Paul Sekete

Paul Sekete was born in 1957 in the Free State, South Africa. After finishing school, he briefly worked as a miner before joining the Katlehong Art Centre, where he began developing his artistic practice. He was largely self-taught and worked across a range of mediums, including painting and sculpture, using materials such as clay, wood, linocut, woodcut, oil, acrylic, and bronze.

Throughout his career, Sekete took part in many group exhibitions both in South Africa and internationally, with his first solo exhibition held in Johannesburg in 1990. His work is known for its distinctive style, where he used distortion, elongated figures, and exaggerated proportions to represent the human form. He often combined these with strong linear elements.

His early artworks were inspired by township life, capturing everyday scenes with a vivid, almost glowing quality. Over time, especially after moving to Cape Town in 1999, his style shifted toward more earthy tones and a more symbolic, expressive visual language. His later work explored both real and imagined spaces, blending familiarity with mystery.

Reference:

Everard-read-capetown.co.za. (2025). PAUL SEKETE | Biography | Everard Read - Cape Town. [online] Available at: https://www.everard-read-capet... [Accessed 24 Apr. 2026].