Artist Bio

Daniel Levi is a visual artist working in painting, photography and film.

Born in Johannesburg in 1973, Levi is a second generation South African of German and Lithuanian Jewish decent.

Graduated in 1991 at Woodmead High School with distinctions in Art and Drama - with highest marks in art in the city of Johannesburg.

Graduated with distinction in painting from Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town in 1995 (BAFA Honours). Dean’s Merit List; 3rd and 4th years.

Exhibited between 1995-1998 : Michaelis Graduate Show, International Exhibition of Art Colleges in Hiroshima, 1st JHB Art Biennale, ‘Cunning Stunts’ Jhb Fringe, Warren Siebrits Group Show, Jhb. 1998 - 2000 : Co-Creative Director with Matthew Hindley of Blades, design collective.

2001-2002 : Senior Designer at Delapse, Johannesburg.

2002 - 2017 : Writing and directing short films, music videos and commercials in UK, USA and South Africa. Wrote and directed music videos for Massive Attack, Interpol, Prodigy, LFO, Plan B, amongst others. Directed TV and cinema commercials for X-Box, Nike, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Guinness and many more. Lectured and presented talks/workshops over the years on a freelance capacity in visual arts at: BFI (London), PFI (Warsaw), FABRICA (Treviso), CPUT (CT), UCT (CT), CTCC (CT).

Artist Statement

Painting is about finding essences. Human forms, faces, vessels of identity - my subjects - are the carriers of paint. Representing a human being is nebulous territory - the face is like a blurry landscape; appearing, disappearing, reappearing in the process of mark making.

The works portray human energy, as I see it, in painted form. Human subjects are melded with paint (texture, colour, shape) and through that union become symbolic and expressive.

Abstraction and human form synthesise into a new anarchic form, which shimmers on both a conscious and unconscious level, where surface values and aesthetics present a deeper world of the psyche.

The nucleus of painting is abstract, paint being the primary bearer of the emotional message, like tone is to music. Through a combination of intention and spontaneity, vibrancy emerges; the intangible, transcendent potential energy of paint. 

Exhibitions

2009 - Exhibited and Co-Curated with Julia Rosa Clark: Group Show ‘Big Wednesday’ at WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery, Cape Town.

2011 - Solo exhibition ‘Nature Ends’ - painted works with WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery, Cape Town.

2018 - Exhibited painted works on Michaelis Alumni ‘ReGroup’ show, 196 Victoria, Woodstock, Cape Town

2019 - Exhibited painted works on Michaelis Alumni ‘Penumbra’ group show, Desmond Tutu Centre, Cape Town.

2019 - Exhibited works at Investec Cape Town Art Fair at Kalashnikovv Gallery booth

2019 - Solo show 'Please Accept My Resignation' , Kalashnikovv Gallery, Johannesburg.

2019 - Exhibited painted works on 131 maiden group show - 2019, 131 A Gallery, Cape Town.

2020 - Exhibited works at Investec Cape Town Art Fair AT Kalashnikovv Gallery booth

2020 - Selected for February group show, 131 A Gallery, Cape Town

2020 - Selected for March group show, 131 A Gallery, Cape Town

2023 - Winter Group Exhibition, 131 A Gallery, Cape Town