Black Printmakers in South Africa

Black printmakers have a long history in the SouthNhlengethwa, Dumisani Mabaso and Tony Nkotsi all
Africanstudied there. These artists continue to work in print
art world. Many of South Africa's top Black artists,and are
both pastinvolved in teaching the new generation of Black
and present are also printmakers. Black printmakersprintmakers that includes Osiah Masekoameng,
whoTrevor
are established artists are survivors of theTheloe and Robert Maledu. The latter have all
dysfunctionalstudied and
society that existed during the apartheid era and areworked at the Artist Proof studio, which is a
acommunity
constant source of inspiration to a youngerprintmaking centre in Newtown, Johannesburg. The
generation ofwork
Black printmakers.There are a few Black printmakersproduced at the studio tends to have a strong social
who worked almost
exclusively in print. Among these are the late Johnmessage and is a way for the young artists here to
Muafangejo (a Namibian artist), Dan Rakgoathe andexplore
Cyprian Shilakoe. All three artists played a valuableissues of culture, tradition, politics and
role inchange.Nhlanhla Xaba was instrumental in establishing
establishing a sound base for future generations ofthe Artist
blackProof Studio and until his tragic death in a fire that
printmakers to work on and their work is highlygutted the
collectable.studio was producing some of the finest prints
All three studied at the Rorkes Drift community artmade by any
centre.Rorkes Drift was also the educational home ofBlack printmaker or by any printmaker in the
some of thecountry for that
country's top contemporary Black printmakers. Sammatter.