August brought immense loss to the Artist Proof Studio community with the passing of two APS alumni, Bekithemba "Themba" Mdluli and Thokozani Madonsela. Both artists came through the Studio at different moments, developing practices and friendships that remained part of the APS community long after their time as students.
This tribute remembers their work, their journeys as artists and the friendships and memories they shared with the people around them at Artist Proof Studio.
Bekithemba "Themba" Mdluli
Bekithemba Mdluli's journey at Artist Proof Studio began in the Saturday programme while he was studying graphic design. His portfolio had already made an impression during his first interview and although he initially chose the Saturday programme, he later returned to study at APS full-time. He went on to become part of APS's graduating class of 2025.
Over those years, Themba developed a multidisciplinary practice spanning printmaking, painting and digital media.
His work explored fear, anxiety, pain, identity and vulnerability, with the image of the bird becoming a recurring motif within his visual language. His studies culminated in The Architect of Fear, an exhibition presented alongside Boitumelo Lethoko and Misa Boshoma, which marked an important point in a journey that had required persistence and determination.
His time at APS also opened opportunities beyond the print studio. In 2024, Themba travelled to Fallo, Italy, alongside fellow APS graduates George Mokwena and Mohau Moholane as part of the NAREVE cultural exchange project. Together, the artists created an 84-metre mural exploring the histories and connections between Italy and South Africa. The project also honoured Gianni Mariano, former Chairman of the APS Board, whose contribution to the Studio continues through the Gianni Mariano Scholarship Fund.
For Themba, the experience extended beyond producing the mural. Reflecting on his time in Fallo, he spoke about what the project had taught him about painting, community and preserving history. It became an important moment in his development as an artist and part of a journey that would eventually lead to his final graduate exhibition, The Architect of Fear.
Heidi Mielke, APS Education and Training Programme Lead, recalls a small detail that captured Themba's journey through the Studio. He arrived at his first APS interview wearing a bright green shirt covered in Santa Claus prints. Years later, when he sat for his final Senior Graduate assessment, he arrived wearing the very same shirt. From his first interview to the completion of his studies, the shirt had come full circle with him.
Those who knew Themba remember the friendships built around the years of studying and making work together. Khumo Ramaila describes their friendship through the moments in between: conversations about how difficult life could be, discussions about their hopes and dreams and long philosophical conversations. There were also the less serious adventures, getting lost in Pretoria, crashing a wedding for the fun of it and, as Khumo puts it, collectively making bad decisions while enjoying their youth. Looking back, he says life was never uninteresting with Themba around.
For Misa Boshoma, Themba felt like family. She remembers an immediate warmth and familiarity in their friendship and the feeling that whatever they were doing, she was doing it with a big brother. Their connection came easily, through conversations, laughter and simply spending time together. She remembers him as kind, loving, caring and distinctly himself, someone whose comfort and presence she will continue to carry with her.
Thokozani Madonsela
Thokozani Madonsela joined Artist Proof Studio's Saturday programme while working in the hospitality industry. For three years, he balanced work with his printmaking studies, often arriving at the Studio still dressed in the suit he had worn to work. His classmate Cassius Khumalo remembers joking with him about wearing clean suits into a printmaking studio, until Thokozani explained that he came straight from work. As the class became smaller over the years, Thokozani remained committed to completing the programme, eventually graduating alongside Cassius.
His facilitator and mentor, Thabo Motseki, remembers an ambitious and hardworking artist who was always willing to challenge the possibilities of printmaking. Their relationship continued after Thokozani graduated, with Thabo remaining a mentor as his practice developed and the distinctive figures that would become central to his work began to emerge.
Thokozani's nude, faceless and often laughing figures became immediately recognisable. For him, removing identifiers such as gender, age and economic status created a sense of neutrality, giving viewers space to recognise themselves within the figures. As his practice developed, he introduced clothing, furniture and other details to tell stories about everyday life in Johannesburg, social standing and people's relationship with the city.
From 2012 onwards, Thokozani exhibited consistently across South Africa, with his work appearing in exhibitions, competitions and major art fairs including Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Turbine Art Fair, RMB Latitudes Art Fair and FNB Art Joburg. His achievements included recognition through the Absa L'Atelier, Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards and SA Taxi Foundation Art Awards, as well as his 2015 solo exhibition, Emjondolo. His work also reached wider audiences through publications, including a feature on the cover of Art Times and a profile in the publication in 2024. His practice continued to grow and be exhibited through to 2026.
Thokozani remained closely connected to Artist Proof Studio after graduating, regularly returning to collaborate with the ProShop on his editions. In 2026, APS selected him for an Ampersand Fellowship, an opportunity for selected artists within the APS community to spend a month in New York, experiencing the city's museums, galleries and wider arts community. For Thokozani, the fellowship was particularly meaningful as visiting New York had long been one of his dreams.
Fellow artist and friend Sizwe Khoza, remembers watching this visual language take shape. The two had started in the same Saturday class and continued to turn to each other for honest criticism as their practices developed. When Thokozani began making his smiling figures, Sizwe remembers telling him, "Now you've found yourself," a fitting observation for an artist who, as Sizwe recalls, always carried a smile.
Thokozani had a way of bringing people together wherever he was, within the Studio and beyond it. He connected people from different walks of life, across the arts and other industries, building friendships and creating community wherever he went. He was generous with his time, honest in his conversations and warm in the way he engaged with people. He will be remembered as an artist, a friend and a true community builder.
For a more personal look at Thokozani, this 45-minute conversation with Smash Afrika captures him speaking openly about his work, his journey and his experiences as an artist.
Their work remains, but so do the friendships, conversations, jokes, lessons and memories shared with the people who worked and grew alongside them. Artist Proof Studio remembers Bekithemba and Thokozani, two artists, alumni and members of the APS community whose presence will continue to be felt through the people who knew them and the work they leave behind.
Written by Reneilwe Mathibe