Sungi Mlengeya

A tribute to the young artist with an international career.Born in 1991 in Dar es Salaam, Sungi Mlengeya captures the essence of Black womanhood in her haunting monochromatic acrylic portraits. The meticulously painted figures are set against a minimalist white background, creating a striking contrast that emphasizes skin texture and form. Her portraits, whether infused by movement or stillness, radiate both power and peace, offering the viewer intimate moments of strength and serenity. In this first monograph dedicated to Sungi Mlengeya, the curator Tandazani Dhlakama brilliantly analyzes how African, Black and feminist conditions are intertwined in her work, and the intimate conversation between Sungi and her model, Jemima Michael, takes us behind the scenes of a work in the making. Mlengeya's work has garnered international attention and is featured in prominent private and public collections. Following her debut solo exhibition, Just Disruptions at Afriart Gallery in Kampala, she presented Unsettled Minds, a solo booth at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2021. In 2022, her solo exhibition (Un)choreographed marked the reopening of The Africa Centre in London, and her work was also the focus of Don't Try, Don't not Try.