Txe Kopana di a Kopana
The work of Frans Thoka is a translation of his cultural tongue; his is an act of creation that is rooted in heritage and the honouring of ancestry. Thoka utilises blankets, notably prison blankets and Basotho blankets as both an art medium and visual iconography to foreground the realities of marginalised groups subjected to structural violence. Thoka’s subject matter is a profoundly thoughtful reflection on racial oppression that particularly resides within a South African context. Thoka creates a dialogue about the historical injustices birthed from colonialism, the apartheid regime, land dispossession and the state of imprisonment that is both literal and metaphoric. His are works that give voice to the multiple and multifaceted struggles of the Black community, dually referencing the past and present.