Wisani Manyisi

Wisani Manyisi

Wisani Manyisi (b. 1985, Limpopo) is a Johannesburg-based contemporary South African artist whose work is rooted in childhood psychology and personal memory. His early creativity emerged through clay, wire, and found objects, eventually evolving into a diverse practice spanning printmaking, drawing, and sculpture. 

Manyisi studied at the Funda Centre and Tshwane University of Technology, completing a B-Tech in Fine Arts, and later earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Johannesburg in 2019. A finalist in both the Thami Mnyele (2019) and Sasol New Signatures (2023) art competitions, he is also an arts educator, mentoring the next generation of creatives. 

About the Artwork
Manyisi’s art navigates the space between the internal self and the shifting modern world. Drawing from private thoughts and childhood memory, he creates surreal, liminal environments populated by symbolic figures, scattered objects, and imagined terrains. These visual narratives explore themes of tradition versus progress, identity, nostalgia, and emotional vulnerability. 

Through this introspective lens, he encourages viewers to pause, reflect, and confront their own experiences, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of the human condition. His work ultimately becomes a quiet space for contemplation and connection in a fast-changing world.