Layziehound Coka

Layziehound Coka was born in Bilanyoni situated in Northern KwaZulu Natal in 1982. His early years were determined by the South African apartheid system that separated people of different race, and permitted very limited educational choices for people of colour. 

The 80s were characterized by turmoil, violence and the uprising of young, black people protesting against the regime. He attended a local primary school at Bilanyoni, before he moved to Inkamana, a Catholic High School in Vryheid in 1995. Coka matri culated at Sinethemba Agricultural and Technical Boys School. 

He moved to Gauteng in 2001 and started studying engineering in 2003 at Pretoria Technikon. He gave up engineering for fine art in 2005 when he started studying print making at Newtown's Artist Proof Studio (APS). He has been working as a professional artist since graduating from APS in 2007 and predominantly works with acrylic and charcoal on paper or canvas. 

Layzie has participated in a number of group exhibitions and solo shows around South Africa as well as the US. In 2019, he particpated in 2 international art fairs, ART Madrid and START art fair in London. Currently Layziehound Coka works from his studio in Johannesburg and lives with his wife and children between Pretoria and KwaZulu Natal.