° 1975

Lives in London (United Kingdom).

The London based artist and author Samson Kambalu studied at the University of Malawi (BA Fine Art and Ethnomusicology, 1995-99); Nottingham Trent University (MA Fine Art, 2002-03) and Chelsea College of Art and Design (PhD, 2011 – present).

His first book, The Jive Talker or How to Get A British Passport, published by Jonathan Cape and Simon and Schuster in 2008, was awarded Winner of the National Book Tokens ‘Global Reads’ Prize (2010) and has been on a performative reading tour with ArtLink, Switzerland. The book has been translated into German by Unionsverlag (2010). His recent novel, Uccello’s Vineyard explores the relationship between art and photography and is playfully set in the Middle Ages during the High Renaissance, against a background of the social and religious upheavals of the Reformation.

His recent solo show, Tattoo City, 2012, at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester, included guest artists Josesph Beuys and Jochem Hendricks. Kambalu’s other exhibitions include Cabaret Voltaire, Zurich (2010); Sai Gallery, Osaka (2009); Tokyo International Art Festival (2009); New Art Exchange, Nottingham (2004, 2008); Whitechapel Gallery, London (2008); Brooklyn Institute of Contemporary Art, New York (2006); Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig (2006); Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery (2005); Barbican, London (2004); Liverpool Biennial (2004); Museum De Paviljoens, Almere (2003); Stedelijk Museum, Zwolle (2003) and Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba (2000).