Zandile Tshabalala (b. 1999) is a South African visual artist from Soweto who studied fine arts at the University of the Witwatersrand; her work has been shown at UNIT London and in Johannesburg. Working in acrylic and oil, sometimes with sculptural elements, she addresses the representation of Black women in historical painting, challenging traditional narratives with confident bodies and empowered gazes.
Zandile Tshabalala (b. 1999, Soweto, South Africa) is a visual artist currently completing her BA in Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Working primarily with acrylic and oil paint, she occasionally incorporates sculptural elements into her canvases. Her work frequently references and revisits the practices of her artistic predecessors, drawing notable influence from Kerry James Marshall, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Cinga Samson, Nandipha Mntambo, and Henri Rousseau.
Addressing themes of representation, particularly of Black women in historical paintings, Tshabalala’s work challenges traditional narratives through her portrayals of confident bodies and empowered gazes.
Her art has been featured in several international exhibitions, including UNIT London in the UK, Victoria Yards in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in Turffontein, South Africa. Enter Paradise marks the artist’s first solo exhibition.
