Johannes Phokela

Johannes Phokela
Born1966 (age 59–60)
Soweto, South Africa
EducationFederated Union of Black Artists (FUBA) Academy, Johannesburg, South Africa
Alma materCamberwell College of Art, University of the Arts, London; Royal College of Art, London

Johannes Phokela (born 1966[1]) is a South African painter and sculptor.

Background

Johannes Phokela was born in Soweto, South Africa in 1966 and trained under Durant Sihlali.[2]

When Phokela was a child he witnessed the Soweto uprising and later created memorials regarding the event,[3] including a statue of Teboho MacDonald Mashinini on the grounds of Morris Isaacson High School unveiled on 1 May 2010,[4] and a large sculptural mural of a book sitting in a lot opposite of the school.[3]

Phokela began his studies at the Federated Union of Black Artists, Johannesburg before concluding his studies at the Royal College of Art, London.[5]

Phokela's works are displayed at the South African National Gallery, the Smithsonian National Museum for African Art in the United States of America, and the South African High Commission in London.[6]

Phokela has lived and worked in both London and Johannesburg.[1][7]

Career

Phokela's artistic practice is primarily composed of oil on canvas painting in the style of older Dutch Golden Age painting, often Phokela's paintings will include white grids as well.[5] Regarding the use of grids in his paintings, Phokela had stated that the grid "gives another dimension to the work; it is a device to challenge the viewer's perception of the image and form beneath. It is intended to have an effect like an ornamental frame surrounding a mirror, or a glass pane mounting a picture. Compositionally, the grid can unify pictorial space or even deny it"[8]

Phokela is influenced by traditional Western mediums, primarily using oil paint. Phokela takes inspiration from artists such as Peter Paul Rubens[6] and old masters from the Enlightenment era.[9]

Phokela's most recognized work is his 2004 painting, Apotheosis.[6] The piece resembles an altarpiece in that it has an arched top.[6]

On the topic of the production of art, Phokela had stated "Once you have the work it doesn’t really matter who produced it what counts is the quality. But unfortunately, the contemporary international art scene has this tendency to dwell on the background of the artist”[10]

Exhibitions

  • Johannes Phokela, Rack Gallery, London, May - July 1998[11]
  • Johannes Phokela, I like my Neighbours, Johannesburg, South Africa; Gallery MOMO, 2009[12]
  • Johannes Phokela, The World of the Sacred and the Profane, Johannesburg, South Africa; Gallery AOP, 2015[7]
  • Johannes Phokela, ONLY SUN IN THE SKY KNOWS HOW I FEEL – (A LUCID DREAM), Cape Town, Zeitz Mocaa Museum, 2021

References

  1. 1 2 "Johannes Phokela". africa.si.edu. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Vitamin P₂ : new perspectives in painting. Hasting, Julia., Schwabsky, Barry. London: Phaidon. 2011. ISBN 9780714861609. OCLC 755713379.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. 1 2 Miller, Kim; Schmahmann, Brenda, eds. (20 September 2017). "Bronze Warriors and Plastic Presidents". Public Art in South Africa: Bronze Warriors and Plastic Presidents. Indiana University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctt20060c0.12. ISBN 9780253030108. JSTOR j.ctt20060c0.
  4. ↑ "Unveiling of the Tsietsi Mashinini statue". joburg.org.za. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  5. 1 2 Haines, Bruce (Fall 2002). "Johannes Phokela". Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art. 2002 (16–17): 48–53. doi:10.1215/10757163-16-17-1-48. S2CID 201784383.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Pawlowska, Aneta (2013). "Some Remarks Regarding Contemporary South African Art in the Context of Political Changes and Stability of Artistic Principles". Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures. 47: 47–66.
  7. 1 2 Corrigall, Mary (29 October 2015). "Johannes Phokela messes with the Western art cannon's masters". The M&G Online. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  8. ↑ Staff, Craig G. (2021). Painting, History and Meaning: Sites of Time. Bristol, UK: Intellect Books. ISBN 9781789382884.
  9. ↑ Mgcineni, Sobopha (2011). "Re-Presenting the Body: In Search of a Postcolonial Moment". Visual Century: South African Art in Context. 4: 92–117 – via WorldCat.
  10. ↑ Rovine, Victoria L. (2004). "South Africa from North America: Exporting Identities through Art". African Arts. 37 (4): 48–95. doi:10.1162/afar.2004.37.4.48. ISSN 0001-9933.
  11. ↑ O'Kane, Paul (1 June 1998). "Johannes Phokela". Third Text. 12 (43): 103–104. doi:10.1080/09528829808576743. ISSN 0952-8822.
  12. ↑ Zvomuya, Percy (12 February 2009). "History lesson". The M&G Online. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
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