A Critical Appraisal of Zolani Mkiva’s Biographical Details that Colour His Post-apartheid Poetry

The debate on the significance of an artist’s biographical details on his or her aesthetic work continues to grow. Some scholars argue that the upbringing and life of an artist have little or no influence on the work they produce, while others warn against the danger of bias as a result of basing analysis on author’s biographical details. In contrast, other scholars view biographical details as influencing authorial ideology, as art is not produced in a vacuum. Therefore, it was the aim of this article to examine the influence of Zolani Mkiva’s biographical details on his aesthetic work in the post-apartheid era. In answering the question, does Mkiva’s biographical details have an influence in his aesthetic works, the article analyses his post-apartheid poems. The results support the view that the artist’s upbringing and life contributes to his authorial ideology on his other aesthetic work, and thus should be considered in the analysis of artist’s work as they offer insights in understanding artist’s work.