Tsoku Maela is a South African interdisciplinary autoethnographer working on photography, digital and motion picture mediums. His conceptual bodies of work navigate the human condition through the body, psyche and environment and are influenced by other artists such as Samuel Fosso, Misha Gordin, David Lynch and Frida Khalo.

Maela rose to prominence for his widely documented “Abstract Peaces” self-portraiture series, which studied and reflected on a subject at different states with their mental illness - challenging stigmas surrounding issues of the mind. He has exhibited at 1-54 Contemporary Art Fair, LagosPhoto Festival, AKAA(Also Known as Africa), PULSE Art Fair and Africa Foto Fair.

The interdisciplinary nature of his practice has seen him present talks at health conventions at the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Global Health Equity (Rwanda) - while also showing work with student bodies at Harvard Graduate School of Design and Ljubljana University Medical Centre (Slovenia). He has also contributed to The Lancet Psychiatry Journal.

Talks/Presetations

  • "The language of crazy", State of Dis-ease: A transdisciplinary workshop on South African health and Illness presented by JIAS , University of Witwatersrand (2019), curated by Dr. Beth Vale

  • Strauss & Co Masterclass: Using Photography to document the future - Tsoku Maela in conversation with Richard Ndimande. Strauss & Co (2019)

  • Mental health stigma discussion with Sarah Agatoni, Hamwe Festival (Rwanda), University of Global Health Equity (2020)

  • Dagmar Van Weeghel and Tsoku Maela in conversation with Dr. Amanda Maples (curator of African Art North Carolina Museum of Art), AKAA art design fair (2020)

  • Exploring identity through photography: Diane Smyth in conversation with Jane England, Adjoa Armah and Tsoku Maela, Photo London (2021)

  • Masculinity, Mental health & Creativity: A conversation with Tsoku Maela and Abbas Zahedi. Chaired by Sai Murray. Hosted by Healing Justice London (2021)

Residencies

  •  Amplify Studio Artist in residence, Cape Town, 2017

  • "The exchange" residency programme curated by Dr. Erinma Ochu as part of Sheffield International Documentary Festival (Artists in residence: Suzie Larke (Wales), Tsoku Maela (SA) & Farzana Khan (UK), 2020

  • The Sociological review image-maker in residence (May, 2022)

  • British arts International exchange residency with Priya Mistry (UK) (2023 - 2025)

Exhibitions

2017

  • Photo17, solo, Directors selection (Broken Things), Zurich

  • Turbine Art Fair, Lizamore and Associate Gallery

  • 35 years: Trailblazers group exhibition, Lizamore & Associates gallery

  • FNB Joburg Art Fair, group exhibition with Ablade Glover & Tony Gum, Christopher Moller gallery

2018

  • ICT Cape Town Art Fair, group show with Neo Matloga, Ablade Glover (including Andrew Solgado Solo)

  • No More clichés, please, solo. Lizamore & Associates gallery

  • In Silva group exhibition (including Gina Waldman, Diane Victor, Anastasia Pather), Kalashnikov Gallery, Johannesburg.

  • Appropriate, PULSE Art Fair, Art Basel, Miami - Christopher Moller gallery 

2019

  • In Silva, KKNK Festival, Oudtshoorn

  • Heart & Mind, Silvermine Arts center, New Canaan, Connecticut (Abstract Peaces)

  • Je Sais Pourquoi Chante L'oiseau en cage, Montreal, Quebec (w/ Nigra Iuventa)

2020

  • Photo London fair (Barongwa, Digital)

  • AKAA (Also Known as Africa) art and design fair, Paris

2021

  • London Art Fair (Broken Things)

  • Art Market Budapest w/ Christopher Moller Gallery

2022

  • Investec Cape Town Art Fair, South Africa (Caguwa)

  • 1-54 Contemporary Art Fair, Paris (Caguwa)

  • “Stories We Should Tell” group exhibition curated by Sumayyah Raji, Harvard Graduate School of Design

2023

  • Caguwa, ARCO Lisboa, Cordoaria Nacional, Lisbon