Eli KOBELI (1932 – 1999)

BIOGRAPHY

Eli Kobeli was born in Kroonstad and lived in both Alexandra and Soweto. He studied at the Polly Street Art Centre, where he was trained by Cecil Skotnes and Reverend Hall Duncan.

Kobeli’s work is often described as vibrant and abstract, earning him the nickname the ‘Chagall of Soweto’ for his playful spirit and imaginative compositions. His paintings reflect urban life, particularly in Soweto, and he exhibited extensively both in South Africa and internationally before his passing in 1999.

SOURCES
‘Eli Kobeli,’ Revisions: Expanding the Narrative of South African Art, http://revisions.co.za/biographies/eli-kobeli/.
‘Kobeli, Eli,’ African Art Collection, https://www.africanartcollection.co.za/search?keyword=eli+kobeli.