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Wilson Makgawinata, Artist – Vancouver

Wilson Makgawinata is a multidisciplinary visual artist working across ceramics, photography, video, and digital image-making. His practice explores the intersection of image, space, and quiet narrative, focusing on moments of pressure, containment, and transition rather than spectacle. Through sculptural ceramic forms and restrained, cinematic imagery, his work encourages slow, attentive engagement and examines how environments hold people, memory, and emotional residue. Influenced by cyberpunk aesthetics and immersive spatial experiences, his recent practice reflects a move away from functional expectation toward work guided by internal logic and emotional resonance. His exhibition Unearthed Artifacts: Post-Cyberpunk from a Forgotten Future is on display at THIS Gallery from January 9 to 18.

  1. Naoshima Island

I recently visited Naoshima Island in Japan. It had been on my bucket list for a long time, and I was grateful to finally make it happen last year. I was mesmerized by the density of art and architecture there. It’s a place that creates quiet, immersive experiences without relying on spectacle.

  1. Photography

I picked up photography again in late summer last year after a long hiatus. I had forgotten the joy of capturing moments from everyday life. Photography has become a way for me to slow down and pay attention, focusing on atmosphere, stillness, and the emotional weight of ordinary moments

  1. Videography

I’ve been working with videography for the past two years, and it has become an important part of my practice. I’m especially drawn to the color-grading process, where mood and emotion slowly emerge through subtle adjustments. I enjoy taking fragments of daily life and shaping them into something more cinematic, allowing time, color, and movement to transform the ordinary into something quietly immersive.

  1. My fur baby

Meet Brioche, my 2.5-year-old Exotic Shorthair. It’s hard to fully describe how much joy he brings into my life. He’s gentle, affectionate, and one of the friendliest cats you’ll ever meet. Caring for him has become an important part of my daily rhythm, grounding me in routine and presence. Fun fact: he has a deep love for the smell of freshly baked bread.

  1. Shooting with a film camera

I last shot with a film camera around eleven years ago and recently picked it up again after seeing close friends shoot film. I had forgotten how much I love the grain and texture it brings to photographs. The softness and unpredictability give images a sense of life and depth that feels both nostalgic and immediate.

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