THE URBAN ART OF DURBAN-BORN KEV7
The walls of Durban’s urban centre are all the gallery that graffiti artist Kev Seven Ngwenya ever needed.
High rises on the parade are one kind of city life and Umlazi township is another. Kevin Ngwenya’s childhood was spent somewhere in between and it lit a creative fire in him.
Known creatively as Kev7, the Durban-born graffiti artist’s work has appeared in numerous publications, exhibitions, and has partnered with many brands throughout the years.
His influences stem from the New York subway and street art movements in the early 1980’s. Kev sources inspiration from his everyday encounters navigating within his city, conversing with its people, and paying homage to his childhood cultural icons, which play a vital role in his artistic and creative upbringing.
“I’m a conceptual artist trained in fine art, graphic design and cultural studies. For me, design drives ideas, conversations and messaging in public and private spaces,” says Kev.
He attended Nanda Sooben’s school of Fine Art, Animation & Design where his work began to take shape through the artist’s fascination with comic book illustrations and love for the architectural textures of his city. After graduating with an Integrated Fine- Art & Design Diploma, he then pursued a Bachelor of Arts Degree at The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2013 and majored in English, Media, Cultural Studies and Music.
This combination in education created a symbiotic relationship between public arts, design, and its impact and influence on modern pop-culture media and society which would become the core subject of his work.
Q&A WITH KEVIN
What does ‘living better’ mean to you?
Living better to me means being physically, mentally and spiritually Healthy. I am aspiring to live better by living a life of purpose driven by action and discipline, eating healthy, taking breaks, exercising, having good people around me and enjoying the process of being the best version of myself.
What legacy would you like to leave behind?
A blueprint in which one can follow on how to create a beautiful and enjoyable life for themselves.
What 2 valuable lessons would you like to share with South Africa?
- Learn to quieten the noise.
- Live your truth.
Where do you go to escape and connect with yourself?
“I Travel to beautiful places to escape the noise.
Meditating and Being Still helps me connect with myself.”
Do you have an encouraging quote for us?
You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret – Jim Rohn
Any last thoughts?
Know what it is that you want out of life. The universe will show you the way.
