MUNTHE ART MONDAY TINAYE MAKUYANA

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do

My name is Tinaye Makuyana, I am a 24 year old Zimbabwean born artist currently living in the UK and based in London. I paint with light using paper as my primary medium creating sculptures that are playful, deceptive and curious. Using 100% cotton fiber paper, I score with a stencil knife and mold intricate three-dimensional structures. It’s a highly therapeutic and addictive process to find the right balance between minimalism and the bright hues and patterns I create, with light and shadow shaping my artistic process.

Tinaye is wearing Fruma silk dress.

Tinaye is wearing Fadumo pants.

Can you explain more about how being a woman has affected your career?

Being a woman has shaped the emotional lens through which I create. My art reflects a softness and sensitivity that often parallels how I experience the world, with delicacy, empathy, and vulnerability. While I am still navigating my journey as an artist, I am conscious of how gender can influence the perception of my work. As a woman, there is sometimes a tendency for my art to be viewed more as craft rather than fine art, and that’s something I actively challenge. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunities I’ve had so far, especially at this early stage in my career, and I’m grateful for the growing community and support that surrounds me.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a woman in the arts?

I have found that there’s often an unspoken pressure to speak for your entire culture, or to make work that fits a certain narrative, just to be seen. Sometimes, I’ve felt this quiet pressure like my work is expected to explain who I am, rather than just let me be. As a woman of colour, it can feel like there’s an expectation to constantly represent, to educate, or to carry my identity as a banner in everything I create. But I don’t always want to explain myself. Sometimes I just want to express, softly, intuitively, emotionally, without having to translate it or make it make sense for others. My art is born from feeling, from mood, from things that are often unspoken. It’s delicate, glowing, layered, like me. And I think there’s power in allowing that to exist without explanation. Being a woman of colour shapes my lens, of course, but it doesn’t define the limits of my imagination. I want the freedom to create work that reflects all of me, not just the parts that are easy to label.

Can you name some other female (artist) that inspires you and explain why they do this?

I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by female artists who have been both supportive and inspirational in making this career feel more tangible. Most notably, Kate Colin and Pauline Loctin, both paper artists with their own unique, playful approaches to the medium, have encouraged me to be more experimental. I am also greatly inspired by Bridget Riley and have been for a long time. I admire her use of repetition and rhythm to create complex optical sensations, as well as the way her pieces evoke a sense of both tension and relaxation, leaving a lasting impression on me.

What would you like people to notice in your artwork?

I am constantly evolving along with my medium, stepping into vulnerability and my lived experience. I want the viewer to live in that moment with me and reflect on their own personal experiences. I create as a means of expression and because it feels enriching, it gives me comfort, keeps me curious and also a sense of purpose. I want people to see the love I have for my art, and I hope they notice the honesty, the tenderness, and the exploration that runs through every piece. Movement and light are essential to experiencing my work. The folds, shadows, and shifting colours morph with the viewer’s position and the changing light, offering a different experience for everyone. Each person creates their own unique encounter with the piece, and I hope they leave with a deeper appreciation for the small, fleeting wonders that surround us every day.

Tinaye is wearing Fadumo pants and Finley shoes.