The Smoker

South African artist Juan Stockenstroom's painting captures a poignant moment in the life of an inmate at the overcrowded Polsmoor prison in Cape Town, South Africa. The figurative painting depicts a shirtless man smoking a cigarette, his denim jeans and belt the only clothing he wears. Stockenstroom has used a mix of acrylic paints in red, gold, bronze, black, light blue turquoise and crimson red, all applied with a palette knife, to create a textured and layered effect on the man's body. His face is particularly striking, with white, gold, and minimal black acrylic paint used to create a distinctive, dripping nose. Against a plain black background, the man's presence is amplified, as if his physical form and actions are the sole focus.

The impasto-like texture of the acrylic paints is heightened by the use of a heavy body medium, creating an almost three-dimensional effect on the canvas. The colours used evoke a sense of earthiness and grittiness, appropriate for the subject matter of the painting. This gritty, textural quality also captures the harshness of the prison environment, while the use of a palette knife suggests a sense of aggression and tension in the man's movements.

Through this painting, Stockenstroom invites the viewer to contemplate the harsh realities faced by prisoners in the South African penal system. The man's smoking break provides a moment of respite from the confines of his prison cell but also serves as a reminder of his incarceration and the limited freedoms he experiences. The painting is a powerful representation of the struggles faced by prisoners in the criminal justice system, and a testament to the artist's ability to evoke complex emotions through the use of colour, texture, and form.