Senzeni Marasela's Mining Tragedies at Venice Biennale

Senzeni Marasela (born 1977, Thokoza, South Africa) presents works at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated by Koyo Kouoh, in the exhibition 'In Minor Keys'. Her pieces include 'The Conversation' (2018) and a series of seven embroidered panels on mining disasters from 1960 to 2024: 'Coalbrook 435, 1960', 'Kinross 177, 1986', 'Marikana 34, 2012', 'Stilfontein 77, 2024', 'Vaal Reefs 104, 1995', 'Welkom 30, 2023', and 'Comet' (all 2025). Marasela uses the traditional tjali shawl and hand-stitched wool on blankets to address Black women's experiences under British colonization and apartheid, focusing on the impact of mining on families. Her alter ego Teodora, a woman waiting for her husband from the mines, appears in the performance 'Waiting for Gebane'. Marasela was previously curated by Kouoh at Zeitz MOCAA in 2021. She cites Njabulo Ndebele's novel 'The Cry of Winnie Mandela' as inspiration. The artist explores archival gaps, referencing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the 'Red Dust' periods of South African history, including Sharpeville Day (21 March 1960) and 16 June 1976. After 25 years as an artist, Marasela aims to pursue residencies and academic contributions.