BOKANI

Bokani's stained glass paintings are meticulously crafted layers of enamel paint on mirrored glass. The works draw the viewer contemplatively into the piece through a distorted reflection of the metaphysical self and environment. The immersive quality of the paintings creates a liminal space in which new realities seem tantalizingly within reach. Vibrant colors imbue the works with a talismanic quality while the reflective surface acts as a portal, transporting the viewer to a new idealised place. The paintings are in a constant state of flux, adapting to the changes in light that occur throughout the day and the seasons, absorbing and assimilating each new ray. Bokani’s exploration of colour theory lies at the heart of her practice, where she investigates how hues and their interplay destabilise conventional perceptions of space and form. Her use of vibrant, jewel-like tones creates a visual landscape that feels both otherworldly and immediate, challenging viewers to navigate an ephemeral portrait of their surroundings, taken almost by stealth. This destabilising quality offers an invitation to see anew, prompting reflections on the transient and fluid nature of self and environment. With a background in climate campaigning, Bokani's practice addresses themes such as integral ecology, climate justice and complicity. Her work is grounded in the ethics and liberatory capacities of Black feminist thought. Rigorous research into sustainable economic theory, historic trade ties, and speculative fabulation about individuals in abundant futures are part of the artist's wider inquiry. Through her art, Bokani embraces paradox, inviting viewers to critically engage with pressing social and ecological issues while opening up new possibilities for individual contemplation.