Gcotyelwa Mashiqa

Biography

Gcotyelwa Mashiqa is Curator of Contemporary Collections at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of the Western Cape. Mashiqa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from the Central University of Technology, a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Curatorship from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, and a Master of Arts in History (cum laude) from the University of the Western Cape.

Since joining the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2023, Mashiqa has been responsible for the care, management, and development of four contemporary art collections. Her curatorial practice is grounded in research, collection stewardship, and the interpretation of contemporary African art.

Prior to this role, Mashiqa served as Programmes Manager at the Bag Factory Artists' Studios, where she developed and implemented programmes that supported the professional growth of resident artists and curators. She managed the institution's international residency programme, fostering collaboration and dialogue between local and international artists and curators. She also contributed to the development of fundraising strategies and long-term projects aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the organization.

Mashiqa was a Curatorial Fellow for the inaugural Stellenbosch Triennale, where she provided research and administrative support to the Chief Curator and Artistic Director. She also co-curated From the Vault (2020), one of the Triennale's satellite exhibitions, which brought together selected works by modern artists from the art collections of Stellenbosch University and the University of Fort Hare, creating a dialogue between these significant institutional collections.

From 2016 to 2019, Mashiqa served as Assistant Curator at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). During her tenure, she curated five exhibitions featuring leading artists from Africa and its diaspora and collaborated with visiting curators to develop exhibitions, public programmes, and discursive events that expanded the museum's engagement with diverse audiences.

Through her curatorial practice, Mashiqa is committed to advancing critical discourse on contemporary African art, strengthening museum collections, and creating exhibitions that foster meaningful public engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.

Gcotyelwa Mashiqa, Curator at The Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa, has been awarded the Saastamoinen Foundation (Helsinki, Finland).