Emerging contemporary mixed media artist Buqaqawuli Thamani Nobakada uses her architectural background to participate in feminist afrofuturism, affirming black female beauty by painting it into domestic scenes of opulence and non-sexual intimacy, reimagining possibilities for black women from townships and rural areas. Her signature style features acrylic paint on hand-prepared laced paper, often adorned with custom clay or gold jewellery.

With an Honours Degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, Nobakada made her debut trio presentation at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair in February 2024. Honoured with the 2023 ANNA Audience Choice Award by Latitudes and recognised for the best booth at the 2024 Latitudes art fair, she's a fast-rising star in South African art.

By celebrating the exemplary craftsmanship exhibited by contemporary black women who present themselves in regal and hyper-feminine ways, her body of work pays tribute to them, to women who challenge observers to look twice because of how carefully considered visual encounters with them are. Her powerful voice is making waves and making room for her in contemporary African art, as she redefines luxury and femininity through a distinctly personal lens. Nobakada's art leaves conventional modes of understanding behind, asserting her visionary aesthetic's identity as a form of elevated art.

“Black feminism is distinctive in its commitment to love as a political practice.” - Nash, J: Love in the time of death.