5 days ago
Thato Toeba's artistic vision earns the 2025 FNB Art Prize
As the recipient of the 15th FNB Art Prize, Toeba joins previous winners Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude, Lindokuhle Sobekwa, Dada Khanyisa, Wycliffe Mundopa and Lady Skollie.
Image: Supplied
Artist, lawyer, and social sciences researcher Thato Toeba has been awarded the 2025 FNB Art Prize.
Born in Maseru, Toeba's bold mixed-media work incorporates both photomontage and assemblage, challenging perceptions around identity, power, and history.
'This means a lot to me. When I started five years ago, I felt very insecure about whether I am an artist or not. This is a very affirming answer to that,' said Toeba, celebrating their win.
They reiterated the pivotal nature of this recognition, particularly coming from Lesotho, an area still striving to build a robust art ecosystem. 'For my practice, it is such a momentous mark of an end to my beginnings.'
In 2015, Toeba earned an LLM from Humboldt University in Berlin and is currently finalising a two-year residency at the prestigious Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
Toeba's first solo exhibition, titled 'Phate lia Lekana', was held at Stevenson in Johannesburg as a part of their STAGE initiative aimed at younger, unrepresented artists.
Exhibiting works in recent shows like 'Today I wish to talk to your dreams' and 'Where Do I Begin', Toeba continues to push boundaries within the art community, demonstrating the intentionality behind their practice.
The highly esteemed jury for the 2025 FNB Art Prize included prominent figures such as Kim Kandan, Fair Manager and representative of FNB Art Joburg; Kenneth Montague, a notable collector and director of the Wedge Collection; and Janine Gaëlle Dieudji, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
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Thato Toeba is an artist, lawyer and social sciences researcher working with mixed-media photomontage and assemblage.
Image: Supplied
Their decision-making process praised Toeba's work, stating: 'Thato Toeba's practice holds a quiet force. Their use of collage and assemblage is both deliberate and layered, allowing for a visual language that is conceptually clear and materially rich.'
The highly esteemed jury for the 2025 FNB Art Prize included prominent figures such as Kim Kandan, Fair Manager and representative of FNB Art Joburg; Kenneth Montague, a notable collector and director of the WEDGE Collection; and Janine Gaëlle Dieudji, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
Their decision-making process praised Toeba's work, stating: 'Thato Toeba's practice holds a quiet force. Their use of collage and assemblage is both deliberate and layered, allowing for a visual language that is conceptually clear and materially rich.'
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