Smoky Cityscape II

This view of the city emphasises the industrial and commercial character of Jozi. The artist’s characteristically muted palette and bold, almost graphic, expressionism perfectly capture the grimy underbelly of the big city, with the implicit oppressiveness of its apartheid history never far from the surface.

Johannesburg’s most iconic skyline buildings – the Brixton Tower and Ponte City – take hazy shape through the gloom, providing an unmistakable sense of place. Koloane gives an almost tactile quality to this depiction of the inner city, which is both threatening and familiar.

Artwork courtesy of SABC Art Collection.