David Madlabane

Johannesburg-based visual artist David Madlabane (b. 1996), professionally known as David Blakc, interrogates the interplay between identity, environment, and architectural form. His practice is rooted in the lived experience of journeying through Johannesburg, observing how people and places shape one another in subtle yet profound ways. Through this perspective, he explores the human life cycle and the inevitability of change: how individuals grow, come of age, adapt, and navigate transformative moments within an urban landscape that is itself constantly evolving.

Madlabane positions the human figure at the centre of his compositions, using posture and expression to evoke shared vulnerability and introspection. His mark-making draws directly from fingerprints, reimagined as organic contour lines that construct portraits. These fluid, biological lines reflect identity’s instability, while the negative spaces between them point to erasure, fragmented histories, and the rigid ideologies that shape self-perception. In contrast, rigid architectural elements drawn from Johannesburg’s eclectic skyline represent the structured systems, social, political, and spatial, that consciously and subconsciously influence behaviour. Through these layered visual tensions, Madlabane juxtaposes the organic (human) with the structural (urban), highlighting how the city mirrors the self.

Madlabane’s practice spans an array of mediums, with a strong foundation in traditional printmaking, including linocut, silkscreen, and etching. He has honed his technical expertise through roles as studio assistant at Artist Proof Studio’s pro shop and in William Kentridge’s renowned studio. His dynamic contributions have earned significant recognition, including the People’s Choice Award at the Strauss & Co Art Competition and first prize in a collaborative project with Artist Proof Studio and Cartier, showcased at the FNB Joburg Art Fair. He has also been a finalist for the Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize, with his works residing in notable collections such as The Legacy Group, including installations at Johannesburg’s iconic Leonardo Building.

Continuing to expand his reach, Madlabane has partnered with institutions such as the Los Angeles Printmaking Society, strengthening his cross-cultural engagement. With a vision to transcend borders, he aims to further establish himself on the global stage.