Born in 1993 in the former military town of Pomfret in North West, Teresa Kutala Firmino, 31, grew up among former Angolan South African National Defence Force families. These early experiences shaped her understanding of identity, history and postcolonial memory. Teresa is an artist and the director of the BNAP Foundation, as well as the founder of the Teresakutalafirmino Studio. Her work is rooted in story-telling through visual art. Using painting to engage with forgotten or misrepresented histories, particularly those of African women, she reimagines the archive as a space of resistance. Her day begins with admin and gallery meetings, while evenings are reserved for creative work in her studio. She holds a master of fine arts from the University of the Witwatersrand. Among her achievements is the internationally exhibited project The Owners of the Earth — a four-part paint- ing series culminating in her first visual book. This work exemplifies her belief that art can build community and challenge historical silence. Teresa supports emerging artists through the Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize. She draws inspiration from the women in her family, whose lives and stories continue to influence her work.
Master’s in Fine Arts – University of the Witwatersrand
Five years ago, The Owners of the Earth was initiated, a series of international solo exhibitions. The project, divided into four chapters, remains a significant career milestone. In 2025, published the first visual book as a celebration of the project’s success — a reminder that creative achievements are always the result of collaboration and community.
My greatest mentors are the women in my family — my village. Their lives have been the subject of my artistic practice for many years. They raised me, guided me and helped me overcome countless challenges. Their stories were often left untold, which is why a central part of my work is to honour those stories and share them.