26/08/2026
Schalk van der Merwe is a contemporary South African conceptual and multidisciplinary artist known for his raw, visceral portraits
Born and raised in Cape Town, he studied graphic design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
His work bypasses rigid cognitive and analytical processes, operating on the belief that overthinking destroys originality.
His portraits do not focus on realistic likeness, gender, or race. Instead, he uses bold brushstrokes, layers of paint, wood charcoal, turpentine, and tactile finger-smudged textures to organically build raw expressions.
His latest 3 available works will be installed for viewing Jozua Rossouw from next week.
DM for details
Schalk van der Merwe