Zana ‘Ndebele Superhero’ Masombuka is a young Johannesburg-based conceptual artist who draws inspiration from her upbringing in rural KwaNdebele, in a small town called Siyabuswa. She is an International Studies graduate from Stellenbosch University, where she learnt the art of critical thinking, as well as the importance of globalization and how it continues to impact the African continent.
Her art speaks to African’s active role in the next wave of this global phenomena and how African artists aim to pioneer the stories being written about their continent and its people, which is fundamental to the preservation of their heritage. In “The Re-Invention of Africa: Edward Said, V.Y Mudimbe and Beyond,” Mazrui states that Africans need to interpret their history themselves and seek to re-invent Africa in their own terms. Therefore, “Ndebele Superhero” is a platform that has allowed Zana Masombuka to speak of the stories of the past, present and the re-imagination of the future of her people.
“One of the things that I appreciate the most is intentionality and the culture’s ability to survive its most sacred things and hide its most sacred symbols in plain sight to allow them to survive so those who discover them then understand.”
Zana Masombuka
