Moeketsi Moahloli

Born in Soweto, South Africa, Moeketsi Moahloli was raised by a loving single mother and experienced the challenges of life from a young age.
“Being raised by a single mother wasn’t easy,” the gentle artist reflects, “but she did her best to equip me with the necessary tools to survive in this world.”

A self-taught artist, Moeketsi financed his own education through bursaries and student loans. After matriculating in 2003, he enrolled at the University of Johannesburg in 2005 and worked hard to achieve his goals. He studied Multimedia Design and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2008.

From 2009 to 2015, he worked as a graphic designer, gaining valuable experience that continues to inform his artistic practice. In 2016, he volunteered to teach drawing classes under the mentorship of artist Edward Selematsela, who became a significant influence in his
journey.

Moeketsi’s passion for fine art flourished, and with support from the Emerging Artists Development Trust (EADT), he began exhibiting his work internationally, gaining recognition, popularity, and growing art sales.

His work is rooted in mixed media, using charcoals, soft pastels, newspaper collage, fabric collage, and acrylic paint. Charcoal allows him to create striking contrasts of light, texture, and composition, while soft pastels infuse his pieces with vibrancy and emotion. The use of newspapers introduces elements of news and storytelling, adding conceptual depth. Traditional fabrics feature prominently, symbolizing identity and expressing personal, cultural, and social connections.

Moeketsi’s delicate, layered works celebrate the people who leave impressions on the world he inhabits, and the rich cultural diversity that still surrounds him in Soweto today. His art captures life as he experiences it — at ground level — mirroring the everyday moments that define his community.

Moeketsi Moahloli has participated in numerous group exhibitions across South Africa. Since 2019, he has been an integral part of The Travelling Art Gallery, exhibiting in Europe. In Cape Town, he is represented by The Artists Gallery.