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Art of Business
Featured artists

Johannesburg-born, Thoba is largely self-taught, although he undertook some training at the Johannesburg Art Foundation and in Swaziland.

Thoba is known for his politically charged artworks - as he was a very active member of the resistance art movement. He is known for his famous work titled Thank you Mr FW de Klerk for handing over South Africa to Nelson Mandela. Thoba’s paintbrush not only condemned white-on-black violence, but also brought to light the effects of apartheid among blacks themselves.

In post-apartheid South Africa, Thoba remained moved by the plight of the people in the black townships: not so much the violence, as the effects of urbanisation and westernisation on traditional values. Frequent subjects include children who have turned to stealing, prostitution and violence to survive on the streets. Human relationships and personal suffering also serve as inspiration, as do contemporary events, which Thoba draws from newspaper articles.

"Humanity is central to my work, resulting in paintings charged with emotion."

Fathers of fathers - their way of hunting,
oil on paper, 72 x 101cm, 2000
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Wayne Cahill Barker   Gerhard Harald Batha   Walter Whall Battiss   Deborah Margaret Bell   Bongi Bengu   Willie Bester
                     
         
                     
Peter John Bonney   Willem Hendrik Adriaan Boshoff   Mbongeni Richman Buthelezi   Norman Catherine   Erika Hibbert   Phillemon Hlungwani
                     
         
                     
Robert Griffiths Hodgins   William Kentridge   John Kramer   Speelman Mahlangu   Colbert Mashile   Clare Menck
                     
         
                     
John Mark Moore   Zwelethu Mthethwa and Sam Nhlengethwa   Olbie Olberholzer   Walter Oltmann   Milwa Mnyaluza George Pemba   Uwe Pfaff
                     
         
                     
Karin Preller   Dan Rakgoathe   Albert Redelinghuys   Jürgen Schadeberg   Lucky Sibiya   Jaco Sieberhagen
                     
         
                     
Lionel Smit   Richard John Smith   Angus Taylor   Alfred Thoba   Andrew Verster   Edoardo Villa
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