WORLD BUILDER • STORYTELLER

South African artist, with roots in France currently living in Netherlands. My creative playground lies between the circus and the cosmos - a curious intersection of nature, observation, imagination, and play. As a storyteller, I create portals into worlds—brought to life across a range of mediums.

Currently, my practice is rooted in the tactile richness of wool and fibre art. I craft handmade tapestries using a tufting gun, drawing on both abstract expressionism and symbolic, graphic motifs.

Nature is both muse and memory. Born in Cape Town, South Africa (1984), my early years were defined by the nature, vivid palette and cultures of the Western Cape as well as the enchanted woodlands of the Lot region in France. My mother wove wall hangings on a loom. I still recall toddling beneath its frame—moments that quietly planted the seeds of my fascination with tapestries. My grandmother, Alice was a renowned south african painter and printmaker.

While currently primarily working with wool in fiber art. I work across a spectrum of mediums including; painted murals, illustrations, printmaking, pastel drawing, poetry and verse, handmade toys, and miniature diorama puppet shows.

I also work under the playful pseudonym Tonton—a name lovingly given to me by my niece and nephew, meaning “uncle” in French. Tonton embodies the whimsical, childlike spirit that often guides my hand—particularly in my illustration and storytelling work.

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Maximillian Goldin, b. Cape Town, South Africa, October 1984, currently residing in Utrecht, Netherlands. Degree in Graphic Design from the AAA School of Advertising, Cape Town. 2006.