BAHATI SIMOENS
Bahati Simoens is a Belgian-Congolese artist, currently based in Johannesburg (South Africa).
Bahati was born in Munanira (Burundi, 1992) and started her professional career as a visual artist in 2021.
She describes her practise to be a love letter to the Black body. A visual language that feels like ‘a daydream under the midday sun, where bright light and deep shadows coexist harmoniously.’ Vibrant figurative paintings heavily inspired by childhood memories and everyday living.
Her figures take up space through a colourful softness and a warm demeanor.
What started as an intuitive form of self therapy, searching for a sense of home, now feels like holding up the mirror to her viewers. Through a whimsical lens of her own sense of belonging Bahati’s aim is to make Black people feel seen and leave them with a feeling they themselves didn’t know was missing within.
Bahati’s work has been featured on The New York Times, WePresent, ItsNiceThat, Metal Magazine and Inbtwn Magazine. As well as collaborations with Selfridges, Nataal, Jacob Banks and Jack Davison.
Exhibitions
2021
Ndoimadzi, Group exhibition - Bahati Simoens, Imraan Christian, Lulama Wolf, Zandile Tshabalala, Frans Thoka & Katlego Tlabela -at Botho Project Space (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Charcoal Swans under the sun, Solo exhibition at La Causa Galeria (Madrid, Spain)
Go & Grow, Solo exhibition at Medium Tings (New York, United States)
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Presented by Botho Project Space (South Africa))
2022
Jasmine like Summer, Independent and entirely autonomous solo exhibition (Antwerp, Belgium)
GANG GANG at Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Presented by Botho Project Space (Bahati Simoens, Cinthia Sifa Mulanga & Muofhe Manavhela)
Botho Art Collective, First Artist led art fair - Nelson Makamo, Trevor Stuurman, Cristina Martinez, Brandon Deener, Maya Seas, Mbali Dhlamini, Corey Pemberton, Ambrose Murray & Lebohang Kganye (Los Angeles, United States)
Rise, Group exhibition - Bahati Simoens, Virgil Abloh, Jean Michel Basquiat, Paa Joe, Edozie Anedu, Salassie & Mr. StarCity- at NBB Gallery (Berlin, Germany)
If not now, then when? Group exhibition at BKhz (Johannesburg, SA)
2023
The Halfway line, Solo exhibition presented by Botho Project Space (Cape Town, SA)
Ulwandle, Solo exhibition at Jac Forbes (Malibu, United States)
Intimate at 1-54 London, Presented by BKhz (Bahati Simoens, Talia Ramkilawan, Mercy, Mashudu Nevhutalu & Tatenda Chidora)
2024
Sunset Market, Solo exhibition currently on view at BKhz (Johannesburg, SA)
Contact
bahatisimoens@gmail.com
bahatisimoens@gmail.com
