Biography of Nhlanhla Xaba
Nhlanhla Xaba was born in Payneville, Springs in 1960. During his high school years he was taught art by Madi Phala. Xaba matriculated from Thakula High School, Kwa-Thema in 1981. He worked as an ordinary labourer until he was financially able to return to formal art education at Funda Art Centre in 1986. He also enrolled for a BAFA at Unisa, through the African Institute of Art. Xaba studied Child Art Education between 1987 and 1989, compiling a textbook for teaching children’s art, called Khula Udweba. He taught art on a part-time basis from 1987 to 1990, chiefly at such places as the Open School, Pimville, the Alexandra Art Centre, the Independent Visual Art & Craft Academy, Germiston, and the Othandweni Orphanage. He acted a part-time lecturer at Fuba and at Artist Proof Studio between 1993 and 2003. He worked with Matsemela Manaka as an assistant curator in founding the Soweto Neighborhood Museum between 1991 and 1992. Xaba was co-founder of the Artist Proof Studio in 1993. He was awarded Standard Bank Young Artist in 1998. Xaba participated in close to 30 group exhibitions, starting from 1978, and held four important solo exhibitions: at the Luca Gansser Studio, Lugano, Switzerland (1990), at the Berman Gallery, Johannesburg (1992), at the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown (1998), and at Art on Paper Gallery in 2004. His prints were included in numerous portfolios, mainly those creating awareness about Human Rights and about HIV/Aids. He died in the fire that destroyed the Artist Proof Studio premises on 9 March 2003.
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