On Saturday 24 May, artist Joseph Thabang Palframan will lead a special tour of his solo exhibition Everybody Wants to be a Rolling Stone at Upstream Gallery. During the tour, Palframan will share personal insights into his artistic process and discuss the themes, influences and contexts that shape his work.
Joseph Thabang Palframan (1997, Namibia) was raised in both England and Botswana. He studied Fine Art at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and Art History at Leiden University. Now based in Belgium, his practice spans socially engaged and studio-based projects, with a primary focus on painting.
In his current work, Palframan explores Pointillism not only as an aesthetic technique but also as a turning point in the history of painting—one that intersects with technological and scientific developments. His paintings are layered with personal and cultural references. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Dumile Feni, Thami Mnyele, and Sam Nzima, Palframan engages in a visual dialogue that connects memory, identity, and historical legacy.
Of mixed African and European heritage, Palframan’s perspective is shaped by the complex entanglements of colonial histories, such as those between England and Botswana or the Netherlands and South Africa. These entanglements form the backdrop to his wider inquiry into how colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary art and society.
This is Palframan’s first solo presentation at Upstream Gallery. The artist-led tour offers a rare opportunity to experience the exhibition through the eyes of the artist himself. All are welcome.
