Liona Robyn Nyariri

Nyariri is a practicing artist based in Cape Town.

Nyariri's practice explores the ways in which pidgin languages are created with a specific focus on pidgins that came from formally colonized Southern African countries. A pidgin language happens when two or more languages meet/collide to create a third hybrid language. A pidgin can also happen when a dominant language is broken and taken apart to create a remixed version of the dominant language.  Nyariri uses mythology and speculative fiction to explore this theme with a strong engagement with the written and oral traditions of Southern Africa. Nyariri’s work has been presented at Real Art Ways in New Haven, Zeitz MOCCA in Cape Town, Artist Alliance Inc in New York, AC Institute in New York, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York, Participant Inc Gallery in New York, Young Blood Gallery in Cape Town, AVA Gallery in Cape Town and others.

Nyariri has completed a residency with Braunschweig Projects in Germany (2019), Artist Alliance in New York (2018) and was a fellow at the Whitney Museum’s ISP Program (Independent Study Program 2016-2017). Nyariri is the recipient of The Real Art Award (2018), the ABSA Art and Life Award (2013) as well as a top finalist for the Sasol New Signatures Award (2014). 

Nyariri was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and received an MFA in Fine Art from Parsons The New School of Design and a BA in Fine Art from Michaelis School of Fine Art UCT.