Arguably the greatest proponent of African-rooted graphic design, Garth Walker’s latest exhibition in New York is an overview of his work in “darkest Africa”, since South African democracy.
Confessions of a Design Thief, showing at the Dr MT Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery until 5 March 2011, is a journey through Walker’s interpretation of South Africa’s city and township vernacular, and photography and graphics from selected personal projects, including the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Walker’s image archive encompasses all aspects of South African street and township design, from architecture to type, signage and even gravestones. With a keen interest in the question of “What makes me African – and what does that look like?”, Walker’s personal work has essentially focused on this quest, across a range of disciplines.
