Zama Mwandla (b. 2000, Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal) is a Johannesburg-based surrealist painter and sculptor whose bold, narrative oil paintings confront the psychological aftermath of rape and the complexities of healing. Drawing from her own lived experience, she creates fantastical yet visceral worlds inhabited by hybrid figures that symbolize trauma, rage, and recovery. Influenced by Baroque art, Japanese erotic art, and psychological anime, her work offers both solace and provocation, compelling viewers to face the realities of gender-based violence. Mwandla holds a BAFA (Hons) from the University of the Witwatersrand and has exhibited locally and internationally, including African Feminisms (Afems) (2019) and the 54th Art & Antique Fair in Salzburg (2023). Her works are held in collections such as the Schuetz Art Museum (Austria) and the Amawal Collection (Spain).