Artist Database

Philiswa Lila is a visual artist, curator and scholar who is fascinated by the socially relevant and timely issues of authorship and agency. She works across different genres and mediums including oil and acrylic paintings, sculpture and beadwork that often show influences of her isiXhosa culture. In 2019, Philiswa completed a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France after winning the prestigious Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award in 2018. In the same year Dr Esther Mahlangu selected Philiswa as her ‘artist to watch’ for the 2019 SEED auction.

“In my paintings, I explore the physical, mental and spiritual spaces kept close by personal experiences and stories. I am particularly interested in the notions of meaning, emotions and memories related to humans and animals.”