July 03, 2021 - August 07, 2021
492 Fehrsen Street, Brooklyn, Pretoria, South Africa
Exhibition curated by Gordon Froud
Artist Statement:
"My works converse about the ideologies of what makes us human." - Mashir Kresenshun
Furthermore, I narrate and depict images of the great and the awful of life as a human being, regardless of race, culture, or religious constructs, through various topics and sub-categories. However, as an Indian individual living in South Africa, I find it challenging to understand where I stand in society in contemporary South Africa and the world at large. I am not saying I want to be known as Indian but instead as a human being. We as human beings should all strive for this unity and not be separated by socio-political issues. The utilisation of cardboard as a metaphor symbolises humanity. I attach cardboards with cable ties to construct sizable works. The cable ties symbolise the piecing together of humanity. In essence, I'm a figurative artist, creating figures of emotion. I accomplish this through expressive mark-making and layers of media. I produce works of varying sizes, using an assorted range of media from drawing and painting with charcoal, acrylic and oil paint, watercolour, ink, collage to printmaking in techniques of monotypes, etchings, linocuts, woodcuts. My works are mostly depicted on cardboard, canvas, and paper. Furthermore, through the use of varied media and research, I attempt to challenge the system of practiced thought in today's society regarding various issues surrounding humanity.
Artist statement:
"Frans Moshimanyana Thoka (know as Frans Thoka), an emerging contemporary talent, was born in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa. He graduated from art school (the University of Johannesburg). However, he regards himself as a self-taught artist. His body of work reflects on colonialism, his own experiences, and his memory.
The artworks do not serve as a solution, however a surface where conversations about colonial
injustices and other forms of imprisonment come into existence, possibly challenge how people perceive
current life crisis specifically in black communities. He uses Prison blankets as his medium, which
emphasises any form of imprisonment to the marginalized in society, and reminds the onlooker of the
reality of the marginalized."
