Artists We Love: Thabiso Lindani Mbambo

INTERVIEWED BY Cheri Morris IMAGES ink361.com

Young Durban-based artist and graphic designer Thabiso Lindani Mbambo is fusing African inspirations with pop culture in colourful portraits that ooze edginess.

Twenty-four-year-old Thabiso fell in love with art at a tender age through his fascination with his father’s paintings of public figures. As an introvert and observant individual, he went on to study Visual Art at school and later Graphic Design at the Durban University of Technology. We caught up with him to see what his work is all about.

We see your style as something along the lines of African-inspired Pop Art. How would you describe your style?

Yes, it’s exactly as you put it: African Pop Art. It is a fusion of African culture with Western popular culture; an afro-cool aesthetic, so to say. My style developed through my primary interest in traditional and cultural attire and my simultaneous fascination with popular culture, which I found lacked the cultural influences that I liked. I then decided to create a series of portraits where I combined the rich colourful aesthetic of South African attire with the cool edginess of popular culture.

What mediums do you use to create your pieces?

I love to alternate between both traditional and digital mediums. Traditionally speaking, I work with watercolours and Quink ink washes. The digital portraits are a combination of different physiognomic references that are fused to create a new person. I sketch these using pencil and fine-liner and then scan and work on them through Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m inspired by South African culture, beadwork and traditional attire. I am also inspired by many contemporary artists such as Loyiso Mkize with his hyper-realistic paintings, Nelson Makamo’s portraits and Sarah Golish. I also draw inspiration from photographers like Ben Bond and Osborne Macharia. Instagram and Pinterest are also great sources of inspiration for me.

Tell us about your most memorable moment as an artist.

My most memorable moment was as a student, when I was selected to exhibit at the Loeries Emerging Creatives exhibition. I got to liaise with other students and expose my work to established creatives in South Africa.

What are you currently working on?

Currently I work as a junior designer at a small design agency by day and by night I focus on illustrating. I’m working on a few freelance illustrations creating cover art for a comic book soundtrack and trying to finish the Portrait Series I started.

In a sea of South African contemporary artists, what do you feel that you bring to the table that no one else does?

A different perspective; my perspective on South African culture. No two perspectives are alike, maybe similar, but not identical. I bring the afro-cool edge!

If you could collaborate with any South African artist, who would it be?

Loyiso Mkize.

What’s next for you?

I would love to exhibit a full body of work! I want to explore and delve deeper into my subject matter and see how I can improve upon what I have. And of course, meeting work deadlines. I still have a job to keep.

Check out more of Thabiso’s work on INK361.