Xhanti Zwelendaba (b. 1992) is a multi-disciplinary artist working in a diverse range of mediums such as sculpting, print-making, installation, performance art and video art. He studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town and is currently completing and MFA at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Zwelendaba’s work deals primarily with the complexities and tensions surrounding Xhosa culture and the modern day culture of contemporary capitalism and nationalism. He situates his artistic practice within the decolonial paradigm, pushing the boundaries and limits of art making from the African continent within the contemporary art sphere.
In 2022, Zwelendaba took part in the Africa Leipzig International Artist Residency exchange programme (LIA) which included a printmaking collaboration with Master Printer Maria Ondrej of the Atelier für zeitgenössische Radierung Leipzig. He was the featured artist of the year at the Turbine Art Fair in 2021, and has exhibited at spaces such as David Krut projects in Johannesburg and the Cape Town Investec Art Fair in 2022.