Gabriele Jacobs

South Africa

Environmental and Figurative Art by Gabriele Jacobs

Queer Identity and Contemporary African Art

Fine Art Collectors and Social Justice in Art

"Jacobs uses nature as a mirror - challenging heteronormative narratives by revealing queerness as something deeply rooted in the natural world. Their sculptural work, rich in symbolism, explores identity, transformation, and the beauty of self-acceptance.

Through animal forms, they evoke fluidity, tenderness, and strength - celebrating queer love not as exception, but as essence. Their work honours becoming, in all its vulnerability and power.
"

MEET

Gabriele Jacobs

Gabriele Jacobs (b. 1997, Johannesburg) is a South African queer artist whose multidisciplinary practice uses animal imagery to explore environmental and social justice themes. Raised in Midrand and now based in Cape Town, Jacobs earned an MFA from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, completing their studies in 2022.

Their work engages with the complex intersections of ecology, queerness, and contemporary African identity. Through symbolic portrayals of animals, Jacobs reflects on pressing issues such as extinction, climate anxiety, and the politics of coexistence — all through a deeply personal and often queer lens. Their art draws viewers into a space where nature, identity, and resistance intertwine.

Jacobs has become an active voice in the Cape Town art scene, participating in numerous exhibitions, including multiple appearances at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair (2020, 2025). Their growing recognition includes a second-place award at the New Breed Art Competition at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein (2021).

Committed to both reflection and experimentation, they’ve also taken part in notable artist residencies, including the Nirox Foundation (2023) and Lemkus Gallery (2024). As an emerging African artist, Jacobs continues to redefine the boundaries of environmental art and queer representation, inviting audiences to confront ecological crisis with empathy and imagination.

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