which memory, emotion, and identity are expressed. Her finger-painted surfaces carry an immediacy and intimacy that reinforce the exhibition’s central proposition: that art-making is not merely a method of representation, but a primary language of being.

Through this deeply personal body of work, Pather explores the intersections of identity, belonging, memory, and self-understanding. Her paintings invite audiences into an intimate space where visual language becomes a means of navigating complex questions of heritage, culture, and personal truth. Rich in texture and emotional resonance, the works reveal an artist who trusts instinct, touch, and materiality as vehicles for meaning-making.

The exhibition will be officially opened by Professor Boitumelo M. Diale, Educational Psychologist and NRF SARChI Chair: Inclusive Rural Education and Early Childhood Development. Professor Diale’s scholarship and commitment to understanding identity, language, learning, and social development make her an especially fitting guest to open an exhibition centred on the concept of one’s “mother tongue” as a site of meaning-making, expression, and self-discovery.

Speaking on behalf of the gallery, Chief Curator Chepape Makgato noted:

“The William Humphreys Art Gallery is proud to support artists at pivotal moments in their careers. Hosting Anastasia Pather’s first solo museum exhibition is both a privilege and a reflection of our commitment to nurturing artistic excellence. What is particularly compelling about Pather’s work is the way she transforms the simple act of touch into a profound artistic language. We are confident that this exhibition marks the beginning of a remarkable trajectory for the artist and contributes meaningfully to the broader conversation about contemporary South African art and women’s creative voices.”

Members of the public, artists, academics, students, and cultural practitioners are warmly invited to attend the opening and engage with this compelling exhibition. Kindly RSVP to secure your spot by sending an email to kagiso@whag.co.za

Exhibition Details

 

Exhibition: Mother Tongue

Artist: Anastasia Pather

Venue: William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley Opening By: Professor Boitumelo M. Diale

Presented alongside: Women’s Printmaking Exhibition (from the WHAG Collection) For further information, media enquiries, or interview requests, please contact:

William Humphreys Art Gallery Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa