about the artist
Education
- Artist Proof Studio
Mediums
- Linocut
- Paintings
- Wall Murals
- Sculptures
Exhibitions
- Unwanted Fragments
Biography
Born in 1988 in Daggakraal, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Thokozani Madonsela is a versatile artist celebrated for his talent in mural art, painting, and printmaking. A graduate of Artist Proof Studio, where he earned a certificate in Printmaking, Madonsela masterfully works across various mediums, including charcoal drawings, painting, and mosaic art. His work has been showcased in prominent group exhibitions such as the SA Taxi Foundation Art Awards and the Absa L’Atelier, among others. Madonsela has also contributed to notable special projects and commissions, solidifying his reputation as a dynamic and accomplished artist within the South African art scene.
Artist Statement
Over the years, my work has been most recognizable for its iconic nude, faceless, often laughing figures. This has been a bold statement I have used to depict neutrality in human identity. Through these figures, one cannot tell what gender, economic status or age the people I represent are. This has allowed everyone who looks at my work to take it as personally as they see fit, seeing themselves through the experiences of the figures on the canvas. This year, I have not veered far from my iconic figures. This body of work will tell everyday stories of people in the City we reside in. With the use of various accessories, I wish to depict lives from serval walks of life, with the emphasis that we are all visitors in the urban spaces we have grown to call home, that none of us really belong here.
In continuation with the use of my figures to represent the everyday human, I have introduced bold accessories to illuminate the stories and experiences they each have to share.
Starting with the introduction of the high/bar stool, which is a graduation from the bench they usually sat on before. This is a slightly more comfortable seat yet still not necessarily a depiction of wealth or success. It does however elevate my figures to a point of sight amongst others. The elevation could represent either a better financial standing and comfort or a higher social status, elevated enough to speak for others. Another remarkable addition is the t-shirts some of them have on.
