The 41-year-old multi-disciplinary artist tells of honouring Black lives in his latest collection, overcoming dyslexia, and showcasing at Expo Chicago.
The inspiration behind Black Figuration
- The collection documents the lives of Black people in a beautiful way, demonstrating honour and pride.
- Through an artist’s lens, I’m looking at Renaissance work and then placing Black bodies in a time when they were largely excluded.
- Black people deserve great things too — they deserve peace, relaxation, opulence, royalty, and joy.
Expo Chicago exhibition
- I’m so excited. It’s been my dream to participate on the world stage, and Expo Chicago is one of the top-tier art fairs.
- I’ve always wanted to be part of the art world and not just hustle around it, which is what I’ve constantly been doing.
- I can’t wait to see my world and my new collection presented on that stage.
- I want people to leave feeling pride and love for what I do and what I see in my people.
How Soweto and Venda shaped my artistic acumen
- I was born in Soweto, but during the December holidays, my parents would take us to Venda to spend time with my grandfather and extended family.
- Soweto is fast-paced, and you learn to be street-smart.
- In Venda, it’s rural, quiet, and rich in food, culture, traditions, and language.
- Experiencing both worlds shaped me into the man I am.
Turning art into a career
- In 2022, I applied to exhibit at the Venice Biennale, and they accepted me — not inside the main pavilion, but I was asked to send my work.
- It was a moment of truth for me, when I knew this career is real; since then, I have given it my all.
How dyslexia became my superpower
- Being dyslexic made me feel inadequate and sidelined, and I was labelled as dumb by all my teachers.
- Dyslexia is a superpower. It allowed me to interrogate things differently and gave me a better perspective on life.
- The beauty of it was that it allowed me to experience hardship, which made me resilient and thick-skinned.
- Now, as an adult, I’m able to navigate through anything that, even when people say you won’t make it or you can’t do this, I’m able to do it regardless.
Advice for parents raising dyslexic children
- Not being able to spell or read and write well is not a definition of being smart or dumb.
- Protect and help your children.
- If your child is struggling with spelling, writing or reading, you can seek help.
- Be more present with your kids. Look at them, check on them, search online to see what the signs of dyslexia are and what support they need.
- Support your kids with simple switches, such as using a font that dyslexic people find easier to read and read more slowly.
- There’s nothing wrong with dyslexic people — you might be sitting with a super-intelligent kid who is simply misunderstood.
Tips for upcoming artists
- Talent is never enough.
- If you pair talent with hard work, you stand a good chance.
- It will be hard, and you will get many no’s; that’s why pursuing art must be first for you.
- Find a job outside your art that will sustain you and allow you to buy art supplies.
