David Phaswane Mogano was born on 2 September 1932 in Pietersburg, Northern Transvaal, Mogano was educated at Mogano Higher Primary School in Pietersburg. He arrived in Johannesburg in about 1950 and worked as a cook in a hotel. During 1959 he studied with Cecil Skotnes and Sydney Kumalo at Polly Street. He exhibited for a number of years with Artists under the Sun in Joubert Park and with the Peter Sibeko Art Gallery in Johannesburg in 1987 and 1988.
