Abri de Swardt (b. 1988, Johannesburg) is an artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. De Swardt holds an MFA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths, University of London, and is a graduate of the Market Photo Workshop and Stellenbosch University. De Swardt’s work connects interrelated concerns between queerness, decoloniality and the more-than-human, to imagine forms of affiliation that are critical, fluid and reparative. He positions his work as an expanded form of collage which moves between photography, video, sound, sculpture, costume and performance in a convergence of the elemental and theatrical. Situated in Southern Africa, De Swardt’s work challenges the ongoing effects of settler-colonial whiteness and masculinity, and perceptions of queerness as ‘unnatural’ and ‘unAfrican’, through joining historiography with fiction, auto-ethnography, ecology, desire, and the fantastical. Collage is realised in his work directly upon the body as a frenzied surface occupied and inhabited, as seeped and adrift in bodies of water, and as saturating narrative voice. For over a decade his work has been preoccupied with attending to waters, fluvial and oceanic, as political microcosms and wild archives, in a hauntology resurfacing submerged histories.
De Swardt’s work has been exhibited, performed and screened at venues including The Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch; Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin; Forum des images, Paris; the National Gallery of Art, Vilnius; the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; The Centre for the Less Good Idea, Johannesburg; KwaZulu Natal Society of the Arts, Durban; and the IV Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, Moscow, amongst others. Solo exhibitions include POOL x Field Station, Cape Town (2024); POOL, Johannesburg (2018); MOT International Projects, London (2013); and blank projects, Cape Town (2011). De Swardt has completed residencies at Rupert, Vilnius; Hordaland Kunstsenter, Bergen; and the Nirox Foundation, Cradle of Humankind. Collaborative work includes To See with the Ears and Speak with the Nose with Sinethemba Twalo, and with Thulile Gamedze as Overnight Services. De Swardt was awarded a Social Impact Arts Prize 2022.
De Swardt has taught at the Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Rhodes University, and Stellenbosch University. His recent writings have been published by iwalewabooks, wherewithall, POOL and Adjective.
CV
Education
Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg (2015)
MFA in Fine Art with distinction, Goldsmiths, University of London, London (2014)
Hons BA in Visual Studies cum laude, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch (2012)
BA in Visual Arts (Fine Art) cum laude, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch (2010)
Solo Exhibitions
Kammakamma, POOL x Field Station, Cape Town, curated by Sinethemba Twalo and Amy Watson, 1 February - 3 March 2024; Gallery University Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 8 - 30 March 2024
Ridder Thirst, POOL, Johannesburg, 26 April - 17 June 2018
SPF Matthew Barney, White Cubicle, London, 26 November 2015
Catapult Screensaver, MOT International Projects, London, 13 - 16 September 2013
To Walk on Water, blank projects, Cape Town, 11 May – 11 June 2011
Selected Two or Three Person Exhibitions
The Difficulty of Saying I, Abri de Swardt and Yan Xing, curated by Adomas Narkevičius, Rupert, Vilnius, 10 - 14 May 2018
Men Gather, in Speech..., Rose English, Abri de Swardt and Emma Charles, curated by Sophia Yadong Hao, Cooper Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee, 22 January – 21 February 2015
Man Magnet Melancholy, Abri de Swardt and Zoe Marden, curated by Elene Abashidze, Sarah Boulton, Jesse Darling, Sophie Jung, and Julia Marchand, Ffrigidaire, London, 10 November – 9 December 2014
Selected Group Exhibitions and Screenings
2024
Belele nje, Abathulanga/ They may be asleep, but they are not quiet/ Hulle slaap dalk, maar is nie stil nie, Hazendal Festival Soil Edition, curated by Khanyisile Mbongwa, Hazendal, Stellenbosch, 4 – 6 October
Spier Light Art, curated by Jay Pather and Vaughn Sadie, Spier, Stellenbosch, 1 March - 1 April
rooting, rubbing, pouring, dancing, treading, clenching: bodying libraries, curated by Jessa Mockridge, Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art, London, 7 January
2023
An Accumulation of Uncertainties, curated by Sinethemba Twalo and Amy Watson, NGO - Nothing Gets Organised & POOL, Johannesburg, as part of World Weather Network (ongoing)
2022
Social Impact Arts Prize 2022, Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch, 1 December - 28 February 2023
Occupation, curated by Gilles Furtwängler, Thulile Gamedze and Zen Marie, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, 13 November - 26 March 2023/ as Overnight Services
Almost Certainly Not, Hordaland Kunstsenter, Bergen, 5 August
Time is a Broken Umbrella, curated by Forms, Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town, 10 March - 21 April; KwaZulu Natal Society of Arts, Durban, 13 May - 26 June
2021
The Laboratory of Ideas, curated by Gabi Ngcobo and Sinethemba Twalo, the Public Programme of Handle with Care, The Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 25 - 30 October/ with Thulile Gamedze as Overnight Services
Tentacularity, Knotting and World-Making, curated by Mika Conradie and Amy Watson, POOL, Online, 20 October - 10 November
Emergence, curated by Anthea Buys, Forms, Online, 24 March - 10 May
2020
PLANT, curated by Wolf Britz, Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch, 6 - 15 March
2019
Holding Water, curated by Mika Conradie and Amy Watson, POOL, Johannesburg, 25 October - 31 March 2020/ with Sinethemba Twalo
Gender Prototypes, Recontres Internationales, Louvre Auditorium, Forum des images, Centre Pompidou, Le Carreau du Temple, and Cité internationale des arts, Paris, 5 - 10 March; Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, 20 - 25 August
Still Here, curated by Yates Norton, Adomas Narkevičius, and Kotryna Markevičiūtė, National Gallery of Art, Vilnius, 17 April; as part of Beyond the Perfect Image, curated by Persilia Caton, the Public Programme of Misbehaving Bodies, Wellcome Collection, London, 15 - 16 June
2018
Sunday Service, curated by Heinrich Groenewald and Brett Charles Seiler, GUS, Stellenbosch, 9 - 21 December
Buffer Zones, Screening Programme curated by Juliana Irene Smith, Platform Vaasa + Filmverkstaden, Vaasa, 1 November and 6 December
how does this become a story?, curated by Àngels Miralda, KAV 16, Tel Aviv, 6 August
Coded Encounters, curated by Jaime Welsh, Gallery Graça Brandão, Lisbon,
20 April - 2 June
writing for the ear, writing for the eye, curated by joining room and Nothing to Commit Records, The Centre for the Less Good Idea, Johannesburg, 11 - 14 April
2017
SS17, Gallery MOMO, Cape Town, 7 December - 13 January 2018
These Rotten Words, curated by George Vasey, Screening Programme Experimentica Festival, Chapter, Cardiff, 1 April
2016
Leak, Cosmos Carl, Online, 11 - 25 November
Off to Mahagonny, curated by Canan Batur, Rye Lane, London, 4 - 9 October
Blend the Acclaim of your Chant with the Timbrels, curated by George Vasey, Jerwood Staging Series, Jerwood Space, London, 12 July
I Never Read, Alma Martha, Kaserne Basel and Junges Theater Basel, Basel,
15 - 18 June
2015
New Contemporaries, selected by Hurvin Anderson, Jessie Flood-Paddock and Simon Starling, One Thoresby Street, Backlit, Primary, Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Castle, Nottingham,
18 September - 30 October; Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 25 November - 24 January 2016
Sightings, curated by Amy Watson, KwaZulu Natal Society of Arts, Durban,
18 August - 6 September
Poetics of Relation, curated by Bettina Malcomess and Uriel Orlow, The Point of Order, Johannesburg 1 – 7 February; LiveInYourHead, Geneva, 13 - 30 May
ECOCIDE, curated by @Gaybar in collaboration with Jennifer Chan and Leah Schrager, and Linda Stupart, Rye Lane Studios, London, 10 March
Dear Luxembourg (yours, bucktoothed grl), curated by Alberto García del Castillo with the company of Sophie Jung, Nosbaum Reding Projects, Luxembourg,
15 January - 07 March
2014
Fall Formal, curated by Shawn Taylor and Sb Fuller, Kappa Theta Phi, Richmond, Virginia, 31 October – 30 November
Space of no exception, curated by Anna Zhurba, SOKOL CCA, Moscow, 8 October – 4 November
Field Work, curated by Andrey Parshikov, Muzeon Park, IV Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, Moscow, 2 August
Gesture, curated by Lucy Jane Turpin, GUS, Stellenbosch, 16 July – 2 August
2013
Painting Show and Performances, curated by Mathis Gasser, Winter Projects, Art Licks Weekend, London, 4 - 6 October
Unseen Photo Fair, Cokkie Snoei Gallery, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, 26 - 29 September
COPILOT, curated by Suzanne Posthumus and Philipp Dorl, 42 King Henry's Road, London, 12 May
Digi Re-Engineering, curated by Koos van der Watt, Jan De Rooster, Jacob Lebeko and Bongani Mkhonza, University of South Africa Art Gallery, Pretoria, 9 March – 5 April
art now now: collect; discuss, curated by Anja de Klerk, US Museum, Stellenbosch, 1 - 31 March
An Experiment to Test the Destiny of the World, curated by Sober & Lonely Institute for Contemporary Art, Ithuba Arts Gallery, Johannesburg, 7 - 24 February
2012
Dismotief, an inter-disciplinary exploration of young Afrikaner masculinity by poets Tertius Kapp, Loftus Marais and Alwyn Roux; composers Pieter Bezuidenhout, Braam du Toit and Franco Prinsloo; and visual artists Steven Bosch, Richardt Strydom, and Abri de Swardt; Aardklop National Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, 2 – 6 October
Arts Lounge, Makhanda National Arts Festival, Makhanda, 28 June – 8 July
2011
Wanted magazine’s inaugural Young African Artist (Serge Alain Nitegeka, Michael Taylor, Kemang Wa Lehulere, Carla Busuttil, Gabrielle Goliath, Gerald Machona, Mohau Modisakeng, Abri de Swardt, Dineo Seshee Bopape and Ian Grose), Joburg Art Fair, Johannesburg, 22 – 25 September
Out of the Woods, Strydom Gallery, George, 3 - 30 April
KR!SP, art.b gallery, Bellville, 2 – 29 February
2010
ABSA L’Atelier, ABSA Gallery, Johannesburg, 21 July – 20 August
Mixtape Mobile Cinema, a drive-in style compendium of South African video art, Makhanda National Arts Festival, Makhanda, 23 June – 2 July
Drawing Conclusions, Strydom Gallery, George, 4 – 30 April
2009
Sasol New Signatures, Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, 26 August – 20 September
Selected Curated Events
Ridder Thirst and other readings one should ignore, ALMA MARTHA, Cape Town, readings by: Rachel Collet, Abri de Swardt, Alida Eloff, Open Arts, Artappil Skilly, and Lize van Robbroeck, 6 May 2015
Ridder Thirst and other readings, Sober & Lonely Institute for Contemporary Art, Johannesburg, readings by Abri de Swardt, Alida Eloff, Pierre Fouché, Nathan Gates, Athi Mongezeleli Joja, Hentie van der Merwe, and Ernst van der Wal,
25 February 2015
Pick-me-ups & Pick-ups, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, live performances by Sophie Jung, Jenny Moore, Paul Sammut and contributions from Sam Ashby, Karl Holmqvist and Steve Reinke, 3 June 2014
Talks
Lo’limba/ This Lineage/ Hierdie Afkoms symposium panel with Li'Tsoanelo Zwane and Prof Simeon Materechera, moderated by Lungi Morrison, Hazendal Festival Soil Edition, Hazendal, Stellenbosch, 5 October 2024
Artist Talk, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 26 March 2024
Queer Ecology Network seminar, Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, 22 May 2023
Riparian Urbanism symposium, hosted by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication in collaboration with Water for the Future, Gearhouse, Johannesburg, 22 September 2022
1985! The People’s Parks, Sites of Struggle & The Politics of Plants, African Critical Inquiry Programme Workshop, 7 April 2022
Overnight Services Artist Talk with Thulile Gamedze, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 16 March 2022
Disturbing Views – Visual Culture and Nationalisms in the 20th and 21st Centuries conference, hosted by the South African Research Chair in South African Art and Visual Culture, University of Johannesburg, 17 November 2021
Untold Stories South African Visual Arts Historians Association conference, hosted by Visual Narratives and Creative Outputs, North-West University, 30 September 2021
Toestanden #3 discussion with Thulile Gamedze, moderated by Kopano Maroga, Kunstencentrum Vooruit, Ghent, 20 September 2021
Johannesburg's Oceans colloquium, POOL and the Oceanic Humanities for the Global South, Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research, Johannesburg, 25 October 2019
RE Framing Africa: Future Archives conference, hosted by Wits History Workshop, Wits School Of Arts and Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg, 20 October 2019
Non/sensual Encounters panel with Dr Katharina Fink, Robert Machiri, Tumi Mogorosi, HOLAAfrica, Alexandra Makhlouf and Tapuwa Moore, Disabling Normativities conference, Wits Professional Development Hub, Johannesburg,
3 October 2019
Artist Talk, Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg, 27 February 2019
Artist Talk, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 24 August 2018
Artist Talk, University of South Africa, Pretoria, 22 February 2016
Discussion of The right bodies with the wrong sounds with Bettina Malcomess, Assemblage, Johannesburg, 8 December 2015
Artist Talk, University of South Africa, Pretoria, 11 March 2015
Artist Talk, Muzeon Park, IV Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, Moscow, 1 August 2014
With hands like these with Daphne de Sonneville and Catherine Smiles, Love in the Morning, Magic in the Afternoon, X Marks the Bökship, London, 10 June 2013
Forum on art now now: collect; discuss with Anja de Klerk, Joe Foster, Tasneem Khan, Danie Stander and Chris Swart, US Museum, Stellenbosch, 26 March 2013
Discussion of Melt with Nomusa Makhubu, Arts Lounge, Makhanda National Arts Festival, Makhanda, 3 July 2012
Selected Publishing
De Swardt, A. 2022. A Certain System, in Das Bauhaus verfehlen/Missing the Bauhaus, edited by Katharina Fink, Alex Opper and Nadine Siegert. iwalewabooks: Bayreuth. p. 208 – 245.
De Swardt, A. 2017. Abri de Swardt in conversation with Bettina Malcomess on Anne Historical, in Africa, Telling a World, edited by Ginerva Bria. Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea. Silvana Editoriale: Milan. p. 94 - 99.
De Swardt, A. 2011. Another Aperture: Craft Towards an Alternative Photography, in Tracing Shadows the monograph of Pierre Fouché. whatiftheworld gallery: Cape Town. p. 9 – 21.
De Swardt, A. 2011. Berni Searle 'Shimmer' review. Art South Africa 10 (01), Spring. p. 73.
De Swardt, A. 2014. B OT TOM OF T HE W ORL D. How to Sleep Faster 5, Winter. Edited by Tom Clark, Rózsa Farkas, Holly Childs, and Leila Kozma. London: Arcadia Missa Publications.
De Swardt, A. 2012. Georgina Gratrix 'My Show' review. Art South Africa 10 (04), Winter. p. 68 – 69.
De Swardt, A. 2021. On Glowing Struggle. POOL: Johannesburg. p. 1 - 15.
De Swardt, A. 2020. On Suspense and Anticipation, in the monograph of Pierre Fouché. whatiftheworld gallery: Cape Town. p. 26 – 37.
De Swardt, A. 2017. Real Eyes (on Alice Mertens). Adjective, Issue 02, Winter. p. 42 - 43.
De Swardt, A. 2021. Riverwork. wherewithall: Johannesburg.
De Swardt, A. 2018. Wat Praat Jy! On Contemporary Art & Afrikaans. Adjective, Issue 03, Summer. p. 36 - 45.
Gamedze, T. & De Swardt, A. 2023. Tryptophan, Mush and Mattress Pumps and Overnight Services: Coda, in Handle with Care, edited by Gabi Ngcobo, the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria: Pretoria. p. 89 - 132.
Educational and Other Experiences
Sessional Lecturer in Cinematic Fiction Forms, Film & Television Department, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2024
Sessional Lecturer in Fine Arts, Department of Fine Arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2024
Sessional Lecturer in Critical Theories and Visual Cultures & Research Project, Department of Fine Arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2024
Sessional Lecturer in Screen Studies, 'Third Cinema', Film & Television Department, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2024
Sessional Lecturer in Performativity, ‘Dermographia’, Department of Fine Arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2022
Sessional Lecturer in Reading the Contemporary, ‘Ways of Being’, Department of Fine Arts and History of Art, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2020
Part-time Lecturer in Visual Studies, ‘Ways of Being’, and Visual Studies 278, 'African Materialities', Stellenbosch University, 2020
Sessional Lecturer in Critical Theories and Visual Cultures, ‘Ways of Being’, & Art Criticism, Department of Fine Arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2019
Advisor and Facilitator for 10:Queer Workshop, Photo: and the Photography Education Trust, 2018
Guest Lecturer in Fine Art Practice, Department of Fine Art, Rhodes University, 2018
Guest Lecturer in Art History & Visual Cultures Honours, Department of Fine Art, Rhodes University, 2018
Sessional Lecturer in Reading the Contemporary, 'Strategies for Survival', Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2017
Part-time Writer and Researcher, South African History Online, 2017
Projection Scenographer, Piekniek by Mpande née Dingaan, theatre production directed by Wolf Britz, Woordfees, Stellenbosch; and Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn, 2017
Sessional Teaching in Cross-Disciplinary Practice, 'Staging Mediums', Department of Fine Arts, Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, 2016
Guest Lecturer in Theory, Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography, 2011 - 2012
Part-time Lecturer in Visual Studies, Stellenbosch University, 2011 - 2012
Awards & Grants
National Arts Council of South Africa Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme 4 Grant 2023 - 2024
Social Impact Arts Prize 2022
Foam Paul Huf Nominee 2022
National Arts Council of South Africa Project Funding 2016 - 2017
African Arts Trust 2016
Rome Fellowship for Contemporary Art (Shortlist) 2016
Prince Claus Ticket Fund 2015
Skye Foundation Scholarship 2012 - 2014
Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Grant 2013 - 2014
National Arts Council of South Africa Bursary Grant 2012 - 2013
Goldsmiths International Postgraduate Scholarship 2012 - 2013
Maggie Laubser Bursary 2012
Rector’s Award for Excellent Achievement in The Arts and Social Sciences, Stellenbosch University 2011
Naledi Pandor National Research Fund Honours Bursary 2011
Ackerman Family Trust Bursary 2010 - 2011
Timo Smuts Award 2010
ABSA L’Atelier Merit Award 2010
Sasol New Signatures Merit Award 2009
Bibliography
Bain, Keith. 2024. Light, light, baby — Spier’s after-dark art exhibition is a call to free your mind. Daily Maverick. 20 March.
Bazil, Madeleine. 2024. Tracing Flows: The Fluvial Landscape in Abri de Swardt’s ‘Kammakamma’. ArtThrob. 28 February.
Caton, Persilia. 2014. Catapult Screensaver conversation on iChat. The Standard Evening. 7 July. p. 14-15.
De Swardt, Abri & Gamedze, Thuli. 2021. Ideasthesia in Rehearsal: ‘Overnight Services’ at Javett Art Centre. ArtThrob. 29 November.
Gamedze, Thuli. 2023. The System Turn in Joburg Contemporary Art: Part II. ArtThrob. 29 May.
Hart, Gemma. 2018. Collaging Historiographies of Queer Youth. Bubblegum Club. 9 May.
Hart, Gemma. 2018. Strategies for Survival – An Arts Course Countering Histories of Erasure. Bubblegum Club. 7 March.
Hart, Gemma. 2021. Undulating Edges: 'Emergence' at FORMS Gallery. ArtThrob. 26 April.
Jacobs, Katharine. 2010. Fresh young blood as Maties and Michaelis announce Prize winner. ArtThrob. 11 December.
Keylock, Miles. 2011. Cape Art Picks: May 13 2011. Mail & Guardian. 13 May.
Kros, Cynthia. 2022. Can the archive restore you? A study of three works: Mpho Khwezi’s A Piece of Paper (2020), Abri de Swardt’s Ridder Thirst (2018) and Eva Knopf’s Majubs Reise (2013). Journal of African Cinemas, 14 (2&3). p. 149 - 166.
Lion-Cachet, Francois. 2018. In gesprek met Abri de Swardt oor sy uitstalling 'Ridder Thirst'. Klyntji. 24 August.
McMichael, Christoper. 2019. Bringing the Ocean to Joburg: The Holding Water Project at POOL. Bubblegum Club. 20 November.
Müller, Andréa. 2024. Die Eersterivier as verteller in Abri de Swardt se Kammakamma. Klyntji. 3 March.
Munnik, Georgia. 2024. Short film project pushes against the current. Mail & Guardian. 23 February. p.42.
Nieuwoudt, Stephanie. 2012. De Swardt gaan sy kuns slyp met beurs. Die Burger. 16 August. p. 14.
Norris, Valerie. 2015. Men Gather, in Speech.... this is tomorrow. 19 February.
O’Toole, Sean. 2010. Abri de Swardt Stands out at Gradex’10. Art Africa. 7 December.
Panchia, Bhavisha. 2020. Abri de Swardt: Ridder Thirst LP. Africanah.org. 8 May.
Reid, Chloë. 2022. Event Horizon. Forms. 10 March.
Reid, Chloë. 2022. Kammakamma. Social Impact Art Prize. 1 December.
Sanchez-Kozyreva, Cristina. 2018. Critic’s Guide to the Best Shows in Lisbon. Frieze. 15 May.
Sey, James. 2011. Abri de Swardt. Wanted. September. p. 30-31.
Shinners, Keely. 2024. Encroaching on Eden: Spier Light Art 2024. ArtThrob. 28 March.
Stehle, Rudolf. 2012. Collages wat kap na mag, narsisme. Beeld. 27 October. p. 12.
Stupart, Linda. 2011. To Walk on Water. Mahala. 6 June.
Residencies
Nirox Foundation, Cradle of Humankind, 20 November - 20 December 2023
Gallery University Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 1 September - 15 November 2023
Hordaland Kunstsenter, Bergen, 1 June - 13 July 2020 (Online) & 11 July - 9 August 2022
Rupert, Vilnius, 2 - 31 May 2018
The African Arts Trust Residency, Assemblage, Johannesburg, 1 October - 15 December 2015
DIVA, University of Witwatersrand / HEAD, Geneva University of the Arts Poetics of Relation Exchange, Johannesburg and Geneva, 1 February - 18 May 2015
Sober & Lonely Institute for Contemporary Art, Johannesburg, 7 January - 28 February 2015
ICA Moscow/Goldsmiths Summer Residency sponsored by the Tsukanov Family Foundation, Moscow and Vishniy Volochek, 18 July – 6 August 2014
One-day residency at Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, 9 October 2009