Joachim Schönfeldt

Joachim Schönfeldt is a South African artist born in Tshwane, though his family moved to Namibia shortly after his birth. He completed his studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in the early 1980s, and later worked as a curator and researcher in historical African art. Schönfeldt transitioned to full-time art practice in 1988 and has since exhibited widely, both in South Africa and internationally. He was a founding member of the Fordsburg Artists' Studios, known as The Bag Factory.

In his work, Schönfeldt explores themes of authenticity and the notion of ‘dumb objects’ in African oral cultures. His prints feature deeply embossed images that challenge the viewer’s perception of two-dimensionality. Text often plays a central role in his prints, with slogans like "Authentic works of art and curios" provoking thought about the value and authenticity of contemporary African art. The prints are sealed with a high gloss varnish, giving them a finished, almost sculptural quality.

Schönfeldt's work questions the way objects can convey history and meaning, and he often incorporates the iconography of imagined pan-African religious symbols. The artist has also created sculptures inspired by African oral traditions, featuring animal figures with multiple heads and legs, symbolizing the complexity of African belief systems and storytelling.