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A Love Affairwith Africa

speed, oil on canvas, 2 panels of 115 x 115cm, 2014

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Passion. It’s perhaps the single

most striking element of

Peter Pharoah’s work, and

it mesmerises and enthrals

me. Bold brushstrokes fuse

with powerful composition in

dynamic, colourful energy as the spirit of a

continent is brought to life. “Passion drives

you to take risks, to step out of your comfort

zone. It’s the most vital element in creating a

work of art,” explains Pharoah.

Pharoah is in love with Africa, and it

shows. He finds inspiration in every aspect

of its being. “Africa is my elixir; I yearn to be

immersed in its beauty. Its colours, textures

and moods, the heat, the dust, the smells,

the people, the animals, the bush. The

African landscape provides a multitude of

stories – an opportunity to experience a

life of adventure, romance and discovery

in a landscape of memories where one can

savour the graceful beauty of the African

wildlife and the majesty of an African

sunrise.” Pharoah’s depictions are, however,

not limited to the beautiful, and he explains

that even the charred aftermath of a veld fire

can be a source of inspiration for him.

A key fascination in Pharoah’s work is

the contrast between tenderness and

ruthlessness in his subject matter. It is why

many of his pieces feature African women.

“Their faces convey honesty, and a sense of

inner strength and endurance,” he muses,

adding that portraits challenge him to find

new ways to approach a concept he’s explored

before. “It’s one of the most important, yet

frustrating learning experiences, and is vital

to an artist’s personal development.”

I ask how he manages to part with the

creations into which he has poured his soul,

and whether there is a particular piece he

favours. “The most recent painting always

has to be my favourite, otherwise it never

leaves my studio,” he laughs. “But every

now and then, there are ‘more’ favourite

ones. These are usually the ones that break

the biggest ground in a new direction. The

ones that create floods of new inspiration to

expand on and search for a fresh approach

to continue in a new direction. It is these

paintings that make me want to go back into

the studio and splash paint onto the canvas.”

His process is intricate, and he explains

that the best inspiration in the world

means little without proper composition.

“If the composition is flawed at the

outset, no matter how well you execute

the brushstrokes, it will never work. The

viewer will pick up on it and the work will

appear unbalanced.”

Pharoah’s explanation of the intersection

of composition, subject matter, focal point,

colour and the principles of design reveals

an experienced artist with considerable

knowledge of the fine arts, despite his

claim that he was “rotten” at art history. He

attended Kearsney College in KwaZulu-

Natal, where he won many awards for his art,

including the prestigious Natal Art Award

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Text: Dominique du PlessisImages © Peter Pharoah Art Gallery

and the Grahamstown Art Festival Award.

He went on to study art and graphic design

at the witwatersrand Technikon, where he

was awarded further accolades, and later

worked as an art director and illustrator in the

advertising industry.

“I always had a talent for art, but I believed I

was going to be a pilot. My parents said there

wasn’t a living to be made from fine art. I did

my degree, and after spending some time in

the advertising industry in Johannesburg, I

found myself in wilderness in the southern

Cape. with no other means of making a living

and with a young family to support, I began

my career as an artist. Fine art has been very

good to me. I am very lucky,” he says.

Pharoah’s work is magnificently rich in

experience, the colours and textures dancing

in brilliant vibrancy across the canvas to evoke

an immersion into Africa, its pride and power

captured in a penetrating gaze or the energy

of its creatures. Yet within this undaunted

expression there is a softness, a beauty that

speaks to the soul. I know which piece I admire

most, and I wonder, with so many from which

to choose, which Pharoah considers his

greatest achievement. “As an artist, I would

say one’s greatest achievement is capturing

the imagination of people who say that they

don’t really appreciate or enjoy art, whether

it’s abstract, realism, or a subject to which

they don’t feel a connection. I consider every

painting I do to be my greatest achievement

to date.” The viewer is important to Pharoah,

and he explains that his or her experience of

the artwork completes the picture. “I like to

suggest a mood or a feeling as simply and

honestly as possible. I leave a certain amount

up to the viewers’ imagination, only giving

them subtle hints or clues along the way.”

Pharoah is extraordinarily humble

about his work, especially considering it is

coveted by corporate and private collectors

around the globe. locally, you can find it

at Red! The Gallery, Eclectica Modern in

Cape Town, and the Peter Pharoah Art

Gallery in wilderness. “Each new artwork

is just another step along the road, an

opportunity to reinvent yourself, to try a

new approach, to explore new techniques

and experiment with new aspects of the

creative process. Perfection is an illusion

that will consume you if you allow it.”

For more information call +27 76 976

2629, email gallery@peterpharoah.com or

visit www.peterpharoah.com.