Helena Uambembe was born in 1994 in Pomfret, South Africa to Angolan parents who fled the civil war raging in their country. Her father was a soldier in the 32nd Battalion of a military unit within the South African Defence Force. This Force was mainly composed of Angolan black men.The 32nd Military Battalion and the Angolan heritage received by Helena Uambembe are the predominant themes in the artist’s work. She explores these themes by connecting them with strong symbols and historical archive elements.