Artist and former practising lawyer, Thato Toeba’s entry into the art world was ignited by the Fees Must Fall movement.
The then postgraduate law student says the movement was a radicalising moment for them.
“When I went to Cape Town and did my master’s, I don’t know if I had thought about the university and the education that I was receiving,” Toeba says.
“All I knew was there was something foreign about it and how it’s rooted in colonialism and outdated structural systems that don’t work for us, the black people who are its recipients. Why is it that this is the type of system that we choose to operate in, and why is it harsh?”
Such hard realities and thoughts are expressed through Toeba’s artwork. They are the recipient of the prestigious 2025 FNB Art Prize.
The three-day FNB Art Fair took place over the weekend in Sandton. The star-studded after-party, hosted by Wanted magazine, was held on Sunday night at the Diane-Paris Studio in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. The event also served as the launch of the Most Wanted Club. Guests included Boity Thulo, Trevor Stuurman, Zakes Bantwini, Thebe Magugu and Unathi Nkayi.
“I was so shocked when they announced me as the winner,” says the 35-year-old from Maseru, Lesotho.
Toeba is in the process of concluding a two-year residency programme at The Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
“Coming from Lesotho, where we are still trying to build an art ecosystem, I think this is such an important and powerful affirmation of what we are doing,” says Toeba.
“I arrived in Cape Town in 2015, just as Fees Must Fall started, and that became my socialisation in SA. I met people from different disciplines and saw how they were expressing their thoughts. I began thinking about law still, but from different perspectives and that’s how I ended up being in the art world.”
Toeba remained in the Mother City for five years to complete their PhD studies. During that period, the Stevensons gallery in Cape Town prompted their artistic urges.
“The show was the Quiet Violence of Dreams, which was named after [and paid tribute to] a book by K Sello Duiker, which I had just read. For me, it was intriguing to see art making such big points – political, social and legal – and then still visiting life and making that connection between theory and reality and creativity and expressing yourself in unconventional ways. This won me over,” says Toeba.
“When the pandemic came, I stopped doing legal things and I quit my job. It [the pandemic] gave us a good opportunity to think of other ways to work and I started making collages and putting them on the internet and sharing with people. I wanted people to like the work. Before I knew it, I was invited to be a part of this group show in Lesotho and the rest is history.”
To date, Toeba has exhibited in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Maseru. They had their first solo exhibition titled Phate lia Lekana at Stevenson Johannesburg.
As the winner of the 2025 FNB Art Prize, Toeba will receive a cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2026. They join previous recipients Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Dada Khanyisa, Wycliffe Mundopa, Lady Skollie, Bronwyn Katz and Haroon Gunn-Salie.
On the launch of the Most Wanted Club, Siphiwe Mpye said: "Business Day Wanted, South Africa's leading luxury magazine, is thrilled to announce the launch of the Most Wanted Club. Members of this esteemed club have exclusive access to luxury concierge services and meticulously crafted bespoke events, as well as access to the world's most prestigious annual gatherings."
Toeba uses the pronouns they/them.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.