THE PERSON BEHIND THE WORK
About.
Manelisi Dabata / Art Director & Photographer
BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCETen years of turning
Ten years of turning
stories into visuals.
I’m an award-winning art director and multidisciplinary designer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. My work spans editorial design, photography, print and digital media.
As Art Director at Forbes Africa, I lead visual direction, editorial design, photography and video production. Before Forbes, I worked across Business Day Wanted, Sunday Times The Edit and Sowetan S Mag at Arena Holdings.
View my experienceGood design tells a story.
Great design makes you feel it.
CREATIVE PHILOSOPHY
I turn stories into visuals, and visuals into something that stays. My focus is on shaping compelling visual narratives and finding the unexpected.
Capabilities
- Art direction & creative direction
- Editorial & magazine design
- Photography & picture editing
- Branding & visual identity
- Digital design & UI/UX
- Video production & campaigns
- Shoot conceptualisation
- Creative team leadership