The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) has appointed Tandazani Dhlakama as its new Curator of Global Africa, marking a significant step in the institution’s ongoing commitment to African art and culture.
A Zimbabwean-born curator with 15 years of experience, Dhlakama has worked extensively with African and diaspora artists in Zimbabwe and South Africa. She joins ROM from Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town, where she held multiple roles, including Curator, Assistant Curator, and Education Manager.
Josh Basseches, ROM’s Director & CEO, expressed enthusiasm about Dhlakama’s appointment, stating,
“We are delighted to welcome Tandazani Dhlakama—an accomplished curator with a singular vision and an international outlook. Her leadership will strengthen ROM’s engagement with African art and culture, making the Museum more representative and inclusive for Toronto’s diverse communities.”
In her new role, Dhlakama will oversee the stewardship and reinterpretation of Canada’s most extensive collection of African art and material culture. She will spearhead a dynamic curatorial approach, reimagining both temporary and permanent exhibitions while fostering deeper engagement with African and diaspora communities in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
“I look forward to amplifying the narratives of the African continent and its multifaceted diaspora,” says Dhlakama. “By collaborating with communities and colleagues locally and internationally, we can highlight entangled histories and address pressing contemporary issues.”
Dhlakama’s curatorial expertise spans a range of major exhibitions. She co-curated When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting at Zeitz MOCAA (2022), which later traveled to Kunstmuseum Basel (2024). Her work also includes Bamako Encounters at the African Biennale of Photography (2022) and Witness: Afro Perspectives from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection at El Espacio 23 in Miami (2020). Additionally, she curated Five Bhobh: Painting at the End of an Era (2018) at Zeitz MOCAA and several exhibitions at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.
A scholar as well as a curator, Dhlakama holds an MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies from the University of Leeds in the UK and a BA in Fine Art and Political Science from St. Lawrence University in the US.
Her appointment follows an international search process led by Museum Search & Reference, reinforcing ROM’s dedication to bringing world-class expertise to its leadership team.
With her extensive experience and commitment to redefining African narratives in contemporary museum spaces, Dhlakama’s tenure at ROM promises to bring fresh perspectives and inclusive storytelling to one of Canada’s most renowned cultural institutions.
