Nathaniel Sheppard III
Nathaniel Sheppard III (b. 1989, Chicago) is an acclaimed South African-American contemporary printmaker, painter, and collage artist based in Johannesburg. Spending his formative years in Chicago and Los Angeles, Sheppard originally pursued architectural studies at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) before immigrating to South Africa. There, he enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to study Fine Arts, uncovering a profound calling for printmaking and graphic manipulation. His multi-layered practice explores the intersection of African American heritage and the South African context, using text, archival documents, soft pastels, and political imagery to reclaim historical visual languages and deconstruct colonial hierarchies.
Sheppard’s early professional career was deeply shaped by his time at the David Krut Workshop (DKW), where he learned advanced methods under master printmakers. Most notably, he collaborated on the massive woodblock print carving of the "Mantegna" edition for William Kentridge's Triumphs and Laments series. Influenced by South Africa's rich tradition of printmaking as a historical vehicle for political resistance and autonomous labor, Sheppard co-founded Danger Gevaar Ingozi (DGI) Studios in 2016. This independent print collective was established to emphasize the inherent value of a printer's labor. His first major solo presentation, Kwaal-ity Control (2016) at David Krut Projects, served as an explorative, satirical commentary on the commercial art market and the ownership of creative production.
Nathaniel Sheppard III (b. 1989, Chicago) is an acclaimed South African-American contemporary printmaker, painter, and collage artist based in Johannesburg. Spending his formative years in Chicago and Los Angeles, Sheppard originally pursued architectural studies at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) before immigrating to South Africa. There, he enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to study Fine Arts, uncovering a profound calling for printmaking and graphic manipulation. His multi-layered practice explores the intersection of African American heritage and the South African context, using text, archival documents, soft pastels, and political imagery to reclaim historical visual languages and deconstruct colonial hierarchies.
Sheppard’s early professional career was deeply shaped by his time at the David Krut Workshop (DKW), where he learned advanced methods under master printmakers. Most notably, he collaborated on the massive woodblock print carving of the "Mantegna" edition for William Kentridge's Triumphs and Laments series. Influenced by South Africa's rich tradition of printmaking as a historical vehicle for political resistance and autonomous labor, Sheppard co-founded Danger Gevaar Ingozi (DGI) Studios in 2016. This independent print collective was established to emphasize the inherent value of a printer's labor. His first major solo presentation, Kwaal-ity Control (2016) at David Krut Projects, served as an explorative, satirical commentary on the commercial art market and the ownership of creative production.
