David Koloane
Encyclopedia
The artist
David Nthubu Koloane was born on June 5, 1938 in the township
of Alexandra
, a suburb of Johannesburg
in South Africa
. In his drawing
s, painting
s and collage
s he explores actual questions about political injustice and human rights
. Koloane is considered "an influential artist and writer of the apartheid years" in South Africa.
he started being interested in art
and doing art in his leisure time when not working to earn money for the familiy. From 1974 to 1977 Koloane attended art classes at the Bill Ainslie Studios, which later became the Johannesburg Art Foundation. In 1977, Koloane was one of the founding members of the first black gallery in South Africa, located in Johannesburg. His increasing dedication to art led him to start teaching at a high school in a township, first as a part-time job, later full-time. Also in the following years Koloane was very active and committed: in 1982, he co-curated the Culture and Resistance Arts Festival in Botswana
, from 1986 to 1988 he was the curator of the Fuba Art Gallery in Johannesburg and in 1990 he co-ordinated and co-curated the Zabalaza Festivals in London
, England
.
Additionally, Koloane studied at the University of London
from 1984 to 1985 and received a diploma in museology
.
David Koloane's works are part of many collections worldwide, including the collections of the Johannesburg Art Gallery
, the South African National Gallery
in Cape Town
and the Botswana National Museum
.
In 1998, Koloane was honored by the government of the Netherlands
with the Prince Claus Fund
for his contribution to the development of art in South Africa.
He states about his work:
"My concern in socio-political 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 socio-political landscape of South Africa both past and present. The socio political 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".
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
David Nthubu Koloane was born on June 5, 1938 in the township
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
of Alexandra
Alexandra, Gauteng
Alexandra or Alex for short, nicknamed Gomora is a township located in Gauteng province, South Africa. It is part of Johannesburg, close to the wealthy suburb of Sandton and is bounded by Wynberg on the west, Marlboro and Kelvin on the north, Kew, Lombardy West and Lombardy East on the south...
, a suburb of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In his drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
s, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s and collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
s he explores actual questions about political injustice and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Koloane is considered "an influential artist and writer of the apartheid years" in South Africa.
Life
David Koloane was born on June 5, 1938 in the township of Alexandra, a suburb of Johannesburg in South Africa. Already during high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
he started being interested in art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and doing art in his leisure time when not working to earn money for the familiy. From 1974 to 1977 Koloane attended art classes at the Bill Ainslie Studios, which later became the Johannesburg Art Foundation. In 1977, Koloane was one of the founding members of the first black gallery in South Africa, located in Johannesburg. His increasing dedication to art led him to start teaching at a high school in a township, first as a part-time job, later full-time. Also in the following years Koloane was very active and committed: in 1982, he co-curated the Culture and Resistance Arts Festival in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, from 1986 to 1988 he was the curator of the Fuba Art Gallery in Johannesburg and in 1990 he co-ordinated and co-curated the Zabalaza Festivals in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Additionally, Koloane studied at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
from 1984 to 1985 and received a diploma in museology
Museology
Museology is the diachronic study of museums and how they have established and developed in their role as an educational mechanism under social and political pressures.-Overview:...
.
David Koloane's works are part of many collections worldwide, including the collections of the Johannesburg Art Gallery
Johannesburg Art Gallery
The Johannesburg Art Gallery is an art gallery located in Joubert Park, in the central business district of Johannesburg, South Africa. The building was designed by Edward Lutyens and consists of 15 exhibition halls and sculpture gardens...
, the South African National Gallery
South African National Gallery
The South African National Gallery is the national art gallery of South Africa located in Cape Town. The collection began in 1872 with the donation of Sir Thomas Butterworth's personal gallery....
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
and the Botswana National Museum
Botswana National Museum
The Botswana National Museum also known as the National Museum and Art Gallery, located in the capital of Gaborone, is a multi-disciplinary institution that included the National Art Gallery, National Library and Octagon Gallery, before adding a botanical garden in November 2007, displays...
.
Work philosophy
David Koloane has a wide-ranging work area: as artist, he always connects his own works to respective social controversies; furthermore, he contributed to various catalogues, curated exhibitions, was part of jury boards several times - amongst others in the advisory board of the National Arts Council -, and published many articles both in South Africa and internationally.In 1998, Koloane was honored by the government of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
with the Prince Claus Fund
Prince Claus Awards
The Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
for his contribution to the development of art in South Africa.
He states about his work:
"My concern in socio-political 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 socio-political landscape of South Africa both past and present. The socio political 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
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of creative expression".
Exhibitions (selection)
- 2004 "The ID of South African Artists", Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2003 Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2002 Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2001 Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2000 Liberated Voices Exhibition, Museum of African Art, New York, USA
- 1990 Gallery on the Market, with Michael Zondi, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1990 South African Mural Exhibition, I.C.A. Gallery London, UK
- 1990 Art from South Africa Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, UK
- 1989 African encounter, Dome Gallery, New York, USA
- 1989 The Neglected Tradition Exhibition, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1988 Pachipamwe international artists workshop Zimbabwe National Gallery Harare, Zimbabwe
- 1987 Contemporary Black artists Academy Art Gallery, Paris, France
- 1987 Portraits: UNISA Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa
- 1986 Historical perspective of Black South African artists French Alliance, Pretoria, South Africa
- 1985 Fuba Gallery,Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1985 Gallery 198, London, UK
- 1984 Stockwell Studio exhibition, London , UK
- 1982 Art towards social development, National Gallery and Museum, Gaborone, Botswana
- 1979 Bill Ainslie Studios, Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1979 Gallery 101, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1978 Black Expo ‘78, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1977 The Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1977 Nedbank Gallery Killarney, Johannesburg,South Africa
Literature
- Schamp, Matthias, David Koloane, und Stephan Mann. David Koloane: Arbeiten Auf Papier. Hommage Zum 70. Geburtstag. Kerber Christof Verlag, 2008.
- Tadjo, Véronique, und David Koloane, David Koloane (David Krut Pub., 2002).
- Bogatzke, H., R. Brockmann, und C. Ludszuweit. Ondambo: African art forum. Gamsberg Macmillan, 2000. (S. 30-49, S. 174-177)
- Berman, Esmé. Painting in South Africa. Southern Book Publishers, 1993. (S. 363)
- Deliss, Clémentine, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Malmö konsthall, und Guggenheim Museum Soho. 7 stories about modern art in Africa. Flammarion, 1995. (S. 140-156, S. 261-265)
- Herreman, Frank and D’Amato, Mark. Liberated voices: contemporary art from South Africa. The Museum for African Art, 1999. (S. 27)
- Kasfir, Sidney Littlefield, and Gus Gordon. Contemporary African Art. Paw Prints, 2008. (S. 159-161)
External links
- http://www.trent-art.co.za/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28:david-koloane&catid=4:artists&Itemid=6 infos at trent-art.co.za
- http://www.artthrob.co.za/03july/artbio.html infos at artthrob
- http://www.goodman-gallery.com/artists/davidkoloane artist`s profile on the Goodman Gallery`s homepage
- http://www.artprintsa.com/davidkoloane.html infos at artprintsa.com
- http://deadrevolutionariesclub.co.za/node/84 article on the website "Dead Revolutionaries Club"
- http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=825&Itemid=52 infos at joburg.co.za
- http://www.vgallery.co.za/cvkoloane.htm artist`s profile on the V Gallery`s homepage
- http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/2001/2001_10_26.africanart.html article on Palo Alto Online
- http://www.artists-press.net/david-koloane/david-koloane.htm infos at artists-press.net