Thulani Kubeka: Painting with light

Fashion and portrait photography allow Thulani Kubeka to paint with light.
Soweto-based Thulani Kubeka, a Design Indaba Emerging Creative for 2022, was raised by his grandmother while his mother completed her studies. During this time, he developed a love for history and storytelling which spills over into his compelling photography. Each frame pays poetic homage to the subject - invariably someone expressive, full of life, and uniquely fashionable.
Kubeka tells Design Indaba why photography appeals to him.
Thulani Kubeka was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1993. He comes from a small Zulu family with whom he lives in Dobsonville, Soweto. He spent most of his childhood in Diepkloof and was raised by his grandmother while his mother completed her studies. It is during that period of time that he developed his love for history and storytelling.
He attended West Ridge High School and matriculated in 2012. His favourite subject was history and this love was enhanced by photographs and stories of his grandmother’s childhood and life experiences that she shared with him.
As a child Thulani was always interested in ways of creating, especially music and art, which he loved, but couldn’t contribute to, as he didn’t know how to draw or paint. He enjoyed gazing at paintings and photographs in magazines, which later led him to be deeply intrigued by fashion and portrait photography.