south african art article

8/14/2019 South African Art Article

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South African Art Politics And Progress For The Masters?

South African Art, Its Masters And The Politics Of Social Change

South African art, its masters, world renowned paintings and grass roots artists alike

have all been shaped to some extent by the politics of social change over the pastcentury. Artistic practice in much of South Africa has been affected by official

policies of racial segregation, wars, economic and political migration, and an infinitenumber of marginal influences that combine to form the creative identity of the artistand their choice of subject. In the early years of British colonial rule great masterssuch as Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (1886 -1957) were exiled in Holland due to theAnglo-Boer Wars. Undoubtedly artists such as him evolved their creative geniusthrough painting and education abroad. These skills and influences were then adopted

by other South African painters when these old masters returned from their exile.

The exchange of ideas between European colonial artists and their native blackcounterparts was not just a one-way process. Although missionaries, patrons andeducators exposed African artists to western artistic practices, so too did many whiteSouth African modernists adopt African aesthetic elements and collaborate with likeminded black South African artists. Walter Battiss (1906 -1982), Alexis Preller (1911-1975), and many other South African artists united to form The New Group. Theseartists explored an unconventional modern art whose foundation was centred aboutthe integration of African and European aesthetics. They also organised exhibitionscelebrating the paintings of black South African artists such as Gerard Sekoto (1913 -1993). This social trend continued throughout the early 1900s, until the Era ofapartheid that began in 1948.

During apartheid, artistic practice and the subject matter of paintings in South Africatook a radical shift. African art in general could be considered as activist art, always

provoking reactionary attitudes in those that view it. Much of the artwork produced inthis era is anything but passive in its visual impact or political message, its purposewas social change! Although artists played a prominent role in the resistancemovement, politically minded artists such as Michael Maapola (1964 - present) were

persecuted, and black artists work was rarely exhibited. Much township art wasdestroyed by security forces, leaving a significant gap in the nations cultural legacy.Louis Khela Maqhubela (1939 - present) whose paintings are a combination ofabstract figures, symbolism, and genre scenes of everyday life, continued to exhibithis work during apartheid. Artistic protest took the global stage at the height ofsanctions and the cultural boycott. A French based association called Artists of theWorld against Apartheid launched a global appeal for artists to contribute to acollection of anti-apartheid paintings. This significant fusion of works is perhapsSouth Africas single most valuable international art collection once estimated at over

13 Million Rand. The end of apartheid in 1990 saw the home-coming of thecollection, and the full integration of South African artists into international artisticcommunity following elimination of the United Nations cultural boycott.


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South African Paintings Achieve Records For Established Art Masters

Apartheid undoubtedly inspired a lot of influential art in South Africa. The liberatingvoices of artists did much to capture the attitudes and opinions of people during this

time. The cultural value of these works is indisputably priceless, however what of themonetary value? Has South African art seen a progressive increase in value since theend of apartheid? Can South African Masters set records at auction like theirEuropean counterparts have been doing in recent years?

The South African art market would indeed seem to be following world trends, SouthAfrican paintings have been realising fabulous prices. The art market is booming on aglobal level and South Africa is no exception. In 2007, Bonhams of Londonestablished their first-ever auction solely devoted to South African art. It saw over

$2,000,000 worth of art being auctioned, the sale included works by major SouthAfrican masters. It is a valuable indication therefore about the position of modernSouth African art internationally, and that these paintings are no longer of interestonly to the domestic art market.

Irma Stern's The Tomato Picker was knocked down for $310,000 against thecatalogue pre-sale estimate of $160,000-$240,000. Sekoto's Wash Day achieved ahammer price of $140,000, and Alexis Preller's Portrait of a Girl fetched $64,000,more than double the upper pre-sale estimate of $30,000. Walter Battiss' portrait ofhis wife, artist Grace Anderson, was bid at four times the higher estimate, fetching$20,000. Jentsch also sold well with a top hammer price of $64,000 for The NamibDesert.

Gerard Sekotos works seem to be at the crest of the wave that has propelledcontemporary South African art into the leading edge of the global art market, seeinga 300% rise in recent years. Sekotos self portrait shattered previous world auctionrecords for the artist and fetched an amazing $246,900. Given this current trend 2008should be an exciting year for contemporary South African art. Private buyers,collectors and museum and gallery curators from the USA, Europe and beyond have

all registered serious interest in Bonhams forthcoming sales in 2008.

The Evolution - Nurturing The New South African Art Masters

Who will be the masters of tomorrow?

It is evident that artistic practice in South Africa has been affected by racialsegregation, wars, and political migration, but what of the artists themselves? Apartfrom rendering future influences in creative style and expression through their

paintings, what else have they done to nurture the next promising generations ofSouth African masters?
http://www.southafricanartists.com/http://www.southafricanartists.com/


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Gerard Sekoto has been described as: South Africas pioneer of urban black art andsocial realism. Following his death in 1993, The Gerard Sekoto Foundation wasformed. It was Sekotos expressed wish that his Estate should be used to uplift arteducation for young South African children. He knew that formal art education wasnot offered in schools during the apartheid era, and The Foundation goes some way to

rectify the wrongs of the past. South Africa will someday celebrate its new masters,due to the efforts of institutions such as The Foundation, The National Arts Counciland workshops run by Thupelo. However lets not just dream of the future, what ofthe present day?

Contemporary art emerging from South Africa is exciting in its breadth andexpression. Any creative works to come from a nation with such a unique and variedhistory deserves unrestrained attention. One should not just think in terms of safariand wildlife paintings. Although a commercially popular genre this does not come

close to characterising the depth and variety of works currently been created byeducated and professional artists in South Africa. Browse through our galleries andyou may just stumble upon the next South African Master!

south african art article

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