GIDEON NEL | BIO
I'm a South African artist, information designer and academic scholar based in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I was born in 1992, Pretoria, went to the Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and completed my Honours degree in Information Design at the University of Pretoria in 2015.
I have worked as a graphic designer for various companies, including Cavalli Wine Estate (2016 - 2017), and I've lectured in graphic design at Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography (2017 - 2018). I was a designer, lecturer and youth leader at Stellenbosch Gemeente for three years (2017 - 2019), where I developed new ways to communicate hidden treasures of the Biblical narrative. At Stellenbosch Gemeente I co-facilitated and taught at youth and student gatherings, while also providing art direction for all printed and digital media. I also gave sermons to the main congregation from 2018 to 2019.
I completed my MA degree in Information Design at the University of Pretoria, under the guidance of Prof. Duncan Reyburn, in February 2021. As an academic scholar my research concerns the connections between metaphysical philosophy, design and visual art. My MA dissertation offers a philosophical hermeneutic of design by exploring the metaphysics of William Desmond and how his theories relate to design.
I founded Gideon Nel Studio in 2017 – a South African art and design studio that specialises in interior artworks, graphic design, illustration and ceramics. My artistic vocation can be described as the pursuit of wholeness through an authentic, honest and vibrant visual language. In essence, I'm pursuing an impactful and explosive artistic career that is deeply rooted in and driven by academic research.
ALL THE THINGS THAT SHAPE, FORM AND INSPIRE ME