kyle malanda

About

kyle malanda (b. 1994) is a Malaŵian visual artist whose work explores identity at the intersections of sexuality, indigenous spirituality, and mortality. Her struggle with identity manifests through depictions of Black faceless feminine figures, depersonalising and anonymising her subjects. Using motifs rooted in Ngonde ontology and the realm of lucid dreams, kyle’s photographic and textile works are an invitation into her surrealist world, where truth stretches beyond what the eye can see.

kyle is a 2022 Prince Claus SEED Awardee and 2025 Pro Helvetia (Swiss Arts Council) Artist in Residence. Her works have been exhibited in Africa, the US, and Europe. She co-founded and co-curated RETROSPECT— a retrospective exhibition exclusively for queer African artists.

kyle lives and works between Lilongwe and Northern California.

Using Format