Jan du Toit

Jan du Toit was born in 1974, on the family farm in Tulbagh, Western Cape. Du Toit studied Fine Art in 1995 at the Foundation of School of Art in Observatory, Cape Town (no longer in existence). From his youth, political unrest made him aware of social injustices perpetrated under the system of apartheid; as a result, while in school, he befriended someone who worked at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and was kept up to date with the latest revelations.

His artwork, The Fruits of Labour, was finished in 1997 while he was a Fine Art student, and it was made using worn instruments that workers used on wine vineyards on a daily basis. Du Toit believes that as a queer white person in the 1990's, he feels obligated to speak out against the injustices committed against black workers, many of whom had little or no voice. The artist asserts that he does not use this work to further his artistic career and has moved into exploring identity politics, who he is, where he belongs, and what he can do to contribute to a more just society—all questions that are still relevant today.

Sources:

https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/EJC-15a69a9953 [Accessed 16 August 2024]