Some art calls you back. Slow burn over time, the gradual perception of having been changed somehow becomes more and more beguiling. Days after an encounter with a painting, you return to that feeling you had. What was it? And why does it still matter?
Zach Zono’s work is a lot like that. In his London studio, the South African born artist creates abstract canvases with a cumulative effect. In a Zono painting, hints of landscape emerge from expressive hazes of berry red. A dreamy light seeps in, some hint of a warm, unknowable place. In Zach’s work, the layers matter. The emotions matter. Uskees caught up with him to find out about his creative journey, his practice, and his Five Good Things.
1. You’re a self-taught artist. Can you talk to us about how your style developed and brought you to wider attention? What kept you going during those early years?
My style developed through constant experimentation and instinct. I’m self-taught, which meant no rules — just painting every day, learning through trial and error. Over time, layering, colour, and form became my language. What kept me going was the process itself. Painting was addictive, a way to translate memory and emotion into something tangible. As people connected with my work, it pushed me to keep evolving.
2. When did you move to London from Cape Town, and what were your first impressions of the city’s energy? Were there any areas or scenes you gravitated towards?
I moved to London when I was 19, and the energy was completely different to Cape Town. Back home I was surrounded by open landscapes and natural light. London felt fast, structured and intense. It took time to adjust, but I was drawn to the hustle and bustle of the city, creative pockets, places where the energy felt alive. London has a certain pace that keeps you on your toes, and that’s fed into my work.
3. We’re interested in artistic journeys at Uskees, those ‘light bulb’ or ‘thunder bolt’ moments if you like. Have there been any transformational milestones in your career? We’re talking about those points, meetings or moves that you look back on now and think, whoa, that was when things really changed for me?
There have been a few. Getting my first proper studio space in London was a huge step. It gave me the freedom to work at the scale I wanted. Exhibiting internationally was another game changer; showing my work in places like Beijing, Madrid, and Bangkok expanded my perspective on how art is received. Then there were those unexpected moments—meeting a collector who really understood my work, or seeing a piece resonate with someone in a way I never expected. Certain moments remind you why you’re doing it.
4. What would the Zach of today say to the 16-year-old Zach?
Keep going. The things you’re obsessed with now—the way you see colour, movement, and space — will become everything. Stay patient, trust the process, and don’t be afraid to take risks.
5. You’ve talked in the past about your practice—its roots in layering, colour, memories of your childhood in Cape Town—but what about the other end of the process: the effect? How do you hope or think audiences feel when they look at a Zach Zono painting?
I don’t want to tell people what to feel. I want them to experience the work in their own way. My paintings are open-ended; they’re maps of my experience, but I want people to find their own connections.
6. How do you approach a painting at the outset? Is there any planning, something you want to communicate, or is it a case of finding your way towards the expression as you go?
I rarely plan. I might have a loose idea — certain colours or a feeling I want to capture — but once I start, the painting takes over. The first marks are always instinctive. It’s a dance between the painting and I. One layer informs another, and the work develops through that conversation between spontaneity and control. If I overthink it, I lose the energy, so I try to let it flow.
7. When do you know a piece is finished, and what’s it like for you putting the paintbrush down and saying, this is done?
It’s a feeling. The painting stops asking for more. If I go beyond that, I risk overworking it. The challenge is knowing when to stop, but I’ve learned to trust that moment. It’s like music—you just know when a note lands right.
8. What art do you respond to now? Are there any artists working at the moment that really excite you?
I’m drawn to artists who bring movement and emotion into their work. I tend to keep an eye on my friends that paint, but I also go back to older painters like William de Kooning and Joan Mitchell. There’s an energy in all their work that never fades.
9. You like to dress smart, even when you’re in the studio. This is a brave move for an abstract artist! When did you start doing this and why?
It’s never been intentional, it’s just what feels right. Dressing well puts me in a certain mindset, even when I’m covered in paint. I’ve always been drawn to well-made clothes, classic tailoring. It’s about wearing things that feel good and make sense for how I work.
10. There are so many interesting paradoxes in art. It can be wholly serious yet not serious at all. Life wouldn’t be worth living without it; yet it arguably serves no practical purpose. With art, clarity can come from abstraction. Expertise from intuition. Does style and fashion have any interesting paradoxes for you?
Definitely. Fashion, like art, is about expression, but it also has rules — and the best moments come from breaking them. Some people think great style is about precision, but the most interesting looks come from imperfection—something slightly off, something unexpected. It’s the same with painting. The best works feel effortless, but they’re built on years of practice.
OK, here’s where we ask you to recommend 5 Good Things in your city, sending some cultural inspiration out into the world.
A restaurant or cafe you like in your city?
Pophams! It’s right by my studio, so I definitely spend too much time there.
A film everyone should watch?
Whiplash by Damien Chazelle
A book everyone should read?
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
A musical album or artist who means something to you?
Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
The place you’d send someone if they were visiting your city for the first time?
If they were visiting Cape Town, I would send them straight to the beach for a swim haha
You can find out more about Zach's work here
Zach is wearing our 3006 Drill Blazer and 5016 Drill Commuter Pants in matching Dark Plum, paired with our 6006 Oxford Shirt and 4014 Repp Tie.
