Xanthe Somers (b. 1992) is a Zimbabwean artist whose ceramic sculptures are a vibrant and critical examination of the politics of aesthetics in a post-colonial context. Born and raised in Harare, Somers graduated from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town in 2015. She was subsequently awarded a grant to study at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she completed an MA in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy with distinction in 2020.
Her practice is profoundly informed by how Zimbabwe's colonial history continues to manipulate and shape aesthetic values. Through her work, Somers reimagines everyday life and explores what she terms the "subtle treason of objects." Employing a distinct visual language characterized by a sense of play, bright colours, a mocking tone, and exaggerated shapes, she actively challenges prevailing ideas of normalcy, beauty, and refinement.
Her sculptures serve as a powerful critique of the Christian-Colonial gaze that remains fixed upon southern Africa. Somers' work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
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Xanthe Somers (b. 1992) is a Zimbabwean artist whose ceramic sculptures are a vibrant and critical examination of the politics of aesthetics in a post-colonial context. Born and raised in Harare, Somers graduated from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town in 2015. She was subsequently awarded a grant to study at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she completed an MA in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy with distinction in 2020.
Her practice is profoundly informed by how Zimbabwe's colonial history continues to manipulate and shape aesthetic values. Through her work, Somers reimagines everyday life and explores what she terms the "subtle treason of objects." Employing a distinct visual language characterized by a sense of play, bright colours, a mocking tone, and exaggerated shapes, she actively challenges prevailing ideas of normalcy, beauty, and refinement.
Her sculptures serve as a powerful critique of the Christian-Colonial gaze that remains fixed upon southern Africa. Somers' work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
