NANDIPHA YANTA

Nandipha Yanta, born in 1999 in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a painter and a Wits Fine Art graduate as well as a Visual Studies Master's graduate at the University of Pretoria. The work I produce seeks to challenge and destabilise Western standards of beauty by celebrating women of colour through expressions of autonomy, pride, strength, and beauty. Drawing on feminist strategies such as self-love, self-definition, and the oppositional gaze, the practice encourages dialogue surrounding identity, inclusivity, resilience, and cultural representation. By bridging theory and practice, the work evolves into a form of healing and affirmation that foregrounds confidence, empowerment, and the richness of personal and cultural expression.  She has exhibited her work at the GAEA Fashion Show, an organisation that provides South African artists, fashion designers and musicians with a platform to establish their brands. She has exhibited at the Joburg Fringe, Decorex, and the Point of Order. One of Nandipha's significant achievements was being selected as the Design Indaba Emerging Creative in 2022. Yanta is also a mentor and adjudicator for Curro Create, where she guides school learners on ways in which they could improve their artworks.