South African Modernist Alfred Thoba (1951-2022), a seminal political painter and Apartheid struggle artist, is recognized internationally for his distinctive style of painting and his frequently challenging subject matter. Kalashnikovv Gallery has partnered with Strauss & Co to commemorate Thoba’s career spanning half a century by exhibiting a selection from his body of work set alongside a reconstruction of his home studio and archival materials.
Deeply concerned with the disenfranchisement of black South Africans, Thoba’s art portrays politically charged spheres of the personal and the communal, frequently depicting contemporary events with historical significance. Alfred Thoba’s paintings are deeply personal and expressive; colourful renderings of his perspective elaborated in hand-written documents that accompanied his works.
TRUE LOVE is the title of a painting by Alfred Thoba of two lovers embracing published in Playboy magazine in the 90s. “True Love” embodies not only his dedication to his practice, but offers insight into Alfred Thoba’s life - inextricably linked to his painting. As a major contributor to socio-political discourse, tackling uncomfortable and confrontational subjects, this exhibition enables a deeper understanding of his Modernist approach and the underpinnings of his portrayals that reflect his complexity.
Opened - 6 February 2024
Welcome by Susie Goodman (Strauss & Co) and Matthew Dean Dowdle (Kalashnikovv)
Panel discussion with Bongi Dhlomo, Julia Charlton, Neil Dundas, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi and Rory Bester
Chaired by Wilhelm van Rensburg
Video produced by Next Movement
Directed and shot: Lesedi Rudolph
Shot and edited: Bokang Sesele
Music: Umfazi by uKhoiKhoi