Meet Thabiso Dakamela

Thabiso is an urban born and raised visual artist based in Johannesburg. Born to a Ndebele mother and a Venda father. The artist's inspiration owes much to the day to day lives in the inner city. A sharp observer and social commentator with an amazing gift in analysis of present surroundings and its influences on life. Despite his ability to work in so many mediums, Thabiso prefers acrylic, charcoal and oils. His work blends abstract and realistic features in an impasto presentation to make it unique and peculiar.

Amidst today's toils and hustles , he portrays positivity through women and children as these two social groups have been on the rise in recent decades. His work is rich in short series and subtext thoughts that evoke feelings and emotions that encourage positive graces in his audience. The whole essence of living is to make someone else feel alive as well

Drawn always to something that bubbles with joy and positivity, my work has a deeper meaning as it tells day to day stories of life challenges, victories and memories. I portray mostly women and children,as I believe they are the future, and thus deserve some recognition which is equivalent to that of men. One cannot help but notice the use of warm and bright colors, especially on my backgrounds, yet with a touch of complexity especially where mixed media and brush strokes are employed.

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