Kresiah Mukwazhi

born 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Kresiah Mukwazhi's work advocates for the visibility and rights of women who are discriminated against in patriarchal societies. Through visual activism, she explores the power dynamics within the female body through installations, performances, videos, and vibrant textile collages. In her latest series, she explores the underlying structures of systemic violence and deconstructs narratives that marginalize women in Zimbabwean society. By challenging cultural norms and taboos, Mukwazhi highlights the importance of addressing latent forms of patriarchy and systemic violence. Her work expresses a commitment to solidarity, empowerment, and care for marginalized communities and provides a platform for resistance and self-empowerment.

Her works have been exhibited internationally at venues such as Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Nottingham Contemporary; the Secession, Vienna; the Philara Foundation, Düsseldorf; the Zimbabwean Pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia; the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg; the Norval Foundation, Cape Town; the South African National Gallery, Cape Town; Iziko Museums, Cape Town; the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), Cape Town; the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision; SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin; Njelele Art Station, Harare, Zimbabwe; and The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo.

Gallery exhibitions

Kresiah Mukwazhi, Gupuro at Jan Kaps, Cologne
Gupuro
06 Nov 24 – 25 Jan 2025
Jan Kaps, Cologne
Opening: Wed., 06 Nov. 6–8pm
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Ndakamira pamukaha at Jan Kaps, Cologne
Ndakamira pamukaha
02 Sep – 05 Nov 2022
Jan Kaps, Cologne
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Mukando at Jan Kaps, Cologne
Mukando
04 Dec 20 – 13 Mar 2021
Jan Kaps, Cologne

Institutional exhibitions

Kresiah Mukwazhi, Schulze Projects #4 at Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Schulze Projects #4
20 Sep 24 – 14 Jun 2026
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Nyenyedzi nomwe (the Seven Sisters Pleiades) at Art Basel Unlimited, Basel
Nyenyedzi nomwe (the Seven Sisters Pleiades)
10 Jun – 16 Jun 2024
Art Basel Unlimited, Basel
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Kunst-Stoff. Textile as Artistic Material at Kunsthalle Emden, Emden
Kunst-Stoff. Textile as Artistic Material
16 Sep 23 – 28 Jan 2024
Kunsthalle Emden, Emden
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Kirawa at Nottingham Contemporary
Kirawa
27 May – 03 Sep 2023
Nottingham Contemporary
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Kirawa at Secession, Vienna
Kirawa
17 Feb – 16 Apr 2023
Secession, Vienna
Kresiah Mukwazhi, 59th La Biennale di Venezia at Zimbabwean Pavilion
59th La Biennale di Venezia
23 Apr – 27 Nov 2022
Zimbabwean Pavilion
Kresiah Mukwazhi, FIVE BHOBH – PAINTING AT THE END OF AN ERA at Zeitz - Museum Of Contemporary Art Africa (Mocaa), Cape Town
FIVE BHOBH – PAINTING AT THE END OF AN ERA
12 Sep 18 – 31 May 2019
Zeitz - Museum Of Contemporary Art Africa (Mocaa), Cape Town
Kresiah Mukwazhi, Chale Wote Festival at Performance 
James Fort Prison, Accra
Chale Wote Festival
20 Aug – 26 Aug 2018
Performance James Fort Prison, Accra
Kresiah Mukwazhi, THAT, AROUND WHICH THE UNIVERSE REVOLVES: ON RHYTHMANALYSIS OF MEMORY, TIMES, BODIES IN SPACE at Performance
Savvy Berlin At Village Unhu, Harare
THAT, AROUND WHICH THE UNIVERSE REVOLVES: ON RHYTHMANALYSIS OF MEMORY, TIMES, BODIES IN SPACE
18 Aug – 24 Aug 2017
Performance Savvy Berlin At Village Unhu, Harare

Press

Vita

Born 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe

Upcoming

Jan Kaps, Cologne (Solo)

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2024 Schultze Projects #4, Museum Ludwig, Cologne Body Count, blank projects, Cape Town

2023 Kirawa, Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham Kirawa, Secession, Vienna

2022 Ndakamira pamukaha (Standing my ground till it cracks), Jan Kaps, Cologne

2021 Zviratidzo, blank projects, Cape Town

2020 Mukando, Jan Kaps, Cologne

2018 Bedroom Interview, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023 Kunst-Stoff. Textile as Artistic Material, Kunsthalle Emden, Emden I’ve only got eyes for you, Philara Foundation, Dusseldorf Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing, The FLAG Art Foundation, New York

2022 Zimbabwean Pavilion, 59th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia Empowerment, Planetarische Feminismen, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg

2021 OFF ROAD II, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp Mixed Company, Norval Foundation, Cape Town

2020 Love your symptoms but not too much, blank projects, Cape Town Materiality, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town

2019 African Textures. Jeanne Gaigher, Kresiah Mukwazhi, Marlene Steyn, Osart Gallery, Milan, Italy The Female Line, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa Conversations in Texture, Berman Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa Legitimate Expectations, Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa Not the Usual Suspects, Iziko Museums, Cape Town, South Africa Five Bhobh – Painting at the End of an Era, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), Cape Town, South Africa Prism of Freedom, Netherlands Institute of Sound and Vision

2018 Legitimate Expectations, The Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg PARA_OTHER, with Performance, Take me back to Osibisa (with blood on my hands), Chale Wote Street Art Festival, Accra

2017 That, Around Which the Universe Revolves, Kapitel 3 - Harare, SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin at Njelele Art Station, Harare, Zimbabwe

2016 My Private Moments, The National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

2020 Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) fellowship with Performance, Zvisarira, Cape Town

2018 Research Residency ANT Mobility Grant, Pro Helvetia

RESIDENCIES AND PERFORMANCES

2023 Hera Hera (hail hail), Nottingham Contemporary, UK

2019 Arts of Africa and Global Souths, Rhodes University with Performance, Summoned from Luzari, Makhanda Nafasi Art Space with Performance, Pamuchakata, Dar es Salaam

2018 Katutura Art Centre, Windhoek, Namibia supported by ANT Mobility Grant, Pro Helvetia

SYMPOSIUMS

2019 Live Art Workshop, The Institute of Creative Arts at the University of Cape Town

2018 Radical Histories II, Katutura Art Centre in Windhoek, Namibia Activists Jam Session, supported by ActionAid International, Dar es Salaam