Thulani Rachia is a South African artist working in performance, moving image, music composition and sculpture. Rachia’s work investigates the built environment as an archive to history and how it shapes social hierarchies. His inquiry Siwaguba kanjani amaphupho ethu agqitjwe kulezindonga?: how do we excavate the dreams laid to rest in these walls? currently acts as a focal point to explore ideas around colonial legacies, reparations and repair. He has been a resident on Talbot Rice Residency Programme and National Theatre of Scotland. Rachia’s work has been exhibited at institutions both nationally and internationally including SP-Arte. Bluecoat, Liverpool, Subsolo Laboratorio de Art São Paulo and Edinburgh Art Festival.

Talbot Rice Residents provides time and support for early-career artists based in Scotland within the unique context of Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Edinburgh.

The Talbot Rice Residents programme is part of the Freelands Artist Programme. The Freelands Artist Programme is a five-year programme that supports emerging artists across the UK in partnership with g39, Cardiff,PS², Belfast, Site Gallery, Sheffield and Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh. Further information on this programme is available here.

Image: usuku owesithupha (day 6) obuyile – Still, Thulani Rachia (2022).