Where surface
meets gesture

I'm from Durban, South Africa. I make art, direct editorials, and run a cultural research practice called AnthroWorks. Most of my time is split between Cape Town and Milan — drawing, shooting, and trying to understand how people and places shape each other.

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Deconstructed portrait fragments — face studies by Chad John Payne
Ink and charcoal detail — gestural mark-making by Chad John Payne

About

I studied at Stellenbosch and have been working between Cape Town and Milan since. I draw, I art-direct editorials for GQ and Kinfolk, and I run AnthroWorks — a research practice that looks at culture, identity, and how communities actually work. It all feeds into the same thing for me.

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Itinerary 2026

Attending a workshop in São Paulo — mixed media, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, some digital tools. Looking forward to learning from other creatives and getting my hands into new materials.

Back in Cape Town for a couple months. Studio time, some editorial shoots, and I'm open to commissions and collabs during this window. Reach out if you want to work on something.

Come hang out in the studio. Watch me draw, ask questions, see the work before it goes anywhere. Small groups, very informal. I'll post dates on Instagram when they're confirmed.

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Mixed media collage — Chad John Payne
Black and white portrait — editorial photography by Chad John Payne
Available Works

Own a piece of the conversation

Original ink drawings, mixed media pieces, and limited edition prints. Everything is done in one sitting on Fabriano paper — no sketching underneath, no going back. What you see is the first and only pass.

Signed & stamped by the artist
Certificate of Authenticity included
Limited editions of 30
Worldwide shipping available
AnthroWorks

Think Tank

AnthroWorks is my cultural research practice. We work with brands, institutions, and creatives who need more than surface-level strategy — real insight into how people think, move, and connect.

Cultural Strategy

Understanding audiences through real research, not just data.

Creative Consulting

Art direction, brand identity, and editorial vision.

Research & Insight

Ethnographic fieldwork, trend mapping, and cultural reports.

Visit AnthroWorks