Artist Biography

Mthabisi Phili has been a practicing visual artist since 2007; he did his artistic training through the National Gallery in Bulawayo from 2007 to 2009 and through the Asiko Program under Olabisi Silva: CCA-Lagos 2010, 2012 and 2013. 

He has participated in various group exhibitions since 2008 to date. Among them are Freedom to Create-Exhibition-Egypt-America-Sarajevo 2010-2011, Live Constructions: Time Form Daily CCA Lagos 2012, Shifting Territories Cornubia Housing Project-Durban South Africa 2015, Uncertainty Excitement and Hope Exhibition National Gallery of Harare Zimbabwe 2019 and What Changes- Loft 3 Gallery in Harare 2025 among others.  

He is a published writer with articles ranging from political articles, poems and art essays. His writings featured in The Intercept, A Poet’s Sourcebook, Bodaboda Lounge Project among other publications. 

Mthabisi Phili is an Alumni of both the; Independent Curators International 2012 and the Asiko Program by Olabisi Silva, He curated Reciprocal Narratives about Place about Home 2013 among other exhibitions.

Mthabisi Phili holds a National Certificate in Video Production and Broadcasting from Media Village Capetown in 2016. He has produced a number of documentaries among them, The Untold Stories of Women and many others.