Alfred Thoba: A Step Becomes a Statement (Catalogue)

Publisher: Wits Art Museum (2018)

Alfred Thoba (b. 1951 - Johannesburg, SA) is a largely self-taught artist who is famous for his politically charged artworks - as he was a very active member of the resistance art movement. He currently lives and works in Johannesburg.

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. The finished works are often accompanied by a letter written by the artist himself.