In 1995, Phulusho Desmond Ngomane was born in eGame, Mpumalanga, a semi-rural settlement located in-between the outskirts of White River and Hazyview. As an inquisitive child, he enjoyed art at school but longed for more and so he taught himself how to draw by drawing almost every Dragon Ball Z character including some of his friends. Using a stick or his hands, he often drew in the soil or in books his cousins were no longer using.
For a long time, art was only a hobby. But as he grew older, his interest grew and so went on to complete a Fine Arts degree at TUT (Tshwane University of Technology). There, he developed into an illustrator, painter and visual artist and remains based in Pretoria where he works as a freelance illustrator.
Why hair?
In a nutshell, Phulusho celebrates hair because it defies the Western standard of beauty and it is often styled and carried by both females and males. His art serves to pay homage to prominent hair cuts that have influenced Hip Hop, Pop, and Street Culture since time immemorial. One of these cuts is the Hi-Top trend, which symbolised the Golden Age of Hip Hop and Urban Contemporary music during the 1980s and the early 1990s. He also features dreadlocks and other styles.
Melanated Cotton Candy
There she glows
Joy is increased by spreading it to others
The most precious sight, the smile of a child
The artistic process
On average, a piece takes about three to four days: two days are for rough drafts and the remaining one or two days for polishing and finalising the artwork and adding some distinguishing elements. He had been drawing on a Wacom Intuos S but has recently upgraded to the XP-Pen Artist24 Pro.
And having it printed feels “tremendously amazing. It is equal to the feeling a chef gets when serving a meal they’ve prepared.”
Process of ‘We forge the chains we wear in life’
We forge the chains we wear in life
Close-up of ‘We forge the chains we wear in life’
Phulusho is truly inspiring who urges other artists to just be themselves and do what makes them happy. “Express yourself by delving deeper into your aspirations and conveying them through art.”
Follow Phulusho Desmond Ngomane on Facebook to enjoy more of his work.
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