The late South African artist and visionary David Nthubu Koloane had a keen understanding of what it meant to support and enjoy art in all of its forms.
His own daily journey through the city, from his home in Hillbrow to his studio in Newtown, was alive with the activity of art – so much of it making its way into his own artworks.
As former board member of the Bag Factory Artists’ Studios Makgati Molebatsi says of Koloane:
“Bra Day’s collages are littered with found objects, the detritus of everyday life, resembling the streets he walked on his way to and from the Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, like a flaneur, taking it all in for it to resurface later in his creative executions.”
Koloane was also passionate about democratising the arts and became a mentor to countless young artists. Co-establishing the first Black Art Gallery in 1977, the Thupelo experimental workshop in 1985 and the Bag Factory Artists’ Studios in 1991 are among the most well-known of Koloane’s contributions to broadening access to the arts.
Celebrating Koloane’s rich history and enduring legacy, the Standard Bank Gallery hosted A resilient visionary: Poetic expressions of David Koloane, the 2019 lifetime retrospective exhibition of his work.
Now, in 2022, Standard Bank continues to celebrate Koloane’s legacy with the exhibition’s supporting catalogue by the same name. Spanning his 60-year career, A resilient visionary: Poetic expressions of David Koloane is edited by artist, curator and art historian Thembinkosi Goniwe and contextualises the artworks of Koloane as well as the subjects of his work – the complexity of black urban life, the vibrant artistry of the city, the dynamic energy and resistance of jazz, and the socio-political minutiae of life under apartheid.
Standard Bank is also pleased to announce that all proceeds from the sale of the catalogue will go to the David Koloane Award, to ensure that more dreams are made possible.
Founded in 2010 and hosted annually by the Bag Factory, the David Koloane award benefits emerging artists who demonstrate passion, dedication, and potential for excellence. In addition to this, Standard Bank is presenting a virtual walk with the late Dr. David Koloane that takes you on the route that inspired so many of his iconic works.
Scan the QR code below to purchase the catalogue:
