do you want to receive updates and news?
subscribe to our newsletter
Mbali Dhlamini (*1990 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a Johannesburg-based photographer and time-based multimedia artist. She studied Visual Arts at the University of Johannesburg from 2008 to 2013.
She received a Master of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 2015. In 2021, Dhlamini was invited to be artist-in-residence at the Embassy of Foreign Artists in Geneva, as well as a residency at the Black Rock Studios, Dakar, Senegal, founded by Kehinde Wiley.
In December 2021, she received the Visionary Award 2021/2022 from The Javett Art Centre in Pretoria. Dhlaminis work is represented by Gallery Sakhile&Me, Frankfurt.
In her work, Dhlamini engages with postcolonial issues. This can encompass contemporary forms of spirituality and the craft of indigo dyeing in Senegal, with the evidence and consequences of colonialism and missionary work in (South) Africa, traditions of indigenous philosophy and visual culture, as well as the function of language as a medium of understanding and knowledge building.
Education
2016
Master of Fine Arts, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
2013
Bachelor of Technology (Fine Art), University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
2012
National Diploma (Fine Art), University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
2009
Advanced Printmaking, Artist Proof Studio, Johannesburg, South Africa
Solo Exhibitions
2022
“Go Bipa Mpa Ka Mabele”, Sakhile&Me, Frankfurt, Germany
2015
“Non-pomised Land: Bana Ba Thari Entsho”, Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa
Group Exhibitions
2023
“Intimations”, Sakhile&Me, Frankfurt, Germany
“Le 19m”, Théodore Monod African Art Museum, Dakar, Senegal
2022
“Buffer Zones”, Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria, Johannesburg, South Africa
“Black Rock 40, Curated by Kehinde Wiley”, Dak’art Contemporary Art Biennale, Dakar, Senegal
2021
“Self-Addressed, Curated by Kehinde Wiley”, Jeffrey Deitch, Los Angeles (CA), USA
“Friendship. Nature. Culture”, Daimler Art Collection, Berlin, Germany
“I See You, Blue, Everywhere”, Black Rock Senegal, Dakar, Senegal
2020
“Spatial Fabrications: An Uninhabitable World”, Fak’ugesi Festival, Online
“Time in transition”, The Frankfurt Art Experience, Frankfurt, Germany
“Figures”, Sakhile&Me, Frankfurt, Germany
2019
“Personal Structures - Identities”, European Cultural Center, Venice, Italy
“Les sabar artistiques”, Dakar, Senegal
2018
“E.A.ST Station #2: Rendering Visible”, Island, Brussels, Belgium
“Open Lab – Ephemeral Archival Station #1”, La Colonie. Paris, France
2017
“Zig Zag”, RAW Material Company, Dakar, Senegal
2016
“Woza Moya”, Goethe on Main Project Space, Johannesburg, South Africa
2015
“See Africa”, African Futures Festival, Johannesburg, South Africa
“TWENTY: Art in the Time of Democracy”, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; The Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa; Beijing Biennale, Beijing, China
2014
“Only Parts”, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
“The Longest Night”, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
“South African Voices: A New Generation of Printmakers”, Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington (D.C.), USA
“Sasol New Signatures,” Association of Arts Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
2013
“Some Went Mad, Some Ran Away”, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
“Afrika Rea Bolela (Afrika Let's Talk): ARTiculating the constitution”, Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa
“Afrika Day”, Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa
“North-South: Student Showcase.” Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa; Central University of Technology, Bloemfontein, South Africa; University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; Vaal University of Technology, Gauteng, South Africa
2012
“Images of Women.” Upstairs at Bamboo (Vula Amehlo Art Development), Johannesburg, South Africa
“Bronze Age(less)”, Pretoria Art Association, Pretoria, South Africa
Teaching Experience
2022
Lecturer (Fine Art), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
2021
Sessional lecturer (Fine Art), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Residencies & Awards
2022
“Visionary Award” (with Preempt Collective), Tim Hetherington Trust and the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
2021
“Art and Stories Laureate”, Embassy of Foreign Artists, Carouge, Switzerland
Artist-in-Residence, Black Rock Senegal, Dakar, Senegal
2017
“RAW Academy Fellowship”, RAW Material Company, Dakar, Senegal
Collections
JP Morgan Corporate Collection, Paris, France
Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, Berlin/Stuttgart, Germany