Mbali Tshabalala has been chosen to take part in the Tyburn Foundation’s new residency initiative
For many early-career artists, the challenge isn’t just creating the work — it’s finding the time, space and support to do so without the pressure of having to sell their next piece.
That’s the reality Emma Menell encountered firsthand during her years running Tyburn Gallery in London. And it is what inspired her to create the non-profit Tyburn Foundation and establish an artist residency initiative.
Starting next month, the initiative will partner with two notable residency programmes: Civitella Ranieri in Italy and Animal Farm Artist Residency in Zimbabwe. The aim is to provide African artists from across the continent with immersive, supportive environments where they can explore, experiment and expand their practices without the looming shadow of commercial pressures.
Frustration with the limitations of the gallery model is what shaped the foundation’s ethos.
“We felt that artists need space, they need time — particularly at that sensitive stage of their careers when they’re still defining who they are and where they want to take their practices,” Menell explains.
Through its partnership model, the foundation is breaking away from the competitiveness that often defines the commercial art world. Instead, it’s fostering an environment where “collaboration and partnership” take centre stage.
“We don’t want to be competitive. We want to create associations, partnerships and collaboration networks,” she says.
This isn’t Tyburn’s first foray into fostering artistic growth outside the gallery system. From supporting the installation of Zimbabwe’s first artistic printing press to facilitating artist-driven infrastructure projects, the foundation has long championed spaces where creative visions can flourish without constraint.
Now, with this new residency initiative, it’s about providing artists with the kind of deep, focused time that can be transformative for their work and careers. As Menell puts it, “We seek to support and facilitate, in all means possible, artists who have the space and time to think deeply about their practices and what they want to contribute to society.”
Space for reflection, growth
Sculptor Driaan Claassen is one of three South African artists set to participate in the artist residencies supported by the Tyburn Foundation starting next month. He’ll be the first artist hosted at Civitella Ranieri.
Known for his exploration of consciousness and the human psyche through materials like bronze, wood and wire, Claassen views this as a rare and valuable opportunity for creative reflection.
“This residency is unique in that it doesn’t demand a final product or exhibition,” he explains. “It’s about granting artists, who have already built substantial careers, the space to reflect, recalibrate, or double down on their creative journey.”
Housed in a 15th-century castle in Umbria, Civitella Ranieri brings together artists from diverse disciplines and backgrounds. Claassen is intrigued by the prospect of engaging with this eclectic group.
“To have such a diverse collection of minds, including musicians, sculptors and writers, offers an incredible opportunity for growth and cross-disciplinary exchange.”
He also values the residency’s emphasis on independence. Each artist receives a private studio and living space and participation in group activities like communal dinners and cultural excursions is optional.
“There’s a freedom to either join the collective or retreat into your own creative process, which I find really valuable.”
During his time in Italy, Claassen plans to explore working with marble and possibly wood, adding to his already diverse portfolio.
“I’ve worked with a wide range of materials such as bronze, ceramics, wire, concrete, even 3D-printed sand. Each material speaks to different emotions and themes, so it’s always an intuitive process of finding the right medium for the message.”
Claassen is particularly drawn to the interplay between control and surrender in his work, a dynamic he expects to explore further at Civitella.
“It’s about finding beauty in tension, whether that’s between rough and smooth textures or traditional and modern techniques. This residency feels like the perfect setting for that kind of exploration.”
The Civitella experience will also include trips to cultural centres like Rome and Florence, offering inspiration beyond the studio walls.
“But, ultimately, it’s about creating space for deep reflection and artistic growth. That’s the real gift of this residency,” he says.
Previous South African residents of Civitella Ranieri include sculptor Nandipha Mntambo, multidisciplinary artist William Kentridge and photographer Zanele Muholi.
Identity across borders
Another South African selected is Johannesburg-based multidisciplinary artist Mbali Tshabalala, who will be going to the Animal Farm residency in Zimbabwe, in partnership with the Tyburn Foundation.
Known for exploring themes of identity, African spirituality, mental health and femininity in post-colonial African contexts, Tshabalala sees this as an opportunity for cultural exchange and artistic growth.
“Sometimes we get so stuck in our own echo chambers, in our own spaces, that we never really experience other cultures. This will be my first time visiting another African country, which feels significant.
“Despite the large Zimbabwean community in South Africa, many of us have minimal exposure to Zimbabwean culture. This residency is a chance to shift that.”
Tshabalala, who holds a bachelor’s degree in fine and applied arts from Tshwane University of Technology, refined her printmaking skills at the Artist Proof Studio.
Since launching her artistic career in 2019, she has developed a practice that blends oil-based paper lithography with painting, collage, drawing and photography. Her approach is deeply co-operative, a tradition rooted in the history of printmaking.
“Printmaking has always been a collaborative medium,” she explains. “It requires multiple people to produce the final work, from the master printer to artisans processing the materials. That collaboration is part of what draws me to it.”
The residency will allow Tshabalala to work under the mentorship of Zimbabwean artist Admire Kamudzengerere, founder of the residency. She first encountered his work during an exhibition at Cape Town’s Zeitz MOCAA, where Kamudzengerere’s pieces explored themes of displacement and migration.
“Admire is a prolific artist, not just in printmaking, but also painting,” she says.
“It’s exciting to learn from someone with such depth and range.”
For this residency, Tshabalala plans to expand her practice by incorporating more paper lithography and lino printing, alongside photography elements from her advanced programme at the Market Photo Workshop in Joburg.
The resulting series will feature about a dozen pieces, using techniques like chine-collé, embossing, and monotype.
“Layering is important to me,” she says. “It mirrors the complexities of existence; how every experience, every place we visit, leaves its imprint on us. Some marks are visible, others are embedded — only revealed upon closer inspection.”
The completed works will be pitched for exhibition at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, alongside pieces from other residency participants.
“It’s an incredible opportunity,” Tshabalala reflects, “not just to grow artistically but to be part of a larger conversation about African art and identity.”
Sculpting new landscapes
Born in South Africa and raised in Zimbabwe, Michele Mathison has long been fascinated by the shifting political, social, and economic dynamics of Southern Africa.
Through his sculptures and installations, he transforms everyday materials into layered reflections on identity and place.
His works have found homes in prestigious collections, from the Norval Foundation’s Homestead collection to the Zeitz MOCAA permanent collection, and now, his practice is set to expand with a new residency in Umbria, Italy.
Mathison is the inaugural resident of the Tyburn Foundation’s new residency programme in the rolling hills of Umbria. Unlike a traditional residency, this is a project-based invitation, focused on creating a large-scale public sculpture for the site.
It’s an opportunity Mathison sees as both creatively stimulating and rooted in his long-standing relationship with Tyburn, which previously operated as a gallery.
“Residencies offer a kind of focused time and space that you don’t always get in day-to-day studio life,” Mathison explains.
“You’re usually juggling emails, admin and just the general churn of work. Being in a new location with different materials, people and perspectives activates your mind differently. It gives you space to think and create in new ways.”
For Mathison, this residency isn’t about isolation but engagement. His first visit will involve immersing himself in the landscape, meeting local collaborators and developing proposals for the sculpture.
Later, he’ll return to oversee its making and installation.
“It’s about understanding the lay of the land, seeing what feels authentic to the place, and then shaping the work from there,” he says.
Italy isn’t unfamiliar territory for Mathison. He participated in the Zimbabwean pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale, has exhibited in Rome, and completed a previous residency in Puglia.
“Italy has been an inspiring place for me,” he reflects. “The landscapes, the history, the culture — they all feed into how I think about materials and storytelling.”
This latest project continues Mathison’s journey of exploring how art interacts with environment and memory. It’s not just about creating something beautiful but something that resonates with its setting and the narratives it holds.
As the Tyburn Foundation carves out its new chapter in Umbria, Mathison’s work will stand as an early marker of its creative vision, one shaped by both Southern Africa and the Italian landscape.
Through its new residency initiative, the Tyburn Foundation is carving out more than just physical space. It’s creating room for African artists to reflect, experiment and evolve beyond commercial pressures.
By fostering cross-cultural exchange and championing creative freedom, it is helping shape not only the trajectories of individual artists but also the broader landscape of contemporary African art.
