When Ricky was 11 years old, South Africa’s nationalist government declared a state of emergency, and the army moved into his neighbourhood. This impacted his outlook on the world, and heavily influenced his artistic practice. It was around this time, Dyaloyi joined a community art project where he was exposed to life drawing, sculpting, painting, printmaking and photography for the very first time. During a printmaking class, Ricky created some monoprints, which he then travelled to the city with to sell from the pavement. This is what he defines as his career launching moment, realising that people could fall in love with (and purchase!) his art.
Since that moment, Ricky has maintained a 15 year relationship with South Africa’s renowned Everard Read Gallery, hosting 9 solo shows there, as well as participating in several group exhibitions across South Africa, the UK, the Netherlands and the USA.
