Thee Blackrose is the local model pushing body art to new heights

Amanda Mabitse who is widely known as “Thee Blackrose” is a body art model who started her modelling career in 2015. At the time she was going through a difficult time in her life whereby she couldn’t find the purpose of her existence. This was until a photographer came across a picture of hers on Facebook and approached her for a shoot. She agreed to do the shoot and the rest as the English cliché goes was history.

“Modelling saved me from myself, it keeps me sane and happy”, Amanda explains. She continues “the passion I have for it pushes me to test the boundaries of where this art form has the potential to go”. Her work is entirely inspired by her own experiences. Her goal is to break the stereotypes through her narratives. “Just because women can pose naked does not mean they are cheap or that they lack self-respect” she explains.  “It simply means that they appreciate their flaws and that they are strong enough to show the world, especially other women that its ok to be comfortable in your own skin” Amanda asserts. Society considers her a libertine because of her effrontery in her art form, and thus nude modelling is taboo especially in black communities. These are just some of the challenges she faces. “Being black and doing body art is a challenge, you are perceived as cheap, disrespectful towards culture and lacking in morals?” she tells us. Her passion for body art modelling has had a negative impact on her relationships as her counterparts would find it difficult to be associated with someone who “displays” her body to the rest of the world.

Amanda explains that African women used to walk around with most of their body parts exposed and it was not considered inappropriate or profligate. Rather, it was the norm. However, due to colonialism and a heavily westernised society, black people have now adopted to western cultures.   For this reason, western culture has forced us to discard our own values and beliefs over those of western society. This is why today black women are slut-shamed for expressing themselves through various unorthodox mediums.  Amanda encourages others out there to stand for what they believe in and that people don’t need to understand you as it is your life to live and not theirs.

One of her dreams is to get her work exhibited and recognised on international platforms, galleries and exhibitions. She strives by working with the best in the country to make sure her dreams become a reality. Body art is slowly but surely becoming a recognisable art form and people like Thee Blackrose who push the boundaries make it what it is and what it has the potential to become.