Johannes Phokela
South African artist Johannes Phokela (b. 1966) studied at the Federated Union of Black Artists (FUBA) in Johannesburg before relocating to London He completed a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art at the University of the Arts (Camberwell) and then a master’s degree at the Royal College of Art. During this period, the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square became a haven for the young artist and he was particularly struck by the Old Masters and paintings from the Dutch Golden Age.
He reinterprets these ‘traditional’ works but always with a postmodern twist, often referencing violence and political unrest in his home country.
For example, in his depiction of St Sebastian, the martyr’s wounds have been caused by a modern AK-47 assault rifle. Phokela was honoured with a major retrospective at the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg in 2009.
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