Johannes Phokela Explained

Johannes Phokela
Birth Place:	Soweto, South Africa
Nationality:	South African

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

Background

Johannes Phokela was born in Soweto, South Africa in 1966 and trained under Durant Sihlali.^[1]

When Phokela was a child he witnessed the Soweto uprising and later created memorials regarding the event,^[2] including a statue of Teboho MacDonald Mashinini on the grounds of Morris Isaacson High School unveiled on 1 May 2010,^[3] and a large sculptural mural of a book sitting in a lot opposite of the school.

Phokela began his studies at the Federated Union of Black Artists, Johannesburg before concluding his studies at the Royal College of Art, London.^[4]

Phokela has lived and worked in both London and Johannesburg.^{[5] [6]}

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.

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”^[7]

Exhibitions

• Johannes Phokela, Rack Gallery, London, May - July 1998^[8]
• Johannes Phokela, I like my Neighbours, Johannesburg, South Africa; Gallery MOMO, 2009^[9]
• Johannes Phokela, The World of the Sacred and the Profane, Johannesburg, South Africa; Gallery AOP, 2015
• Johannes Phokela, ONLY SUN IN THE SKY KNOWS HOW I FEEL – (A LUCID DREAM), Cape Town, Zeitz Mocaa Museum, 2021

Notes and References

1. Book: Vitamin P₂ : new perspectives in painting. 2011. Phaidon. Hasting, Julia., Schwabsky, Barry.. 9780714861609. London. 755713379.
2. Book: Public Art in South Africa: Bronze Warriors and Plastic Presidents. 2017-09-20. Indiana University Press. 9780253030108. Miller. Kim. 10.2307/j.ctt20060c0.12. Schmahmann. Brenda. j.ctt20060c0. Bronze Warriors and Plastic Presidents.
3. Web site: Unveiling of the Tsietsi Mashinini statue. joburg.org.za. 25 July 2013. 3 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225352/http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5351&Itemid=114. dead.
4. Haines. Bruce. Fall 2002. Johannes Phokela. Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art. 2002. 16–17. 48–53. 10.1215/10757163-16-17-1-48. 201784383.
5. Web site: Johannes Phokela. africa.si.edu. 2019-11-07.
6. Web site: Johannes Phokela messes with the Western art cannon's masters. Corrigall. Mary. The M&G Online. 29 October 2015 . en. 2019-11-07.
7. Rovine. Victoria L.. 2004. South Africa from North America: Exporting Identities through Art. African Arts. en. 37. 4. 48–95. 10.1162/afar.2004.37.4.48. 0001-9933.
8. O'Kane. Paul. 1998-06-01. Johannes Phokela. Third Text. 12. 43. 103–104. 10.1080/09528829808576743. 0952-8822. free.
9. Web site: History lesson. Zvomuya. Percy. The M&G Online. 12 February 2009 . en. 2019-11-07.