Marcus van Tonder
FIne arts
Stellenbosch University
Specialisms: Fine Art / Photography / Storytelling
Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Marcus van Tonder
First Name: Marcus
Last Name: van Tonder
Specialisms: Fine Art / Photography / Storytelling
Sectors:
My Location: Stellenbosch, South Africa
University / College: Stellenbosch University
Course / Program Title: FIne arts
About
Marcus van Tonder (b.2000) is a South African Photographic Artist based in Stellenbosch. His work closely analyses our human condition and unpacks our coexistence with other life forms, favouring sustainability through a conservationist approach.
Make Your Bed is a photographic essay unfolding an autobiographical narrative. This body of work visually unpacked my family dynamics through a complex psychogeographical connection while navigating various ties within the fishing industry along the West Coast of South Africa. My father is a fisherman, and so are my uncles. They are fishermen like my grandfathers' and great-grandfathers were fishermen. I chose not to follow that path. My opposition to participating in a large-scale commercial fishing industry contributed to familial estrangement. The photographic medium provided a constructive outlet as I confronted my past, addressing the physical and psychological spaces that shaped my formative years. The current global fishing industry is failing. Overfishing, poaching, plastic pollution and ghost nets are some of the most pressing concerns. We do not have to support an exploitative and degrading system. Our consumption on earth can be ethical and sustainable. Through my creative practice, I wish to inspire these changes visually.
Competitions
