For my first guest post here at Colossal, I have to share the work of one of my favorite artists of all time, Conrad Botes. Growing up in South Africa under Apartheid, Conrad’s work tackles serious issues of race and the human condition with a twist of post-pop cartoon imagery. As one-half of the brain behind Bitterkomix (the other being Anton Kannemeyer), Botes also used the format of the comic as a critique on Afrikaner culture and policy, branching into criticism of South African society in general (resulting in being banned in his own country at one time). Taking printmaking beyond simple decoration and comics beyond simple entertainment, Botes is a true example of what an artist should be.
