Not Yet!
Medium
PaintingMaterial
Oil PaintDescription
In Not Yet!, Florah Maphosa introduces an unexpected element of humour into her portraiture. A young woman stands before a mirror, but the face looking back at her appears noticeably older than the figure we see from behind.
The painting becomes a playful reversal of one of life’s familiar contradictions. As children, we often cannot wait to grow older. Adulthood represents independence, freedom and possibility. Yet once youth has arrived, the desire to hurry time forward can disappear remarkably quickly.
Maphosa turns this contradiction into a gentle parody. The mirror does not simply reflect the present; it seems to jump ahead, offering its subject an unexpected glimpse of what time may eventually bring. Her younger figure and older reflection occupy the same moment, creating a humorous conversation between youth and age.Try it!
