Joseph Thabang Palframan
Studio Vaartstraat
Periode: 01.02.2023—…
I am currently living and working in Belgium. I have degrees in Fine Art from The Royal Academy of Art Den Haag (2021) and Art History (Arts, Media and Society) from Leiden University (2021). I won the Ron Mandos Best of Graduates award which led to a residency period with Joep Van Lieshout (2021−2022). Although I am mainly working with paint, my practice is fluid and site-specific. So far my work has mainly been about identity, post- and pre-colonialist aesthetics and race theory from the ground up.
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Joseph Thabang Palframan
How can the arts be responsive to the diverse needs of the community? It’s important to have a clear understanding of who comprises the “public” to effectively address this question.
I believe in the efficiency of diversity. It is efficient because of the range of approaches to problem solving it offers. Being a mix of both African and European, understanding the complex history between England and Botswana, Netherlands and South Africa is not only an investigation into post-/pre-colonial theory but is an important part of my personal journey.
As a student, I often questioned the effect that mystification has had on arthistorical narratives and discussed how art institutions function as “myst-making machines” in my thesis. Regarding this research, ‘myst’ has become a key component of my work. I aim for “brutal” honesty, recognizing the importance of understanding how mystification affects the viewer, as well as the differences between demystification and deconstruction (structuralism).
Currently, I am focusing on painting African artifacts from both private and public collections, including the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren. I feel these artifacts are in Europe for a reason, as if carrying a message from the past to help guide the diaspora. Currently, I feel like they can help me comprehend alternative histories of aesthetics.
My artistic process involves exploring the human touch in our technological age through painting from life. As Ashraf Jamal once said, “Africa will provide the world with a human face”, an idea that originated with South African thinker Steve Biko and continues to inspire me.