Biography

Born 25 October 1980 in Cape Town South Africa.

Paul Senyol has been drawing and painting since early in his high school years, however never persuing any form of artistic or graphic training.  Senyol grew up in the suburb of Welgemoed, and at the age of 16 discovered the freedom of skateboarding and punk-rock music.  This became the benchmark and influenced his early drawings, sketches and paintings.  At the time, this was his art education.

His work currently focusses heavily on shape, line, form, composition and color.  Bringing a surreal, yet abstract world into being, he explores the notions and reaction to spaces and places within daily living, and seeks to engage the viewer through translating his own experiences to canvas, allowing open discussion and interpretation of his work.  Senyol has exhibited extensively throught South Africa and abroad.  He currently works from a studio in Cape Town.

The skateboard graphics, album covers, magazine layouts and illustrations all formed part of his early ‘art school’. artists such as Marc Gonzales, Ed Templeton, and Barry Mcgee afforded his first experiences and exposure to creativity.  Only later was he to discover the creative genius of the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Cy Twombly.  This lack of formal education and schooling steered Senyol in whichever creative direction he chose, able to meld mediums and break out of traditional notions of painting.

Exhibitions

2004

Group Exhibitions
“52 weeks/52 works”,  52.co.za, curated by Thomas Cartwright.
Various public space interventions,murals, and street campaigns.

2005

Solo Exhibitions
“The Late Night Show”, Dirt Contemporary Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Heike Davies.

Group Exhibitions
“No Hot ash”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis
“Casa Contaminada”, Suicide Stickpop magazine show, Espacia de Arte:La Casa de la Esquina, Mexico City, curated by Alan Bastida.
“Six Figures”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis.
“The Neighbourhood Notice”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis.
“The One Hundred Rand Show”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis.
“Up the Stairs”, Daddy Long Legs Hotel, Cape Town.
Various public space interventions, murals, and street campaigns.

2006

Group Exhibitions
“Out of Order” , The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis
“Sneaker Pimps” , Club Ignite, Cape Town, curated by Andrew Fahey (a worldwide travelling exhibition)
“Sneak” , The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis
“Actual Size”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Warren Lewis
“New Suburbia”, Platform 18 Gallery, Pretoria, curated by Chris Le Roux
“The Inevitable”, Moja Modern Gallery, Johannesburg, curated by Meg Hendry
“Untitled”, What if the world… Gallery, Cape town
“Wavescapes Surf Art Exhibition”, VEO Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Steve Pike
“R100 show”, The Bin Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Blaise Janichon

2007

Group Exhibitions
“Off the Wall Too”, Artspace Durban, Durban, curated by Karen Bradke
“Inspiration Art Exhibition”, Jerusalem, currently travelling to Hamburg, New York City, Birmingham, curated by ITW Collective
“Vuleka” Sanlam Art Awards Finalist, Bellville Art Gallery, Cape Town

2008

Group Exhibitions
“Off the Wall 3”, Artspace Durban, Durban, curated by Karen Bradke and Ross Turpin
“The Postcard Show”, Off the Wall Contemporary, Paarl, curated by Wendy Roux
“Bigwood 2″ , Artspace Durban, Durban, curated by Karen Bradke and Trevor Paul
“Sanlam Vuleka Art Exhibition”, Art B, Cape Town, artwork chosen for final exhibition
“Under These Skies” 415 Gallery, Durban, curated by Wesley van Eeden and Senyol
“under these skies” Salon91 Contemporary Art Collection Gallery, cape town, curated by Wesley van Eeden and Senyol
“A KING Ltd Edition” Kunst House Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Pierre Coetzee
“All I Want for Christmas” Off the Wall Contemporary, Paarl, curated by Wendy Roux

2009

Group Exhibitions
“Bigwood: Berlin” Artspace Berlin, Berlin, curated by Karen Bradke and Trevor Paul
“Emerging Creative: Design Indaba 2009″ CTICC, Cape Town, curated by Ravi Naidoo
“Group Soup” 66 Albert Road, Cape Town, curated by Ricky-Lee Gordon
“It’s Nice to be with People: a Tribute to Brenda Fassie” Langa High School, Cape Town, curated by Nkuli Mlangeni
“Labia Exchange 20years/20films” Labia Film House, Cape Town, curated by Exchange Creative
“No Strange Land” Salon 91 Contemporary Art Collection Gallery, Cape Town, curated by Paul Senyol and Monique du Preez
“City Slickers” 415 Gallery, Durban, curated by Trevor Paul and Maaike Bakker
“1000 Drawings” Word of Art Gallery, curated by Ricky Lee Gordon