Tay Dal
I do not fall into any canons of modern art, I do not school myself after the masters of my time, I do not express a social or political cause and I do not pretend to paint for a particular audience.I do, however, paint for the purest pleasure of creation; for the free flow of subconscious thought; for the need to escape the confines of law and order.
Tay Dall (b. 1966, Cape Town, South Africa) is a South African abstract artist internationally recognized for her emotionally charged oil paintings, often created on unconventional surfaces such as old doors, windows, shutters, and reclaimed wood. By altering and repurposing these castaway materials-sometimes incorporating original handles, hinges, and stained glass-she explores the fleeting nature of cultural ideals and the layers of memory embedded in everyday objects.
Her dynamic use of line, color, and texture results in works that evoke a visceral emotional response, inviting viewers to engage with both the essence of abstraction and the soul of the materials themselves.
Born and raised in South Africa, Dall studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, where she honed her draftsmanship by illustrating detailed anatomical drawings for her father, an orthopedic surgeon. She later expanded her creative horizons in Los Angeles, California, where she spent eleven formative years studying film and multimedia at the University of Southern California and the American Film Institute. Immersed in the cultural vibrancy of Los Angeles, she managed an art gallery and exhibited her own work, gradually moving toward a highly individual and experimental style.
Since returning to South Africa in 1995, Dall has established her home and studio along a nature reserve near Hermanus in the Western Cape, where she draws inspiration from the rhythms, light, and textures of the African landscape. Her career spans dozens of solo and group exhibitions, and her works are represented in 34 galleries across three continents. They reside in prestigious private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Southern Africa.
For Dall, painting is a dialogue between material and emotion.
As she explains: "Culture presents us with icons of idealized states of being, but these are fleeting. By altering the surfaces I paint, I let my own voice emerge, transforming castaway items into new realities that speak to our sense of beauty and impermanence."