Mokgalaka grew up as the third child to a single mom living in Limpopo. Although his school didn’t have any art classes, he often found himself sketching during his lessons to the point where even his teachers would comment on his talent.
“My dream was actually to be a forensic artist to help my country fight crime. But when I checked out courses, I couldn’t afford it,” revealed Mokgalaka.
In 2006, he moved to Johannesburg, thanks to his sister, who is a security guard. “She granted me the opportunity to come and stay with her.” This also gave him the chance to attend a few scattered art classes and fine-tune his art skills.
He had a job as a bartender in Montecasino for a while, but it was in no way related to his artistic passion, and after a few years, he left it in order to immerse himself in his art.
“In 2010, I became a father, so my life automatically changed. Instead of me thinking about me and my fiancée, I had to think about the child more and that’s when I needed an income.” He then got a job at a company in Jeppestown, where he learned all the tricks of the screen-printing trade.
While Mokgalaka enjoys drawing and painting landscapes, his passion is portraits. And it shows. He may use photographs as inspiration, but the attention to detail and the textures in each artwork is astonishing.
He believes that art is another form of expression that can be used to change the world. “There should be a lot of opportunities for artists because we can influence social change and inspire young people to do what they’re passionate about.”
He wants to use his talent to inspire younger generations and open an art and design studio which will provide workshops for aspiring artists. “It’s a talent that I have. So sharing it with others will make me feel fulfilled.”
Details: 073 700 4013.
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