RMA YAP 2025: Disgust, Fear and Hell by Zama Cebsile Mwandla
Disgust, Fear and Hell takes us into a world of hybrid creatures, mythic scenes, and unsettling imagery that speaks to trauma and survival. Zama Cebsile Mwandla’s work confronts what is often silenced or hidden, particularly the weight carried by women. Through figures that are part human and part other, she shows how discomfort can also hold strength, and how even fear and disgust can be transformed into resilience.
ACTIVITY
Using the selection of artworks provided, spend some time looking at them closely. Now, let’s use the See-Think-Wonder thinking routine to answer these questions:
See, Think, Wonder
Spend time with Zama’s figures and installations. What details catch your attention. Think about why she chooses to combine human and non-human forms. Wonder how these works invite you to reflect on women’s safety, stigma, and survival.
Think
Consider how the hybrid figures make you feel. Reflect on why the artist uses myth and imagination to speak about real trauma. Think about what it means to look directly at fear and disgust rather than turning away.
Image Gallery
On days I couldn’t go on…
2025
oil, acrylic, fabric, oil pastel and embroidery on canvas
130 x 79 cm (each)
Two powerful pieces addressing addiction as both a coping mechanism and a silent social crisis. The work critiques the ways women turn to numbness amid the trauma of gender-based violence, framing addiction as both personal struggle and political neglect.
On days I couldn’t go on…
2025
oil, acrylic, fabric, oil pastel and embroidery on canvas
130 x 79 cm (each)
I feel…
2025
wooden board, colourful wool, keyboard keys, foil, cement, thatch, fabric, oil pastels and acrylic paint
62 x 45 x 33cm
An abstract exploration of emotional overwhelm and disassociation. Created as a space for material experimentation, the work reflects paralysis in the face of uncontrollable circumstances, marking a shift from narrative to open-ended expression.
A raw collection of confessional poems that confront the pain of unrequited love, jealousy, and emotional obsession. The book reveals how love can distort perception, exposing vulnerability, heartbreak, and the intensity of human desire.
After visiting the exhibition, imagine you are a journalist reporting on Zama’s installation Let’s Pour One Out for the Period!. Write about the importance of menstrual dignity, safety for women, and access to pads in South Africa. Connect your reflections to the artwork, and consider how art can open conversations about these urgent issues.
Image Gallery
Let’s pour out one for the period!
2025
Fabric (cotten), embroidery, foil, keyboard keys, wooden board, glass bottles, acrylic and oil paintings
91 x 88 x 150.5cm
A bold protest piece comparing the high cost of menstrual products to the easy accessibility of alcohol. The sculpture challenges systemic gender inequality and government neglect, sparking urgent conversations on women’s rights, health equity, and public priorities.
Create your own visual myth by building a symbolic figure or hybrid creature that represents overcoming fear or breaking stigma. Give it a name, a voice, and a role in your story. You might do this through collage, layering, drawing, or sketching.