Russel Hlongwane is a cultural producer based between Cape Town and Durban, South
Africa. His work is located at the intersection of Heritage/ Modernity and Culture/ Tradition as they apply to black life. His said practice includes artistic research, film, creative producing, design theory, curatorship, writing and performance – often against the backdrop of installation form.
He has curated exhibitions and art platforms locally and abroad. His artistic work has shown extensively across Europe and Africa, whilst, to a lesser degree across parts of east Asia, United States and Latin America.
His experimental film, Ifu Elimnyama: The Dark Cloud’ received the Jury Prize (2019) at the Sharjah Film Platform.
He has published through academic and art journals on design, artistic practice, technopolitics and urban studies. As a consultant, he works with cultural institutions and government departments concerned with providing meaningful support to creative ecologies. As part of this interest, he has served on boards of many organisations in the sector, currently on the Prince Claus International Advisory Committee (2023-2025).
Hlongwane has also contributed to various panels and symposia on culture and urbanity.
He is currently (2024) pursuing a MPhil in Southern Urbanism at the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town.
