Mallex Shipanga
At just 23 years old, Ryan De Wee is making waves in Namibia’s contemporary art world with his innovative and diverse artwork.
Born in Windhoek and raised in Tsumeb, De Wee grew up balancing academics and a passion for art, both of which have played a significant role in shaping his life.
De Wee described his upbringing as a busy and creative time, surrounded by family and driven by his artistic pursuits.
“I am the middle child with an older sister and a younger brother. I remember always being surrounded by family and friends. I had a very tight-knit relationship with my family from my father’s side. I would travel a lot from Tsumeb to Windhoek or Tsumeb to Swakop, where I would live with my aunts and be with my cousins,” he said.
De Wee explained that his parents have always been his biggest inspirations in life.
“My father influenced my taste in music, films, general mannerisms, and perspective on the world. My mother has always been there and guided me to become the best I can be, whether it was with schoolwork or with creativity. She enrolled me in art classes at a young age and had me be at the Arts Performance Centre after school,” he said.
According to him, his family, particularly on his father’s side, also played a significant role in nurturing his artistic talents.
Creating art has always been a part of De Wee’s life.
“As far back as I can remember, it feels like I have been drawing and painting like it was instilled in me as a child. I have drawings at my mother’s house that were created before I attended kindergarten. It has always been there. I had a very creative imagination as a child. I would make my own action figures from old copper wire and draw all the comic books I could not get,” he said.
Initially, art was a hobby, but as De Wee grew older, his passion deepened.
“It was a hobby in high school, but I had to focus on my studies. It just never seemed realistic when I was younger, and I opted to follow a more traditional career path like architecture because that made sense at the time. However, I knew that I had to do something with visual arts,” he said.
Graduating with a diploma in visual arts from the College of the Arts marked a turning point in De Wee’s artistic career.
He participated in exhibitions such as ArtSplash and the New Beginnings Graduate Exhibition, which helped him gain exposure and broaden the market for his work.
De Wee creates and sells mixed-media artworks using materials like acrylic paint, dyes, oil paint, oil pastels, pencil, and spray paint.
He has recently expanded his artistic repertoire to include digital art, film, and printing.
To promote his work, De Wee leverages social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
“I find these platforms are a great tool to create easy communication with possible buyers or people who are interested in my art,” he said.
De Wee also participates in open calls, competitions, and projects to showcase his talent.
De Wee shared words of encouragement for aspiring artists.
“To always promote and market your work as much as you can. The right people will find your work, people who resonate with what you put out there. To push your craft outside of what you create. Whether that would be documenting your behind-the-scenes process or creating stories and poems inspired by your work. To create what is authentic to you, no matter the medium or style of art you choose to do so,” he said.
