IMRAAN CHRISTIAN
(b. 1992 Cape Town, South Africa)

‘Decolonization is only half of the process. From it we understand that deep indigenous knowledge has been erased from the history books, and it is now the role of the story-teller to recreate and reimagine these truths. My goal is now merging all these mediums to create new knowledge systems across the global south with the hope of empowering the youth to build our future worlds.’ - Imraan Christian

Imraan Christian is a visual artist and activist whose practice draws on indigenous knowledge systems, mysticism and South African socio-political history. His work engages themes of lineage, migration and ancestral memory. He lives and works in Cape Town.

His documentation of the student uprising of 2015/2016 in South Africa catapulted his work into the international spotlight. With grassroots activism and a particular focus on decolonization and innovation as his chosen voice, he then blazed a trail through the art, and advertising world collaborating with entities such as UNICEF, CNN, BBC world services, Highsnobiety, Nike, Vogue Italia’s Photo Vogue, MTV, Brand South Africa and many more. His artworks have been exhibited in South Africa, Germany and Sweden. He is a 2023 recipient of Levi's PhotoVogue grant and was a Don Julio artist in residence in 2024.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2026

Suleiman’s Sun, solo, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Lumenocity, Company Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

2025

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Motherhood, Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2024

Winter Collection, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

Ma se kinders, solo, Everard Read, Cape Town South Africa

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with ARTCO Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

Espiritu, Inimitable, Muldersdrift, South Africa

2023

RMB Latitudes Art Fair, group show, with ARTCO Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

Winter, group show, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Photo Vogue Festival, Milan, Italy

2022

Afrika, group show, Künstler Forum Schloss Zweibrüggen, with ARTCO Gallery, Aachen, Germany

2020

Vogue Photo Festival, group show, with ARTCO Gallery, Milan, Italy

Gwala, two person show, ARTCO Gallery, Berlin, Germany

Look at me, group show, ARTCO Gallery, Aachen, Germany

2017

Dislocation, group show, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2016

Hiervandaan/From Here On/Ndisuka, group show, Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust, Stellenbosch, South Africa