Trevor Stuurman (b.1992) is an internationally acclaimed, award- winning visual artist, creative director and media entrepreneur. Blurring the lines with his work behind the lens, and his work in front of it, Trevor’s oeuvre is crafting a complex new discourse about the role of young African artists and the nature of virtual mediums in the continent’s contemporary creative culture.
Born in Kimberley in South Africa’s Northern Cape province (the country’s former mining capital), Trevor’s work combines his educational background in motion picture live performance with a multitude of creative fields such as fashion and performance art, allowing him to find and capture a uniquely African ‘perspective on beauty’, he explains, that reminds him of home: ‘a place that is imbued with colour, love and belonging that reflects Africa.’
His work with global humanitarian foundations includes the United Nations, the Bill & Miranda Gates Foundation and the Obama Foundation to document former American president Barack Obama during his travels in Africa.
Described as “a cultural force” by CNN’s African voices feature, Trevor continues his work in beauty and fashion. He has captured the likes of Dr. Esther Mahlangu, Miss Universe 2019 Zizobini Tunzi, Naomi Campbell, Teyana Taylor, Shanelle Nyasiase, Gigi & Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Iman Hammam. Trevor’s involvement as part of the team who created and styled Black is King for Beyonce a British Vogue contributor, Trevor’s work at Arise Africa and Afro Punk Johannesburg has contributed significantly to the increasing global interest in the work of creatives from the continent.
In 2024, his work was acquired by the Brooklyn Museum and has exhibited in group exhibitions with Digitalia — the art and economy of ideas in San Francisco at the Museum of the African Diaspora and and the Brooklyn Museum Africa Fashion exhibition that opened in 2023. More recently, Trevor was exhibited at the International Center for Photography’s “Scenes from the Streets” exhibition.
Trevor’s drive to promote the artists of his generation has also seen him curate his own installations; Teleporting into Africa and This Is Home for the Absolut One Source live creative festivals; A Place Called Home with Botho Project Space in Johannesburg; This Is Home at the Motsepe Foundation’s Mandela 100 summit, and group exhibitions with THK Gallery at the Cape Town Art Fair, Enter Art in Denmark and the 1-54 Art Fair London; Trevor is also included.
Alongside his artwork, Trevor has cemented himself as a co-pilot with brands such as Montblanc, one of Africa’s Mont Blanc Mark Makers, Coming to America x Uoma Beauty campaign, Disney, Mini Cooper, Nedbank, G Star RAW, Vivo Mobile, Gucci, Rich Mnisi, Tongoro, Moshions and Laurence airline. He has collaborated with artists such as Black Coffee, Ciara, Nelson Makamo, Tiwa Savage, Dear Ribane and the Carters - Beyoncé and Jay-Z.