Zana Masombuka wins the Zenato Academy Prize 2025
The three works by Zana Masombuka (b. 1995) have been selected by the Zenato Academy jury — composed of Nadia Zenato, Luca Panaro, and Alberto Fiz — as a compelling example of contemporary African art, committed to preserving and passing on the history of her country through a deeply personal narrative.
Stories from the past and present intertwine to reimagine the future of her people. Her photographs, not without a touch of irony, draw inspiration from her childhood in the rural KwaNdebele region, in a small village called Siyabuswa, and explore themes of modernity, technology, and ritual — while remaining deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of her community.
On the occasion of ArtVerona, the Zenato Academy Prize reaffirms its mission to support and promote the most talented Italian and international artists under 40 working with the language of photography.
