Philiswa Lila

interdisciplinary artist, researcher and writer

Philiswa Lila is a visual artist and researcher whose work delves into the realms of memory, personal experiences, identities, and subjectivities. Employing a range of mediums including painting, installation art, performance art, and incorporating elements such as beading, wood, paper, photography, video, and writing. Lila holds a Masters in Art History from Rhodes University, an Honours in Curatorship from the University of Cape Town, a Project Management Certificate from Unisa, and a B.Tech in Fine and Applied Arts from Tshwane University of Technology.

She was honoured among the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2022. Notably, in 2018, she received the esteemed Gerald Sekoto Award, which included a residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris. Her time in Paris culminated in her debut solo exhibition titled , initially showcased at the Absa Gallery in 2020. The exhibition subsequently toured various venues in South Africa, including Durban and Gqeberha in 2021. Lila's artistic journey has been enriched by her participation in various artist residency programs, including stints at the Bag Factory Studios in Johannesburg (2013) and Greatmore Studios in Cape Town (2014). She also contributed to the GendV Project: Urban Transformation and Gendered Violence in India and South Africa, hosted by the University of Johannesburg and the University of Cambridge.

Continuing her trajectory, Lila has presented solo exhibitions at the Cape Town Art Fair, at Gallery Brulhart in Geneva and at the Pretoria Art Museum. Her works have been featured in numerous group exhibitions. Notably, her ongoing collaboration with ivukuvuku under VukuvukuPhila! has led to impactful art performances and installations, engaging with themes of gender, violence, love, pain, healing, and resilience since 2022.

Beyond her visual artist work, Lila's scholarly contributions are evident in her writing and teaching experience, which also collaborative studio practice writing with the Secret Society of Publishers.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

2020 : Master’s in Art History: Rhodes University (RU), Grahamstown

2015 : Honours in Curating: Michaelis School of Art, University of Cape Town (UCT)

2012 : Project Management Certificate: University of South Africa, Pretoria

2010 : BA Fine and Applied Arts, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Pretoria

2005 : Senior Certificate, Holy Cross High School, Mthatha

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 : Nogolide: Have I taken this name for myself?, Pretoria Art Museum, South Africa

2023 : Keep out of reach of children, Gallery Brulhart, Geneve, Switzerland

2022 : Nogolide – Sentimental Value, Investec Cape Town Art Fair

2021 : Pain is Love, GendV Project, University of Johannesburg

: Willing to Share, GendV Project, University of Johannesburg

2020 – 2021 : Skin, Bone, Fire: The First Album, travelling exhibition: Absa Gallery, North West University Gallery, and Bird Street Gallery at Nelson Mandela University

SOLO PERFORMANCES

2022 : HambhaMfazi! Investec Cape Town Art Fair (Cape Town)

2018 : Ntombikayise Afems (Rhodes University, South Africa)

2017 : tic talk /tôk/ ICA Infecting the City (Cape Town, South Africa)

2016 : tic talk /tôk/ Reason and it’s disconnect (Grahamstown, South Africa)

2014 : HambhaMfazi! Young 14 (Bag Factory Artist Studios, South Africa)

RESIDENCIES

2019 : Cite Internationale Des Arte (Paris)

2015 : Greatmore Studios (Cape Town)

2013 : Bag Factory Artist Studios (Johannesburg)

FELLOWSHIPS

2021 : GendV Project: Urban Transformation and Gendered Violence in India and South Africa, a collaborative project with University of Johannesburg and University of Cambridge

2020 : Institute for Creative Art Online Fellowship, online (Aug – Mar 2021)

AWARDS

2022 : 200 Young Mail & Guardian South African

2018 : Gerard Sekoto Award - ABSA L’Atelier competition

2009 : Merit Award - ABSA L’Atelier competition

SELECTED GROUP ART EXHIBITIONS

2024 : Landlines, National Arts Festival, Makhanda

2023 : Quiet as its kept, The Melrose Gallery, Johannesburg

2022 : Ukhuluma into engapheli, The Point of Order, Wits University

2021 : Vitra Design Museum and Matri Archi, Germany full names

: Stories of Our Soil, The Melrose Gallery Johannesburg

2020 : Introspection Art of Contemporary Africa, Sandton Diamond Walk, Johannesburg