Artist and Art History Lecturer: Rhodes University

Award-winning artist and hardcore academic Nomusa Makhubu manages to walk a mental tightrope of creativity and intellectualism. Makhubu sees the different aspects of what she does as going hand in hand, stating that “the arts are not only forms of expression but are also important modes of reflection that critique intricate sociopolitical environments and the powers that influence people’s everyday lives”. A lecturer in Art History at Rhodes University, Makhubu is currently completing the research for her PhD. She is also a successful artist who has exhibited in nine countries. “Identity” is a strong theme in her work and she explores it in her acclaimed Self-Portrait Project series by projecting images of herself on to historically sensitive material. In 2006 she won both the Gerard Sekoto Award sponsored by the French Embassy, the French Institute and the Alliance Française and the Woman of the Year Award in the Art category from Rhodes Amnesty International.

— Billy Rivers

Website: ru.ac.za