Top Artist In South Africa

Who is an Artist?

An artist who practices or works in technical drawing may be called a drafter, draftsman, or draughtsman.

Top Artist In South Africa

Penny Siopis (1953 – Present)

Artist NamePenny Siopis
Birth Date1953
Where the Artist Was BornVryburg, North West Province
Mediums UsedPainting, installation, film

Penny Siopis is one of South Africa’s celebrated female artists and an honorary professor at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. In her work, she explores what she calls, “Poetic Vulnerability” through topics such as violence, shame, sexuality, migration, history, and memory in a variety of media, including painting, installation, and film.

William Kentridge (1955 – Present)

Artist NameWilliam Kentridge
Birth Date1955
Where the Artist Was BornJohannesburg, Gauteng Province
Mediums UsedCharcoal drawing, prints, animated film

William Kentridge is considered one of South Africa’s most important artists. Born in Johannesburg, his work is a form of self-reflection, indicating his passion for social justice as he investigates the effects that apartheid and colonialism have had on South Africa.

Deborah Bell (1957 – Present)

Artist NameDeborah Bell
Birth Date1957
Where the Artist Was BornJohannesburg, Gauteng Province
Mediums UsedPainting, etching, sculpture

Deborah Bell is a celebrated artist of South Africa, working in a variety of media on canvas and paper, as well as printmaking and producing large-scale bronze sculptures. She studied at the University of the Witwatersrand where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Honors Degree and Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. 

Jane Alexander (1959 – Present)

Artist NameJane Alexander
Birth Date1959
Where the Artist Was BornJohannesburg, Gauteng Province
Mediums UsedSculpture, photography, video, photomontage

Jane Alexander is a prominent South African artist who has received international respect for her eerie figurative sculptures, installations, and photomontages. Having grown up under the apartheid regime, her work is heavily influenced by that political and social environment and the global aftermath.

Who is the most famous drawing artist in South Africa?

William Kentridge

Arguably the most important African artist up to this day, William Kentridge is one of the most important contemporary painters and opens our article in true style. Born in 1955 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the iconic artist continues to work and reside in Johannesburg.