
She turned the sun and moon into a salve, Mawu and Lisa is a body of work by Chabwera reflective of her desire to embrace taboo aspects of her character. Created over the course of 18 months, these works are a meditation - exemplified by the hand stitched beads woven into the canvas, and the oscillating flow of cosmos serving as a backdrop for the two totemic women. By representing two fiercely unabashed and empowered Black women atop each other, one a fictional character in Katori Hall’s P Valley, the other a 1996 Lil’ Kim aspread her debut album Hardcore, Mahari creates a portal of raw feminine agency.

Mahari Chabwera
Lil Kim as Lisa
Pt. 1 of She turned the sun and moon into a salve, Mawu and Lisa
Oil, shells acrylic, fabric and beads on stretched canvas
48 x 48 inches
2022

Mahari Chabwera
Mercedes as Mawu
Pt. 2 of She turned the sun and moon into a salve, Mawu and Lisa
Oil, acrylic and fabric on stretched canvas
48 x 48 inches
2022


Lil Kim as Lisa moon detail
Lil Kim as Lisa sun detail

Mahari Chabwera
Beaded Sun w/ Cowrie
Pt. 3 of She turned the sun and moon into a salve, Mawu and Lisa
Oil, acrylic, beads and fabric on stretched canvas
12 x 12 inches
2022
