Fred Clarke
Fred Clarke (b. 1986) is a contemporary South African multimedia artist, curator, and electronic music producer who lives and works in Johannesburg. Following his schooling in Pretoria, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in English Literature, from the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in 2009. Clarke’s versatile practice fluidly crosses multiple disciplines, moving between abstract and figurative expression through ink-on-paper drawing, spray paint, acrylic canvas painting, and printmaking.
Clarke conceptualizes his creative practice around an ongoing fascination with mathematics and nature, treating both as universal, discovered languages. His visual art frequently features automated writing and a chaotic jumble of symbols, lines, and textures that echo complex systems like QR codes or algebraic equations. This interest in codes and structure took center stage in his critical solo exhibition Let X Be at Johannesburg’s Hazard Gallery, an offshoot of the Nirox Foundation. He further refined his techniques through a prestigious residency at Proyecto´ace in Argentina in 2013, as well as multiple collaborative print workshops at The Artist's Press.
Fred Clarke (b. 1986) is a contemporary South African multimedia artist, curator, and electronic music producer who lives and works in Johannesburg. Following his schooling in Pretoria, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in English Literature, from the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in 2009. Clarke’s versatile practice fluidly crosses multiple disciplines, moving between abstract and figurative expression through ink-on-paper drawing, spray paint, acrylic canvas painting, and printmaking.
Clarke conceptualizes his creative practice around an ongoing fascination with mathematics and nature, treating both as universal, discovered languages. His visual art frequently features automated writing and a chaotic jumble of symbols, lines, and textures that echo complex systems like QR codes or algebraic equations. This interest in codes and structure took center stage in his critical solo exhibition Let X Be at Johannesburg’s Hazard Gallery, an offshoot of the Nirox Foundation. He further refined his techniques through a prestigious residency at Proyecto´ace in Argentina in 2013, as well as multiple collaborative print workshops at The Artist's Press.
