DALeast was born during 1984 in the industrial conurbation of Whan, the third biggest city in China in the countryʼs east. As a teenage graffiti artist he experimented with various styles, and felt the long arm of the Chinese authorities on several occasions.
The handle âDALeastâ simply âcame to mindâ he says. But he grew into the name after discovering the theory of a parallel dimension, known as The DAL universe, as opposed to our own plane of existence, the DERN universe. The DAL universe is supposedly the home of a benevolent and philosophical race of aliens, known to flying saucer-spotters as the Plejaren.
Classically trained, DALeast creates film installations in addition to painting. âMy current style I hope is but one milestone in my career,â he says, âand I hope to experiment with different mediums in the future.â He has also exhibited at Jonathan Levine gallery, New York, and Urban Painting in Milan. He currently works from his studio in Capetown, South Africa.