Born in Zimbabwe (1982 - ), lives in and works in Cape Town, South Africa.
Lionel Mbayiwa is a Zimbabwean-born multimedia artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography. Now based in Cape Town, Lionel draws from his Shona heritage and rural upbringing in Mhondoro, Mabira, in the Chegutu District of Zimbabwe. His work reflects a profound engagement with the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the land which understood in Shona cosmology as both a physical and ancestral realm imbued with memory, energy, and protection. Rooted in the oral traditions of his youth, Lionel’s practice is shaped by folk tales and fables once told by the fire (Ngano). These stories, filled with moral lessons and vivid animal symbolism, serve as a visual and philosophical framework for his contemporary narratives. Through animal allegories, Lionel explores questions of power, leadership, and morality, addressing both political and social issues in a symbolic, coded language, preserving safety and meaning. His work acts as a bridge between the past and the present, honouring the wisdom of ancestral knowledge while reflecting on the moral complexities of modern society. Themes of displacement and belonging resonate strongly in his art, informed by his family’s migration from Zimbabwe to South Africa amid economic and political challenges. Lionel has participated in multiple group exhibitions, art fairs and projects. Some include the ArtistLab mentorship programme hosted by Latitudes Online (2021), his installation Kudzivirira Mheni was featured as part of the Spier Light Art Festival (2022), Takambosvika Sei Pano? at Sisonke Gallery (2023) and the Nando’s Creative Exchange in 2024.
