About

.jpg by Gabriella Achadinha courtesy of 10and5

Multi Disciplinary Artist

Dada Khanyisa, a Joburg raised and Cape Town based artist. Graduate at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. My visual interests are invested in texture and multiple dimensions; as a result I create sculptural paintings and relate-able objects. The objects I speak of include a re-interpreted wall unit, figurines, reconstructed sneakers, digital illustrations and sometimes a tattoo on someone. Visuals I create are centred on people and the habits they adopt to keep themselves busy, fed, warm and happy. My focus on the human condition stems from the various spaces I have called home; these spaces create a multi-faceted diagram of my reality. I understand that I have to greet strangers in rural KZN, keep my phone guarded while in central Joburg and ask a white mate to call the agent if I am looking for accommodation in Cape Town. Most of the work I produce is about the black experience; the weight of the content is based on the currency of memories. I enjoy focusing on what people neglect or take for granted- their daily tasks and what was part of their growing experience. The work acts as a social mirror with some distortions which are fuelled by the imagination and a particular agenda.

I usually jump between disciplines when working on projects. The most recent project was painting a 35x5m mural at the nationally important Constitution Hill. Prior to that, Stevenson Gallery took Ama #wcw to the 2017 Miami Art Basel. In the same month, a limited number of reconstructed Converse All Stars were available at the Guild Africa store.