Zanele Montle explores the profound anxieties of migration and the journey of creating a home away from home. Drawing from her own experience of moving from Kwa-Zulu Natal to the city, her work is a deeply personal investigation of adaptation and identity.

Her primary subject matter is derived from old family photographs, with a particular focus on her mother and siblings. These figures are brought to the forefront through the use of vibrant, bright backgrounds that make them prominent and immediate. In a deliberate effort to remain connected to her roots, she titles each work in isiZulu, evoking a powerful sense of nostalgia, community, and personal history.

Zanele holds a National Diploma in Visual Art from the University of Johannesburg and a postgraduate qualification in art education. Her talent was recognized early when she became a finalist in the Thami Mnyele Fine Art Competition in 2015. After gaining industry experience as a gallery manager, she now dedicates her time to her dual practice as an arts educator and a painter. In 2021, she was honoured as the recipient of the inaugural META Foundation 'Womxn to Watch' Award.