Strength of a Woman is a metal sculpture by Joseph Mbatia, also known as Bartiers. The work presents an African woman carrying several responsibilities at once, turning an everyday image of labour and care into a study of endurance and dignity.

Reading the details

The figure is pregnant, balances a pot of water on her head and carries dry firewood with a child seated above it. Yet the sculpture also pays attention to adornment and identity through earrings, necklaces and other details. Her skirt is made from strands of bottle tops, adding a note of resourcefulness to the work.

Strength and grace together

The choice of metal gives the figure a physical sense of durability, while her posture remains balanced and composed. The result is not simply an image of burden; it asks the viewer to notice the determination, care and self-respect that continue alongside it.

Seeing the work at Tafaria

Placed in the Castle grounds, the sculpture is part of Tafaria's wider open-air art experience. It works especially well as a piece to spend time with rather than pass quickly, because the smaller details change the meaning of the whole figure.