14:00 – 16:00
On Saturday, 24 May, during the Amsterdam Art Week, from 14:00 to 16:00 the Thami Mnyele Foundation is happy to invite you to our open studio for an artist talk with our fellow Nella Ngingo and our current resident Rossel Chaslie. They will share more about their practices and present their work in an interview with Rubiah Balsem, social architect and founder of Studio Balsem.
Nella Ngingo is a Burundian-born, Amsterdam-based photographer with an extensive background as a fashion model. Her experience in the industry has given her a unique ability to connect with her subjects in an intimate way, marking the beginning of her journey into visual storytelling. Her work celebrates identity, community, and the beauty of everyday life, often reflecting her journey as a queer, Black woman and her commitment to uplifting marginalized voices. Whether working in fashion or documentary, her photography is deeply rooted in her heritage. She has been selected in collaboration with Motormond and Musoke Nalwoga.
Rossel Chaslie is an artist and illustrator who, as an autodidact, has developed a drawing style that is both contemporary and expressionist in nature when viewed through an art historical lens. This allows him to appeal to a broad audience in one go, from young to old(er). His drawings exist on paper, as “still” images, or digitally, as “moving” animations. His subjects are socially relevant and align with his interests: those of a young bicultural man navigating his path—both as a creator and an individual—within a polarized Dutch society grappling with its colonial past. He has been selected as a city artist for Amsterdam in 2024.
Make sure to visit the residency on Saturday afternoon for this inspiring dialogue!
