Paul Molete

Dikgwele Paul Molete is a South African independent artist, printmaker, and art therapist whose practice is strongly associated with socially engaged printmaking. He is linked to the Artist Proof Studio, where he also taught printmaking for several years, contributing to its pedagogical and artistic development.

Molete’s formal training spans multiple institutions and disciplines. He matriculated at Kagiso Senior Secondary School in Krugersdorp (1990) and holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from FUBA Academy (1993). He further obtained a Certificate in Printmaking (1997), a Certificate in Art Therapy (2002), and a Certificate in Design and Teacher’s Art Training from Wits Technikon (2002). This diverse training informs his interdisciplinary approach to image-making and teaching.

His printmaking practice is recognised for its dense, textured surfaces and layered compositions that combine figurative and abstract elements. Often large in scale, his works engage urgent social themes, including violence, moral disintegration, and collective trauma. Through works such as Odium, Body Parts Circle, and Murder I & II, Molete uses printmaking as a critical medium for social commentary, exploring the psychological and ethical dimensions of contemporary life.

In 2003, Molete won the printmaking category of the Brett Kebble Art Awards, a significant recognition of his contribution to South African printmaking. That same year, he undertook artist residencies at the Belfast Studio and the Black Church Studio in Dublin, Ireland, expanding his international exposure and professional practice.

Alongside his studio work, Molete has contributed to arts education and therapeutic practice, integrating creative processes into developmental and reflective frameworks. His work has been exhibited both locally and internationally and is included in collections such as the SABC Art Collection.

Molete’s practice is defined by its intensity, technical sophistication, and sustained engagement with social realities, positioning printmaking as both an expressive and critical tool within contemporary South African art.

Reference List

Art on Paper (n.d.) Dikgwele Paul Molete. Available at: https://artonpaper.co.za/view.asp?pg=gallery&subm=gallery_results&producers=yes&identity=Dikgwele%20Paul%20Molete (Accessed: 22 April 2026).

SABC Art Collection (n.d.) Dikgwele Paul Molete. Available at: https://www.sabc.co.za (Accessed: 22 April 2026).

Artist Proof Studio (n.d.) Artist Profile: Dikgwele Paul Molete. Johannesburg: Artist Proof Studio.