David Koloane
David Koloane (1938 - 2019) was born in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra. Koloane became interested in art during high school and made art in his spare time, in between earning an income in various jobs to support his family. Between 1974 and 1977 he attended art classes at the Bill Ainslie Studios, which later became the Johannesburg Art Foundation. David Koloane's increasing commitment to art led him to a part-time and later full-time teaching position in a township high school. Koloane then went on to become the head of the Fine Art section of the Federated Union of Black Artists (FUBA) in Johannesburg. He participated in a number of The Triangle International Artists Workshops and this experience led to the establishment of the Thupelo Workshops in South Africa, a concept that spread to Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Koloane realised that what was needed in Johannesburg, particularly for Black artists was access to permanent studio space. To this end, he was instrumental in establishing The Fordsburg Artists Studios (The Bag Factory) with Robert Loder and Ricky Burnett in 1991.
David Koloane's creative activities were diverse. He always combined his own artwork with his social involvement. He contributed to several catalogues, curated exhibitions, sat on judging panels, The National Arts Council advisory panel and delivered numerous papers while attending workshops and conferences all over the world. In 1998, the government of the Netherlands honoured Koloane with The Prince Claus Fund Award for his contribution to the development of the visual arts in South Africa. In 2015 Koloane received a honorary doctorate from Rhodes university.
Celebration. Celebration joyfully reflects a Zionist prayer meeting.The Zion Christian Church (or ZCC) is the largest church in the country and on weekends one often sees members of the church dressed in their colourful outfits on their way to religious gatherings which are often held outdoors.
Mirror and The Three Sisters. Here Koloane depicted the women who work the streets of inner-city Johannesburg. These sex workers line some of the main streets in the city after dark. Koloane portrayed them in a sympathetic way without revealing who the real person is behind the veneer of makeup and hairstyles.
Mgodoyi Series (1993). The first democratic elections in South Africa were held in 1994. This was made possible by the peaceful handover of power that was CODESA. The Mgodoyi Series reflects Koloane's thoughts around the negotiations. Mgodoyi is an insulting Zulu term for a man who behaves like a mongrel. In these prints, mongrel dogs maul each other. It is not clear which is the victor or whether they are in fact playing rather than fighting. These are the ambiguities that the artist examined in the prints.
"My concern in sociopolitical matters and contributions to the
furtherance of disadvantaged black South African artists during and
after the apartheid era is evident. My work can be said to reflect the
sociopolitical landscape of South Africa both past and present. The
sociopolitical conditions created by the apartheid system of government
have to a large extent transfixed the human condition as the axis around
which my work evolves. The human figure has become the icon of creative
expression." David Koloane.
Artists Represented by The Artists' Press A to L (by surname)
Artists Represented by The Artists' Press M to X (by surname)
For orders (with free shipping) or any other enquiries, please contact us.
Title: Three Sisters
Medium: Six colour lithograph
Size: 38 x 51 cm
Edition size: 30
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Title: Mirror
Medium: Seven colour lithograph
Size: 38 x 51 cm
Edition size: 30
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Title: Sunset
Medium: Eight colour lithograph
Size: 38 x 51 cm
Edition size: 30
Date: 1999
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Title: A la Ponte
Medium: Eight colour lithograph
Size: 38 x 51 cm
Edition size: 30
Date: 1999
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Title: Celebration
Medium: Six colour lithograph
Size: 41.7 x 68.3 cm
Edition size: 40
Price: R 7 600 (excl.VAT)
Title: Untitled
Medium: Single colour lithograph
Date: 1998
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Title: Untitled
Medium: Single colour lithograph
Edition size: 30
Date: 1997
Details: David Koloane's contribution to the artists' book Emandulo Re-Creation initiated by Kim Berman and Robbin Silverberg at Artists Proof Studio, Johannesburg.
Title: Untitled
Medium: Two colour lithograph
Size: 51.5 x 63.5 cm cm
Edition size: 15
Date: 1994
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Title: Mgodoyi I
Medium: Single colour lithograph
Size: 56 x 76 cm
Edition size: 20
Date: 1993
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Title: Mgodoyi II
Medium: Two colour lithograph
Size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 20
Date: 1993
SOLD OUT
Title: Mgodoyi III
Medium: Five colour lithograph
Size: 56 x 76 cm
Edition size: 20
Date: 1993
SOLD OUT
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