Anushka Kempken (b. 1996) is a Johannesburg-based artist whose practice centres on intricately woven paper compositions that explore cycles of transformation, renewal, and spiritual contemplation. Through a meticulous process of deconstruction and reconstruction, Kempken cuts her original works on paper into strips and reassembles them through precise, meditative weaving. This technique allows her to investigate the balance between destruction and creation, resulting in richly textured, layered works that evoke a sense of harmony emerging from fragmentation.

Rooted in a disciplined and contemplative approach, Kempken's work is informed by a belief in the transformative power of art to shape both physical spaces and internal states of being. Each woven piece is conceived as both an aesthetic object and a site for reflection, inviting viewers to engage deeply with themes of interconnectedness, impermanence, and the unseen forces that shape human experience. Her process, defined by repetition and patience, becomes an active meditation—one that mirrors the cycles of disintegration and renewal found in nature and in life.

Kempken holds an Honours Degree in Fine Art from the University of Pretoria (2018) and has exhibited widely in South Africa and internationally. Recent highlights include participation in the XIV Florence Biennale (2023), the Venice International Art Fair (2022), and solo exhibitions at Axis Art Gallery (Dance of Perpetual Change, 2024) and AVA Gallery (The Rain Makers, 2020) in Cape Town. Her work has also been shown at Zeitz MOCAA, the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, and The Project Space, Johannesburg, among others.

In 2019, Kempken was awarded a residency at Thupelo in KwaZulu-Natal, where she further developed her signature weaving techniques within a collaborative and experimental setting. Her practice extends beyond the gallery context, with large-scale participatory projects such as The OASIS Temple at AfrikaBurn (2018), reflecting her interest in creating contemplative spaces that foster collective experience.

Represented by Axis Art Gallery (Cape Town) and Singulart (Paris), Kempken's work is held in private collections both locally and abroad. Through her ongoing exploration of materiality, ritual, and rhythm, she creates works that function as quiet meditations—offering viewers an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the enduring cycles of transformation inherent in both the natural world and the human spirit.

Anushka is currently offering these creative services. 

• Commissioned artworks
• Murals
• Available work in Gallery store (incl. personalised advice)
• Painting classes