THE SOUTH AFRICAN

ART ART TIMETIMESSIssue : July 2009

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Johannesburg to get Kentridge’s Fire Walker

Published monthly by Global Art Information

PO Box 15881 Vlaeberg, 8018

Tel. 021 424 7733 Fax. 021 424 7732

Baring traces of its former life in the

cycle of industrial commerce its face

brick facade does little to betray its

new incarnation as a multi-use arts

hub. So it’s a surprise when one

enters the Arts on Main development

in the east of Joburg’s inner city to

fi nd oneself in the centre of an über

trendy centre boasting a grassy

courtyard studded with lemon trees.

But it is still early days in this much

awaited centre’s existence. The

Canteen, a fashionable eatery, which

fl anks one side of the courtyard, is

only one of a handful of establish-

ments that is already up-and-running.

But with a host of studios and exhibi-

tions spaces nearing completion

one is able to get glimpse into the

future of this pioneering art centre,

which will see a range of established

artists, gallerists and art institutions

settled in one destination. It is a fi rst

for Joburg. With assortment of arts

practitioners working cheek-by-jowl,

Arts On Main will more than likely

foster an intimate ambience – or at

least deepen existing associations.

For example, the Goodman Gallery’s

new project space at the centre is a

stone’s throw from the kingpin of their

stable: William Kentridge, who has

snapped up a humongous new stu-

dio. Other artists from the Goodman

stable such as Rosenclaire (Claire

Gavronsky and Rose Shakinovsky)

and Mikhael Subtotsky will also be

nearby in more modest workshops.

The centre’s edgy location seems to

have encouraged residents towards

embracing experimental art activities.

Goethe on Main, a derivative of the

Goethe Arts Institute, will be a venue

for unconventional art initiatives such

as its current exhibit, Trolleyworks, by

social art activist, Ismail Farouk. The

Goodman Gallery have envisioned

that their new space will also facilitate

alter native projects and installations

and are, therefore, hoping that this

New Arts Axis for Johannesburg

Staff writer

The city of Joburg is to get its fi rst

Kentridge, in the shape of a monu-

mental public sculpture, entitled

The Fire Walker, the Weekender

reports. The work is a collabora-

tion with Gerhard Marx and will be

constructed of laser-cut steel plates,

standing 10 m tall. According to

an article posted by Bongani Nkosi

and Lucille Davie on Joburg.org.za,

the piece will be up by the end of

June, and will be positioned at the

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PieterWenningArtistssupplment inside

Arts on Main will fosterexperi men tation and see artistsand art insti tutions working closely, writes Mary Corrigall

continued on page 3

continued on page 3

A Cape Town Museum of Art?

South African National Gallery

The manner in which the Natale Labia

museum was abandoned by Iziko is a

blot on its hapless history as ‘fl agship’

manager of Cape Town’s cultural

institutions – with the overseeing

department of public works and the

one responsible for arts and culture

as hapless accessories to the crime.

MelvynMinnaar

continued on page 3Image : joburg.org.za

An art collector views “The Centre vs. Periphery Ultimate Cage Fight” by Avante Car Guard at the Brodie Stevenson

Gallery, Johannesburg. To see AVG Show see www.www.brodiestevenson.comcontinued on page 3

new outlet will become a platform for

up-and-coming artists from outside

their existing stable.

“As a leading contemporary gallery

we really wanted to establish a project

space. Our schedule at the Goodman

is so busy that we don’t have the

fl exibility to work with younger artists

and give them a chance to show,”

observes Liza Esser, owner of the

Goodman Gallery franchise.

Arts on Main is the brainchild of

twenty-seven-year-old Jonathan

Liebmann, an ambitious and astute

property developer with a penchant

for the east side of Joburg’s inner

city, which has not to date been the

target of revitalisation projects. He

obviously shares an affi nity with the

visual arts – no doubt fostered by

his familial connections (he is the

son of Benji Liebmann of the Nirox

Foundation) – but his plan to gentrify

this industrial part of town was also

dependent on setting up an arts

related development. He is well

aware that the gentrifi cation cycle

of cities tends to begin with artists.

London’s Shoreditch and New York’s

Soho are cases in point.

“Artists want to be part of regenerat-

ing a city. I think they also see the

value in areas more than others.

The structure and volume of space

particular to industrial properties also

August 4 and 5 in Rosebank,

Johannesburg, sees the staging of

a remarkable two day auction with

its focal session being on the

Tuesday evening, featuring some

230 paintings, drawings and

sculptures, the bulk of them South

African works. Some of the art

represents pinnacles from the

lifeworks of the artists involved, and

their release onto the local market

is a significant event. Stephan Welz

& Company, in association with

Sotheby’s, is pleased to issue the

following sneak preview details of

each of the four sessions.

It all starts on Tuesday 4 August at

14h00 with a session including

books and maps, then on through

ceramics, metalware and silverware.

Of over 80 lots of books, a remark-

able collection of original manu-

scripts and first editions of the

works of Sarah Gertrude Millin will

be certain to attract bibliographic

attention, as will a number of lots

from her book collection inscribed

to her by various political and

literary luminaries. Lot 96 is of

particular cartographic and

collectable interest, being a first

issue John Speed, London 1626,

map of Africa with a frieze of cities

and peoples of the times with a

woodcut imprint on the reverse

indicating its first issue status.

It is conservatively estimated at

R16 000 - R20 000. In the ceramics

section, Lot 112 is an assembled

Belleek ‘Neptune’ green tint part tea

service from the Second Period

1891-1926, notable for the

inclusion of a much sought-after

matching 45cm tray. The set

is pre-sale estimated at R6 000 -

R8 000. The lot most likely to attract

top level bidding is Lot 122, a pair

of William Moorcroft ‘Eventide’

pattern vases at R20 000 - R25 000.

In silverware, competitive bidding is

expected generally for this popular

section, but with specific attention

likely to focus on Lot 176, a German

19th century 800 standard silver

jardinière estimated at R7 000 -

R9 000 and Lot 201, a large circular

silver bowl by Charles Boyton of

London, 1939, in martelé finish

(R3 000 - R5 000).

That evening, at 18h30, the mood

and tempo will be upbeat as South

African art comes under the

hammer in the best place for it, here

in South Africa in the sale rooms of

the country’s best-established

auctioneering company. It’s difficult

to pick stars from the stellar selec-

tion, but the cover lot would seem

to fit all criteria including appro-

priate timing. It is Lot 326, used by

the company to ‘front’ the entire

sale, a Cecil Skotnes (South African

1926-2009) work entitled ‘Three

Standing Figures’, a carved, incised

and painted wood panel 122 by

120cm and estimated at R300 000

to R500 000.

Of equal import, four works from

Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (South

African 1886-1957) are to be

offered, two of which, Lots 248 and

249, being sure to attract interest in

the upper financial bracket. Lot 248,

‘An Extensive Landscape with an

Aloe in the Foreground’ (R800 000 -

R1 200 000) and Lot 249, ‘Karoo

Landscape’ (R700 000 - R1 000 000)

provide ample proof of the

inimitable talents of this artist

across a broad executional and

stylistic base and, at the same time,

deliver investment potential and

ownership pleasure for collectors

and investors alike.

In relative terms, for the more

conservative budget compared

to the rarified atmosphere of the

foregoing, a range of paintings from

much-favoured artists has been

consigned to auction in the R50 000

to R300 000 region. As examples,

Lot 219, a Jan Ernst Abraham

Volschenk, ‘Wood-Clad Mountains,

George’, estimated at R150 000 -

R200 000 can claim considerable

appeal, as can Lot 227, a Pieter

Hugo Naudé entitled ‘River

Landscape’ (R80 000 - R120 000).

To further illustrate the breadth of

appeal, examples abound, including

Lot 242, a rare Dorothy Kay mayoral

portrait of Clifford Bell Payne,

Mayor of Walmer 1941-1947,

catalogued at R200 000 - R300 000,

Lot 381 a still life from Irmin Henkel

(R80 000 - R120 000) and Lot 435,

a Judith Mason mixed media in

relief work entitled ‘Tourist Photo’

at R50 000 - R70 000.

Carter, Mayer, Oerder, Domsaitis,

Roworth, De Jongh, Laubser, Stern,

Coetzer, Sumner, Battiss, Klar,

Boonzaier, McCaw, Villa, Ngatane,

Bhengu, Tretchikoff, Rose-Innes,

Van Heerden, Büchner, Fasciotti,

Boshoff and many more … a

veritable feast for collectors of taste

and discernment.

On Wednesday 5 August, interest

will be maintained in the 10h00

morning session by carpets & rugs,

furniture, clocks, pocket watches

and a spectacular array of

wristwatches.

The carpets on offer include Lot 451,

a four-strip North-West Persian

decorated cover, c1900, estimated at

R8 000 - R12 000. The furniture

section features Lot 500, a Victorian

rosewood secrétaire Wellington

Chest, c1855, pre-sale estimated at

R10 000 - R12 000, Lot 530, a 19th

century Italian walnut and marquetry

commode (R15 000 - R20 000) and

Lot 536, a most unusual late French

onyx, marble, gilt-metal and

champlevé column, late 19th/early

20th century, 120cm high and

estimated at R9 000 - R12 000.

Timepieces in their various forms

have emerged as stars of the

company’s broad-based auction

categories, and this sale is no

exception, with the session moving

on to longcase clocks, featuring Lot

553, an imposing 19th century

230cm oak clock pre-sale estimated

at R18 000 - R24 000. The session

then progresses to wristwatches

where no fewer than 40 examples

are to be auctioned. Featured are

Lot 608, a gentleman’s 18ct gold

Cartier Divan automatic wristwatch

(R45 000 - R65 000), Lot 612, a

gentleman’s IWC Schaffhausen Big

Ingenieur stainless steel automatic

wristwatch (R66 000 - R68 000) and

Lot 624, a quite superb and highly

sought-after gentleman’s 18ct white

gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Chronograph ‘Daytona’ wristwatch,

circa 2004 (R115 000 - R120 000).

The fourth session of this two day

auction is scheduled for 14h00 on

Wednesday 5 August and is

dedicated to one of the most

exciting jewellery sessions seen for

some time. With just under two

hundred lots of antique, period,

contemporary and modern

jewellery on offer, it’s difficult to

illustrate the breadth of appeal

which spans unset diamonds from

around one-half up to over three

carats, diamond rings galore,

brooches, pendants, bracelets,

gemstones, pearls and more.

The company’s departmental head,

Eva Miklas, also a director and

auctioneer, pinpointed four lots of

particular interest. Lot 646 is an

early Victorian

diamond cluster

brooch, circa 1840,

composed of flower-

heads and leaves in

18ct gold, silver

fronted, and set with

rose-cut and old

miner’s-cut diamonds,

estimated at R40 000 -

R60 000. From the

Victorian era, circa

1870, comes Lot 648,

a diamond and pearl

brooch highlighted with rose-cut

diamonds on 15ct gold, silver

fronted (R30 000 - R40 000). Of

about the same age, Lot 649 is

a Victorian serpent-form necklace

employing an enamelled and garnet

design, pre-sale estimated at

R30 000 - R40 000. Then, from

Garrard of London circa 1940,

Lot 678 (R20 000 - R30 000) is a

platinum brooch set with a total of

approximately 4.50cts in total.

Stephan Welz & Company, in

association with Sotheby’s, looks

forward to this being a significant

sale across a wide range of

consignments. The following times

and dates apply.

VIEWING Friday 31 July 10h00 - 17h00

Saturday 1 August 10h00 - 13h00

Sunday 2 August 10h00 - 17h00

AUCTION SESSIONSSession One

Tuesday 4 August 14h00

Session Two

Tuesday 4 August 18h30

Session Three

Wednesday 5 August 10h00

Session Four

Wednesday 5 August 14h00

For further details please contact

Natalie Randall on 011 880 3125

Johannesburg winter auction featuresover 200 works from traditional South African artists

KUNSGALERY

CAPE TOWN

JOHANS BORMAN FINE ART GALLERY

A showcase for the best of South African Masters, as well as some leading contemporary artists.

Telephone: 021 423 6075 www.johansborman.co.za

Mon-Fri: 09h30 - 17h30 Sat: 10h00 - 13h00 or by appointment

In Fin Art Building Upper Buitengracht Street, Cape Town 8001 Cell: 082 566 4631

E-mail: art@johansborman.co.za

Maurice van Essche, ‘The Clown’ - 1972

the plot thickensnew paintings by michael taylor

2 7 / 0 7 - 2 2 / 0 8

Worldart Gallery

54 Church Street | Cape Town

021 423 3075 | www.worldart.co.za

WA

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2009, G

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South African Art Times July 2009 5

southern end of Queen Elizabeth

Bridge in the CBD.

Commissioning agent for public

artworks in the city, artist Marcus

Neustetter, reports that the

Johannesburg Development Agency

has been hoping to get Kentridge to

produce a public sculpture for the city

for some time. Lael Bethlehem, JDA

chief executive was heard exclaiming

on 702 Talk Radio “We are getting our

very fi rst William Kentridge!”

The sculpture will resemble a woman

carrying a burning brazier on her

head, but only from certain angles;

“If one approaches the work from the

direction of the bridge, these loose

steel fragments combine to create the

cohesive image of The Fire Walker...

This image then ‘explodes’ into loose

individual fragments and abstraction

as you move around it”, Marx and

Kentridge explain.

The work is being hailed as

Johannesburg’s Statue of Liberty,

evoking the Big Apple’s monu-

mental torch bearing woman. “But

she is a very particular Statue of

Liberty – Johannesburg’s Statue of

Liberty – which carries with it, at every

point, either the history or the threat

of its own collapse”, the artists say.

Neustetter also noted the contradic-

tory implications of the work, which,

while its message of survival inspires,

“if we carry fi re on our heads, what

else can we do?” it is also disturbing;

“should someone have to do this?”

In her article for the weekender, Alex

A more worrying issue, hinted to by some readers’ letters to the Cape Times in recent weeks (including one from the original Muizenberg satellite museum benefactor, count Labia), is one about the overall management of Iziko: specifi cally in what it envisages as its day-to-day job and its future aspi-rations. The serious question is whether, for all the bureaucratic ducking-’n-diving, Iziko has a future vision and a practical plan.

As has happened from time to time, visitors to the Iziko SA National Gallery had travelled from afar with the hope of seeing one or two of the holdings for which the institution is quite well known - yes, even in foreign places and acad-emies. Of course, as we Capetonians know, the SANG shows only a few works from the vast permanent col-lection in the overfl owing basement. (In fact, we take the offi cials’ word that those paintings and pieces are not rot-ting away, and are, in fact, still there.)

Our disappointed visitors wrote to the newspaper to say how sad it was not to see what they came to admire. Why are these well-known works not on view?

This, of course, is a question that

lingers in many local art lovers’ bosom. Many of us only realise the treasures in the SANG collection when they are hauled out for retrospectives in other museums (Judith Mason, Johann Louw) or appear in print in a rare monographs (the upcoming Alexis Preller).

The old, hackneyed excuse is the one of exhibition space. In fairness, it’s a complaint that runs as a refrein through art museums world wide. But, and this is the crux of the question Iziko seems to evade, what’s to be done at the SANG?

The limited space in the lovely old build-ing has been an issue since before the days of director Raymund van Niekerk, and it bamboozled Marilyn Martin’s reign. (The latter, using her persuasive charm and cutting arguments, made various efforts to fi nd other spaces, to get other potential benefactors interested, to develop strategies. She constantly walked into walls.)

When political correctness also got behind the steering wheel, it took a seri-ous turn. On the one hand - and cor-rectly so – a major effort, over the past twenty years, to rectify the imbalance of art holdings, brought in many new

Johannesburg to get Kentridge’s Fire Walkercontinued from page 1

A Cape Town Museum of Art?continued from page 1

New Arts Axis for Johannesburgcontinued from page 1

Dodd also draws attention to the

possibility of theft, a problem which

has plagued various public sculptures

in the city in recent years. “We’re

trying to make it as solid and strong

as possible, but there is the chance

that parts could get stolen”, Marx con-

cedes, adding that concerns about

safety, and the piece being used as

a possible hiding place for hijackers

were also taken into account in the

manufacture of the piece.

Then again, theft of part of the

statue’s metal might only add to the

sense of contingency offered by

Joburg’s “exploding” and fragmented

Statue of Liberty.

For more information, visit www.

theweekender.co.za/article

(and old) pieces. On the other, a large number of those associated with the previous paradigm were hastily shoved into storage. The taint of our sad past fell like a veil over many great pieces, doomed to the dark below.

At the same time, a vigorous empower-ment process of upcoming artists and new art also stressed Iziko curators in terms of funds and space.

What we see a t the SANG these days looks very much like an ad hoc exhibition management policy. Shows come and go and linger in ways that seldom seem to make any connection with anything outside, neither the public nor social conditions in the city. (Part of the problem too is clearly that of PR and media management. Capetonians sometimes simply don’t know what’s inside those rooms.) Hit and miss, is more like it. ‘National Gallery’ hardly seems to fi t its description; it’s more like a temporary slap-up exhibition space.

And still important art in the collec-tion - that people, Capetonians, as well as visitors would like to admire - remains hidden from public view. (Of course, someone like curator Hayden Proud has done exceptional work in

‘re-exhibiting’ older art within a contem-porary framework.)

It seems that Iziko does not realise the economic value of its collections: one which is majorly linked to tourism.

It is within this context - with Iziko drift-ing into murkier waters (has anyone any hope for the new powers that inhabit the DAC?) - that one should polish the idea, no matter how far-fetched, of a lively, contemporary, civically-minded and professionally-run Cape Town Museum of Art.

There is no doubt (as we will see with the football hoopla next year) that Cape Town is the country’s favourite tourism destination. As the country’s cultural and creative hub, there is so much happening (count the operating galler-ies and art schools, gauge the Cape 09 buzz ), Cape Town needs a proper, well-managed contemporary art space.

And it should be under the auspices of the Cape Town city council. The latter has, unfortunately, never had any serious art/culture policy, not to mention a proper such department. It’s time it does. And we culturally minded, should force its hand. Now isn’t that a vibey idea?

attracts them,” asserts Liebmann.

Consisting of fi ve roomy industrial

buildings, the centre boasts some

formidable exhibition spaces. With

its vaulted ceilings, the Seippel

Gallery’s new space (they will be

leaving August House) will be able

to accommodate enormous hanging

or sculptural artworks that smaller

suburban galleries couldn’t dream of

displaying. For Essers the generous

dimensions of the studios was also a

selling point.

“We really wanted a space that we

could show big installations,” says

Essers.

The fi rst show planned for the

Goodman Gallery will consist of a

collection of Kentridge’s tapestries –

some are as long as four metres.

Taryn Cohn on Ross Douglas andMary Corrigall’s war of words

Taryn Cohn responds to a debate

between Douglas vs Corrigall,

published in the June edition of

the South African Art Times.

-Read it at www.arttimes.co.za

I have been following the exchanges

between critic and writer Mary

Corrigall and Jo’burg Art Fair

Director Ross Douglas with some

interest.

The debate raises some interesting

and very relevant points, and, while it

meanders dangerously close to get-

ting personal, it also misses a few.

Most obvious was the issue of

sponsorship and Corrigall’s rhetori-

cal question “ If ArtLogics model

is so sustainable why is it that their

survival depends on FNB sponsor-

ship?” To answer simply, note the

word sustainable. This is a different

concept (but often confused) with

the concept of self-sustainable. Like

every other major trade fair the event

is hosted by a sponsor.

Sponsorship is a form of market-

ing for an organization. It is not

seed funding or an investment. A

sponsor takes the decision to be

involved based on the opportunity

for brand equity that is offered by

the project. Brand equity does

not merely depend on how many

people attend the event, nor is it

measured by how many logos are

plastered around a venue. It’s about

something more subtle. It’s about

the value that comes from the right

association - communicating a mes-

sage about your brand by picking

the right platform and audience.

Surely, although art is not sport and

it offers a lifestyle and intellectual

association rather than sheer

numbers, it is still allowed to play by

the same rules. Therefore, as long

as there is a sponsor who values the

brand equity that the event brings,

the project is sustainable.

The Art Fair model is no different

to every major event worldwide.

Like the Confederations Cup,

these events could never support

themselves on ticket sales alone,

nor are they meant to. So while the

Confederations Cup is playing to

half empty stadiums you’d be hard

pressed to fi nd anybody calling for

its cancellation. Why is that you won-

der? Perhaps because the sports

industry and those associated with it

understand the symbiosis of spon-

sors and sports better than we in the

art industry do.

So, onto the business of business.

According to Corrigall, “ Art fairs

are about generating sales and, as

such, most gallerists were keen to

hedge their bets by displaying a full

array of art in the hope that they

would have more of a chance of

nailing a sale. In such a context, the

aesthetic or transcendental nature

of art objects is stifl ed.”

An interesting point. Here we have

two confl icting agenda’s that make

up the tightrope of being an artist.

On the one hand there is a purist

view that art exists to question

society and explore the “transcen-

dental and aesthetic” from outside

the constraints faced by people who

need to provide goods or services

to make money. On the other, well I

have never met an artist who doesn’t

like to eat. Simply put, there is only

one way to make money from art;

sell it.

But really? In the year 2009 are we

really still in a space where publiciz-

ing the intention to make money off

art somehow taints its authenticity

and intrinsic value? Surely we have

seen the rise and fall of enough

communist states to be comfortable

embracing the essentially market

driven values that govern our soci-

ety? And for those who go back to

issues of funding and sponsorships

being responsible for preserving

and supporting art, it’s still some-

one’s money somewhere that pays

those bills.

Are we to believe that you can’t sell

art and be transcendental at the

same time?

It is time that as artists and arts

practitioners we aim to engage in a

more positive manner with the orga-

nizations and individuals to whom

we look to for support, be they

buyers or sponsors. Rather than look

on the issue as black and white,

we need to ensure that we build

these relationships to a point where

we can balance the needs of the

art community and its supporters

without compromising the integrity

of either. That will only happen when

they respect us enough to listen to

what we say and how we say it. But

it will never happen until we respect

them, period.

I am fast running out of space so

am left with one more point to raise.

I do support Corrigal’s observation

that the Art Fair turned to design

to fi ll spaces. But I do want to ask

Douglas why this is so?

I personally know of several gal-

leries who are most defi nitely not

“little shops in malls peddling trite

landscape art” that don’t count who

either did not make the grade, or

who simply couldn’t afford to take

part. Apparently fair rules also do

not allow the sharing of stands that

would allow so many more members

of our art market to participate.

Surely considering smaller stands

and broadening the offer of legiti-

mate contemporary galleries and

dealers on display would increase

the range of works that refl ect “the

work the country and continent is

producing”?

I would assume that a broader range

of more widely priced work from

established and emerging artists

would both invite more sales from

a wider range of clientele and be

better than design stands and object

displays that are “derived from that

fuzzy territory that delineates the

overlap between art and craft.?”

The questions to be asking is who

judges the galleries proposals to

take part and on what basis.

As free market liberal, I fully endorse

Douglas’s right to manage his entity

the way he sees fi t, but in support-

ing freedom of speech and in the

interests of nurturing a robust and

critically engaged art media , I

support Corrigall’s right to ask these

questions. I also thank them both for

the debate.

Don’t miss the panel discussion on

art fairs on 30 June, that includes

Ross Douglas, Clive Kellner and Alex

Dodd. See www.arttimes.co.za for

further details.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

South African Art Times July 20094

Written by: Market Photo Workshop

“I used to say to the younger

photo–graphers, photography is

one of the most beautiful profes-

sions you can have. It can take

you to places more strange and

wonderful than you have ever

imagined.”

Ricardo Rangel

Rangel was born in Lourenço

Marques (Maputo) in 1924, and

started his career as a darkroom

assistant during World War II. He

worked as a photojournalist for a

number of newspapers, including

Notícias and La Tribune. In 1970

he became a founding member of

Tempo, the country’s fi rst colour

news magazine.

Rangel covered the events that lead

up to Mozambique’s independence

from Portuguese rule in 1975, and

was appointed chief photographer

for the Notícias in 1977. He then

began training photographers for

both Agência de Informação de

Moçambique (AIM) and Notícias.

In 1981 he became director of the

weekly Domingo, and three years

later was asked to establish the

Centro de Formaçao Fotográfi ca in

Maputo, a school for photography.

Often regarded as Mozambique’s

greatest contemporary photo–

grapher, Rangel will be sorely

missed. Ricardo Rangel died 11

June 2009.

Self-portrait, Ricardo Rangel

Image courtesy of Afronova Gallery www.afronova.com

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Long awaitedLimited edition books

of

Gabriel De Jonghfi nally available

South African Art Times July 2009 5

Ricardo Rangel 1924 - 11 June 2009

Ricardo Rangel, In the embrace of the night, 1970.

OBITUARY

Some of the daily stories include:

David Goldblatt wins Henri Cartier Bresson Foundation AwardVeteran South African photographer

David Goldblatt has won the Henri

Cartier Bresson Foundation’s grant of

R 341 400, Volksblad reports.

Development Grantwinners announcedThe Arts and Culture Trust (ACT), an

independent funding organisation for

arts and culture, has announced the

2009 recipients of its development

grants.

Hanging out with Hlobo(29 Jun 09)“I think there is a tradition of English

language and culture being very domi-

nant in the art world, and I feel there

is a need for that to be challenged

somehow.”

Christian Nerf is Barend de Wet (maybe, sometimes)“Christian does whatever the f**k he

wants with my name” says Barend

de Wet. In a shock disclosure, Cape

Townian tricksters Barend de Wet and

Christian Nerf have revealed that they

have been using each other’s signa-

tures since 2003, “to an extent which

may never be known”.

New Daily Newsupdates now available at

www.arttimes.co.za

A new remix for Africa?(29 Jun 09)Sarah-Neel Smith gives ‘Continental

Rifts: Contemporary Time-Based Works

of Africa’ the thumbs up in a review for

Frieze magazine.

Photographer Crispian Plunkett passes awaY (26 Jun 09)Visionary fashion photographer,

Crispian Plunkett, passed away last

week as a result of diabetes-related

complications.

Countdown to Grahamstown (29 Jun 09)As exhibitors head off to Grahams-

town to frantically begin installing work

for the opening day, on Thursday, the

South African Art Times picks out some

highlights.

2009 Tierney Fellowshipwinners over the moonThe 2009 recipients of the $5000

Tierney Fellowship have been

selected; the South African Art Times

chatted to young Cape Townian pho-

tographer, Ariane Questiaux

about her success.

Sloon and Maggs in shady dealingsControversial blogger Robert Sloon

and video artist Charles Maggs pair

up for a two-man show, ‘Syndrome’,

which opens at Whatiftheworld/ gallery

in Cape Town. Sloon, (a pseudonym),

has edited the blog ArtHeat since

2006, and has long been a mysterious

fi gure on the Cape Town art scene.

‘Maybe art is the spinach’Jeff Koons’ current exhibition at the

Serpentine Gallery in London looks

back at Popeye, the iconic strong

man of the last big recession, in the

hopes of learning something from his

optimism.

Suid-Afrika verdien beter (South Africa

deserves better). De Rust, Western Cape.

Courtesy Michael Stevenson Gallery

Go to www.arttimes.co.za to read daily breaking news

and stories as they unfold.

Exhibiting at room no. 2 Barret Art Centrefrom 2 to 11 July daily from 09h00 to 17h00.

After the festival people may visit his studio

in Klerksdorp near Potchefstroom

For a preview please logo on to www.danielnovela.co.za

To book an appointment please contact the studio at 018 489 1780

or info@danielnovela.co.za

Daniel Novela

Mother and child carrying wooden fire – commissioned by Sarah Salm NY

I fi rst met a 28 year old Daniel Novela in 1992 while organizing an art exhibition on the campus of the then Potchefstroom University. In the spirit of the policial moments we were living in at that time, the exhibition was called “Images of Reconciliation” and featured works by more than eighty artists from all walks of life and virtually every colour and creed in the country.

Daniel’s works featured a style of hyper realistic renditions of fi gure studies including those of San hunters amidst the setting of the veldt in which they live. It was abundantly clear that here was an artist with great talent, who only needed to be pointed in the right direction, and I predicted even then a bright future for this young artist. Daniel subsequently enrolled for Fine Arts studies at the Klerksdorp Campus of the Vaal Triangle Technikon where he eventually obtained his National Diploma in the year 2000, receiving accolades as one of the top students. With his wife Frangely they form a close knit family that includes two children.

Daniel has evolved a style of painting that is remarkably sophisticated; although he maintains his ancestral roots with the land, Africa, he interprets this in a style that is neither purely realistic nor overtly abstract. He uses his very sensitive feeling for colour to imbue the works with a sense of time and place that is quite ephemeral. Always in contact with the human scale, it is nature that eventually dominates his works, and his singular use of bold brush strokes combined with an innate sense of composition shows an artistic sensibility born of pure intuition. His paintings become a real sensual experience in which the eyes are used to touch and relay emotions in much the way that Kandinsky would have appreciated.

He has participated in some ten group exhibitions has at least fi ve one-man shows to his credit. Daniel has exhibited in America, where his works were very well received. After his recent solo exhibition in Potchefstroom I was quoted in saying the following: “Daniel is an incredibly talented young artist with a vision embedded in the long tradition of Impressionism that can be said to have started with Turner. He has a tenacity an an integrity that has led him to his exhibitions in New York, and I predict great things to come. His works are well worthy of investment, and his artistic style, particularly the sensitivity of his brush strokes and his feeling for atmosphere, is commendable.”

I am very proud to be associated with Daniel’s development as a painter and as an artist who is represenative of what I would like to describe as a new breed. For too long we have been satisfi ed to applaud the works of mediocre artists in order to promote them as part of a political agenda. It is time to undertstand that good art or even more important, great art, can only be produced by integrity, talent and a commitment to work hard and produce quality.

This can be said of Daniel Novela, that he is a child of Africa, rendering pictures of Africa. But he is also an artist of the world with an understanding of the need to produce qualitative works with an inherent artistic value that can even now be translated into investment value. It remains exciting to keep an eye on his future development.

John R. BohaAssociate Professor: History of Art, Univerrsity of the North West

Pieter Willem Frederik Wenning

(1873 – 1921) was born in The

Hague, Southern Holland. After his

schooling he entered the Railway

Services, and due to his linguis-

tic abilities, worked as foreign

correspondent in the Clearing

Department. This necessitated that

he travelled frequently to England

and various other European

countries, providing him with the

opportunity to visit galleries and

museums – giving him a broad and

solid grasp of European art trends.

Wenning was then posted to

Zaandam, where he became

familiar with Dutch Socialism.

The principles of the movement

appealed to his serious, enquiring

and sensitive nature. It was also

here that Wenning’s sympathy for

the poor and working classes began

to emerge in his artworks as he

chose to represent marginalized

urban spaces. Even though he was

a white-collar worker, he supported

the strike action taken by the blue-

collar labourers in the Great Railway

Strike of 1903, resulting in him being

fi red. Wenning was by now married

and this period of unemployment

was to mark the beginning of fi nan-

cial diffi culties for Wenning and his

family. He eventually found work with

the largest publishing fi rm in Holland

– J.H. de Bussy. In 1905 (age 32)

Wenning was offered a transfer as

bookkeeper to the Pretoria branch

which, having a great spirit for

adventure, he readily accepted.

Wenning was a keen amateur musi-

cian; playing the mandolin (he was

part of a mandolin / guitar orchestra

formed by the Italian Community of

Pretoria), and violin. He was deeply

interested in philosophy and the

religions of the world (reading the

Bible, Talmud and Koran) – he hated

narrow-minded bigotry and yearned

for a ‘new religion’. He joined ‘The

Theosophical Society of Pretoria’,

where he took on the responsibility

of secretary. He believed he was

a re-incarnation of a monk from

Benares, India and to this end he

became a vegetarian. Although he

did not create a ‘new’ form of art

as so many of his European art

counterparts were seeking to do –

he sought to fi nd truth for himself.

His artistic pursuit was to express

the essence of that which he

perceived; a philosophy in keeping

with the Japanese printmaking and

calligraphy he studied. It became an

earnest desire of his to visit Japan

to study printmaking further; to this

end he set himself the task of learn-

ing to speak Japanese.

It was only at the age of 41, that

he found himself in a position to

pursue painting as a profession.

A circle of friends and patrons

contributed to a small fund, which

allowed him to start painting full-

time. This he did with passion and

fervour at the forfeit of his own

health. Wenning never lived to see

his name become established as

one of South Africa’s leading art

masters, as he and Hugo Naudé

are credited with establishing

the genre that is referred to as

‘Cape Impressionism’. He died at

the age of 48 due to fragile

health. His impassioned pursuit

to paint (mostly outdoors and

through all kinds of weather)

created a small but invaluable

legacy of landscape and still-life

masterpieces produced in the short

time-frame of ca. ten years.

Peter Willem Frederik WenningSupplement to The South African Art Times

Red Hibiscus (Johannesburg Art Gallery) oil on canvas

“I think that there is no higher calling in art than to be true to ourselves.” (from a letter to Pierneef)

From an early age Wenning showed a passion and talent for art, with a keen eye for observa-

tion, perhaps unsurprisingly as both his father and grandfather were artists. At school, his

excellence in languages and drawing were recognized by his teacher Mr. Bubberman. He

nurtured Wennings talent, taking him on drawing excursions and visits to art galleries and

museums. We may trace Wenning’s working methodology to the mentorship of this teacher

and a high school friendship with Grada van Woude. She and Wenning would regularly go

on long walks in the country, with Grada collecting plant specimens, which he would then

illustrate in drawing and watercolour.

Wenning was a versatile artist, working in water-colour, pen and ink, pencil, pastel, etching

and oil. His subject matter included landscape – mostly semi-rural where man lived in nature,

urban environments and still-life. Although he did paint a few portrait studies, he was not at

ease representing the human form. Where fi gures occur in his paintings, they are represented

in a few dashes of paint as a highly simplifi ed symbol.

Wenning would walk out into the country until a scene would “seize him with the impulse to

paint” - he later referred to this method of working as ‘Impulsionist’. He had many favourite

drawing and painting locations that he would return to time and again. He was a plein aire

artiste, which meant he painted outdoors at the scene of his subject. His paintings would be

completed in situ (on location) in one ‘sitting’. He would set out early in the morning with his

easel, leather briefcase with paint, palette and brushes, and two canvases strapped together

Analysis of the artists work/ key stylistic infl uences

face-to-face. He would draw the scene onto the canvas in soft lead pencil or charcoal. Next

he would fi ll in the foreground and middle-ground with washes of dark imprimatura in earth

tones of umber and ochre. His paint was applied using the following methods; either the

brush would be heavily loaded with paint and applied in a swift assured motion, which he

rarely re-worked or overlaid, or he would drag a lightly-loaded, dry brush over the imprimatura

in a action called scumbling – leaving the darker tones of the base colour to show through

the paint. Details were captured in light, calligraphic touches. As his work matured, Wenning

no longer covered the entire canvas in thick paint, rather by letting the ground colour show

through it would create outlines to forms while simultaneously tying the whole composition

together. This would provide the bass note to the daubs of brightly-coloured accents he

would use sparingly, to create a musical harmony in his paintings. Wenning’s work matured at

a rapid rate from 1910 to 1920 as he honed his techniques. He was his own worst critic and

would destroy work that he did not feel was good enough. His friend, the caricaturist, D.C.

Boonzaaier, had to rescue many beautiful works from Wenning’s overly harsh self-critical eye.

As his body of work was produced over such a concentrated time period, we can only speak

of his early (1910 to 1916) and mature work (1916 to 1920).

Wenning used to state that he would not attend exhibitions as he did not want to see or be

infl uenced by other artist’s work, this seems to have been a strange affectation on his part.

We know that Wenning’s high school teacher, Mr. Bubberman, had taken him to see many

Location outside Pretoria (Early period) – oil on canvas

Wenning, under the auspices of Bubberman, had studied his country’s painting

and became increasingly attracted to the naturalistic plein-airism of The Hague

School. On arriving in Pretoria, he continued to study and explore the environment

around him, struggling to capture and depict the harsh atmospheric conditions of

the Highveldt environs. The scenes he did fi nd to inspire him were the areas where

man and nature intersected. His application of paint tended to be heavy and his

depiction of detail was laid down in overly sketchy mark making. In time, however,

the discipline of etching honed his mark making ability, while his study of Japanese

printmaking refi ned his ability to discard unnecessary detail.

Although Wenning delighted in the green of the trees – a characteristic of his work

deriving from Japanese printmaking, was to choose to depict the trees in their winter

bare starkness as dark silhouettes, which formed a rhythmic lattice or fretwork across

the canvas. Wenning primed his canvas with washes of ground colour; laying a

foundation upon which to apply the lighter colour to create form. However he allowed

the base colour to show through as shadow and outline, surrounding shapes and

defi ning details. The dark imprimatura would serve to unify the composition into a

harmonious whole, while also highlighting the brighter colours he would use spar-

ingly, to bring a spark of life to his scenes. In effect the musician in Wenning would

allow him to orchestrate the scene – not merely replicate it - “What we see around us

is merely our theme upon which we ourselves must create the melody.”

Oakfi eld, Newlands 1917 – oil on canvas

Wenning responded to the Cape with its softer light and more verdant greens. The

weather, trees and buildings were more akin to his homeland, igniting recognition

within. His brushwork became more deliberate, precise and calm. Malta Farm was

one of his favourite painting sites. He returned time and again to paint and sketch it

from various angles.

Backyard, Malta Farm (Johans Borman Gallery) – oil on canvas

“Wenning handles his colour in a manner that is totally different to any other artist

in the country and it is in this handling that his individuality proves so strong. His

pencil and wash drawings are exquisite in their simplicity, and in a few lines he is

able to convey the impression of streets, houses, people, light, shadows, and a big

distance.” (From the catalogue of the sale held at Lezard’s 21st December 1917 by

Ernest Lezard)

Old Oak, Vineyard Hotel, Newlands

pencil on paper with touches of watercolour heightening

The Infl uenza Epidemic (known in other parts of the world as the Spanish fl u) struck

Cape Town and its environs in 1918 going on to 1919. Despite Wenning’s fragile

constitution, he worked in the most contagious areas and never succumbed to the ill-

ness. Wenning related to his son that when he would visit his studio in Keerom Street

in the Bo-Kaap, the streets would be deserted due to the illness.

Lane, Malay Quarter, Cape Town – oil on canvas

“For the deep-thinking artist a still-life painting was an essay in colour, form and

composition. Wenning’s achievements in this fi eld were governed less by the

infl uence of Dutch precedents than by the lessons gained from Oriental art.”

(Berman, E. Art & Artists of South Africa, p. 498)

Still Life – oil on canvas

Artists signature style

Wenning discarded non-essential details in his pursuit for the essence of form,

eliminating any unnecessary details. He was able, much as Cezanne was, to paint

swathes of surfaces such as vegetation, fi elds of grass, walls and roofs in a simpli-

fi ed swift laying down of paint. His work is also recognizable in his mastery of greys

and greens, his dark outlines, and the under-painting showing through the paint

to surround, defi ne and delineate form. He represented trees either as stark black

silhouettes or in rhythmic simplifi ed lattice-like patterns. He was inspired and infl u-

enced by Japanese calligraphy and emulated this stylized, simplifi ed and elegant art

especially when representing trees or a detail in a still-life. He did not try to emulate

time of day or deeply receding pictorial planes.

Wenning studied Eastern philo sophies, Japanese and Chinese print making,

and collected and revered both Chinese and Japanese artefacts. His brushwork

imitated the calligraphic pen and ink strokes of their pictorial conventions – the

simplifi cation of elements to the essentials, creating the poetry of haiku in an

uncrowded still-life.

Winter Landscape c. 1920 (Rembrandt Van Rijn Collection Stellenbosch)

– oil on canvas

“everything a painter has to say can be said on a small canvas”

GALLERY

Blue Vase with Sweet Peas c.1916 – oil on canvas

exhibitions, galleries and museums in Holland. While working for De Bussy’s, he would have

handled books fi lled with representations of historical and contemporary art pieces aside from

the actual art prints they handled. We also know that Wenning was compelled by Japanese

and Chinese artworks; he spent hours pouring over the prints of Hokusai and Hiroshigo, so

that he might learn from these masters, which he applied in his use of black as outline, the

stark silhouettes of trees, simplifi ed compositions and calligraphic mark making. He was often

accompanied on his excursions by his fellow Pretoria and then Cape Town artists, and while

we can see the infl uence of Wenning on the work of Nita Spilhaus, perhaps then we might

assume that she in turn would have an infl uence in his work. Wenning’s choice of subject

matter and colour palette also relates back to The Hague School and the works of Willem and

Jacob Maris, Anton Mauve, Josef Israels, George Breitner and Marius Bauer. His choice of

subjects and paint application references the work of Cezanne.

The predominant art trends in South Africa at this time were either highly stylized picture-

postcard scenes of gabled houses and pink-tinted soaring mountains, or more realistic works

done in the English Academic tradition. While Wenning did not create a new genre of art, he

did bring a refreshing new breath of artistic insight and inspiration, helping to create an artistic

language that more relevantly refl ected the landscape of South Africa. His infl uence continues

through the second generation of ‘Cape Impressionists’, principally Terence Mc Caw and

Gregoire Boonzaier and on.

RODIN EXHIBITION

The Rupert Museum is exhibiting 27 bronze sculptures by legendary French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Includedin the exhibition, which will be up until early 2010,are prominent works such as The Thinker, The Kiss andThe Cathedral. Rodin, at the pinnacle of his career by theend of the 19th century, was deemed the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo.

Maandag tot Vrydag / Monday to Friday : 09:30 - 13:00 14:00 - 16:00Saterdag / Saturday : 10:00 - 13:00

Gesluit op openbare vakansiedae / Closed on public holidays

Wenning returned to work in Cape Town in July of the year 1919, but his

health was now in serious decline – he seemed to pay no attention to his

own physical reality while trying to capture the corpo rality of the world

around him. It was during this time that his friendship with Nita Spilhaus,

seemed to become one of a more tender nature. Theirs was more than

just a meeting of minds, but of genuine fondness, with Wenning and

Spilhaus going on many painting excursions together and Wenning being

instrumental in her development as an artist.

Nita Spilhaus – Street Scene – oil on canvasThe canvas is alive with the quick

and lively application of paint

through which Wenning has

allowed the brown ground of his

imprimatura to show through. This

acts as a warm base note to the

varied cool and muted greys and

greens for which he has become

famous. Another characteristic of

his colour palette is the use of a

Riverbank, Newlands – oil on canvas

deep earth tones in the foreground

and repeated on the roof of the

house. Wenning stuck to a limited

range of colours within a composi-

tion, but created a multitude of sub-

tly varied tones within each colour.

This work shows his use of black as

an outline to defi ne and delineate

form refl ecting his appreciation and

study of Japanese printmaking.

This infl uence may also be traced

to his simplifi cation of forms and

shapes to fi t within an overall bal-

anced, simplifi ed and harmonious

composition. Wenning has created

a lyrical refrain in the repetition of

the roots of the trees, repeated in

the branches against the light blue

of the sky, with light, staccato notes

of the leaves.

The Dutch Tradition from the

Seventeenth Century was a celebra-

tion of that which the artists saw

around them; the domestic environ-

ment and the ordinary everyday

occupations of people going about

their chores in the home, the towns

and markets and out on the farms.

Th is was not plein-airist paint-

ing as the artist would fi rst sketch

Malay Quarter, Cape Town – oil on canvas

outdoors, and then paint the scene

later in their studio, however, it was

the stimulus which lead to French

Impressionism. An interesting cycle

of infl uence occurred starting with

the Dutch Tradition, which inspired

John Constable’s choice of subject

matter, method of working and

depiction of atmospheric conditions

and light playing naturalistically on

the landscape. This in turn inspired

the French schools of plein-airists

– the School of Fontainebleau, the

Barbizon School, leading to the

Parisian Impressionists. This, in turn,

inspired The Hague School of plein-

airists, who returned to the subject

matter of the Dutch Tradition of the

17th C, but this time capturing the

scene spontaneously in one sitting.

“The Red Hibiscus… has actually been signed twice – in the top and in the

lower right-hand corners. Dad told me how this had come about. When the pic-

ture was completed and Boonzaier was inspecting it, he said to Wenning, ‘For

goodness sake, why don’t you sign your pictures?’ – so Dad took up a brush

there and then and signed it, twice. I fi nd it quite amusing, just something that

Dad would have done.” (Wenning, H. My Father, p.80). Harco Wenning confi rms

that his father often did not sign his artworks. He goes on to relate that years

later he would see paintings that he knew were his father’s that were unsigned,

and then the next time he would see them, a ‘Wenning’ signature would mira-

culously have materialized. Wenning has been given the unfortunate notoriety

/ compliment of having been the fi rst South African artist to have had his style

forged and artworks not painted by him sold under his name.

Red Hibiscus (Johannesburg Art Gallery) – oil on canvas

Nita Spilhaus. A young artist and

close-friend of Wenning who

accompanied him on many paint-

ing excursion – she was strongly

infl uenced by his style and choice

of subject matter. It is alluded to in

many of the texts on Wenning that

he became engaged to a much

younger woman after the death of

his wife.

Her name is never mentioned, but

his friends new her and strongly

tried to dissuade them from the

union. If Nita was this secret

intended other, this was cut short

when in July of 1920, under the

advice of his dentist, Wenning had

all his teeth extracted, causing his

health to go into sharp decline.

Wenning spent the last few months

of his life being cared for either in

hospital or in the homes of various

friends, eventually resulting in Harco

fetching his father and escorting

him home to Pretoria via train transit;

many friends from his artists com-

munity were there to see him off,

including Nita. The possible

romantic nature of their friendship

is hinted at, but not confi rmed,

as it could have caused a scandal,

which might have destroyed her

reputation.

Having been friends with Wenning

while he was still a married man,

they had gone on many unchaper-

oned painting excursions together,

it is possible that this is what kept

Harco from confi rming whether this

was the true nature of his father’s

relationship with Nita or not.

However it is interesting to note that

he left instructions in his Will to

have all their correspondence

(which was in Harco’s possession)

destroyed after his death, thereby

unfortunately erasing what may

have been an interesting insight into

a secret chapter of South African

Art History.

s

s

s

The friendship

between Nita

and Pieter

Important artists dates 1873: Born 9th of September 1873 in The Hague - Holland.

1890: Finished High School - 18 years old

1891: Joined the Railway Company of Holland and took up a position as a

clerk in Amsterdam.

1898: 3rd of September, at the age of 26, he married Johanna Hillegonda

(a widow with a daughter and son).

1903: The Great Railway Strike broke out across Europe. Wenning

supported the strike action and as a result lost his position with

the railways.

1905: Wenning, then 32 years of age, was employed by the book sellers

and publishers De Bussy, he was then transferred to the Pretoria

branch in South Africa.

1906: Wenning bought his fi rst piece of land on the outskirts of Pretoria.

1909: While living at Rietfontein Wenning began to broaden his artistic

exploration, expanding from the mediums of water-colour, pen and

ink, to oils.

1910: Moved to a home in Rissik Street in Pretoria

1910: The Society of Artists was formed in Pretoria – they called them-

selves ‘The Individualists’, Wenning joined the group, which included

a young J.H. Pierneef.

1910: He sent a selection of his oil paintings to the Brussels Exposition for

which he received a commendation.

1911: Bought a home in President Street (Sunnyside Pretoria) for 800

pounds – an indication that his fortunes were doing much better.

1912: A second-hand etching press arrived on order from Holland –

Wenning set up a studio on their enclosed back verandah at

President Street.

1913: General strike of mine workers in South Africa, Martial Law remained

in effect until 24th of March 1914. During this time riots would fre-

quently break out in the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria

1913: De Bussy’s opened a branch in Johannesburg – they appointed

Wenning manager of the art department.

1913: Johanna’s health ‘declined’ and she returned to Holland with the two

boys to receive treatment and to recuperate; she was hospitalized in

December.

1914: Wenning met D.C. Boonzaaier

1914: 3rd of August 1914 – World War I was declared and Johanna and

the boys were stranded in Holland.

1915: April the 3rd, Johanna and the boys returned to South Africa

1915: De Bussy distributed the fi rst volume of a collection of etchings by

Wenning, titled “Johannesburg Impressions”.

1915: Resigned from De Bussy’s due to managerial differences, this alter-

cation was to further impact on his health.

1915: Bought his own business “The University Fine Art Gallery” from

Denis Lefebvre, which proved to be a fi nancial disaster.

1915: Began working in September at Van Schaik’s in Pretoria – like De

Bussy they were publishers and book sellers.

1915: December – brought out a series of Christmas card etchings, which

were sold through Van Schaik’s

1916: First artistic sabbatical working for 3 months as a full-time artist

through funding organized by D.C. Boonzaaier

1916: Second trip to Cape Town, sponsored by Johannesburg patrons

organized by art auctioneer Ernest Lezard.

1916: Elected to the South African Society for Artists (SASA) and exhibited

on their group exhibition at the Cape Town City Hall.

1917: Included in Roworth’s essay on “Landscape Art in S.A.”

1917: January – Wenning and Johanna temporarily resided in Camp Street,

Gardens (Cape Town)

1917: Only public commission – to paint the Vrouemonument in

Bloemfontein

1917: July – went to Lourenço Marques, he returned halfway through

November with a large selection of artworks in all his different

mediums

1917: Sale of 53 works by the auctioneer Ernest Lezard, was held without

reserve and, although all the works sold, they sold for abysmally low

fi gures making no profi t for Wenning who still had to cover the bill for

framing.

1918 & 1919: The Infl uenza Epidemic (known in other parts of the world as

the Spanish fl u) struck Cape Town and its environs.

1918: An exhibition was set for 10th of October, but was delayed until the

12th of November. There is little doubt that this sale constituted

some of the best work Wenning had ever produced, but once again

the sale total amounted to a paltry sum of money.

1919: February 16th – Johanna fell ill and died on the 23rd.

1919: July – Wenning returned to work in Cape Town, but his health was

now in serious decline. He worked feverishly through all weather

conditions, ignoring his health, in his drive to pursue his passion for

painting.

1920: 18th July – Under the advice (detrimental as it would turn out) of

his dentist, Wenning had all his teeth extracted. The shock was too

much for his system and this marked the turning point from which he

would not recover.

1921: January 3rd Harco Wenning fetched his father and escorted him

home to Pretoria via train transit.

1921: 24th January Pieter Wenning died.

Exhibitions:

1911: First group exhibition with The Individualists in Pretoria City Hall

1916: First one-man exhibition – Johannesburg

1917 – 20: Group and one-man exhibitions in Johannesburg and Cape

Town

After his death there were numerous exhibitions both group and solo of

his work within South Africa, in England and then Rhodesia, his paintings

have also been exhibited in Boston and Chicago.

1910 in Africa

Boutros Ghali – the Prime Minister of Egypt is assassinated

Haley’s Comet fi lls the sky

April the 27th Louis Botha and James Hertzog found the South Africa

Party

May 31st the Union of South Africa is created

1910 Internationally

The Boy Scout’s were founded

The Monarchy of Portugal is overthrown and a new era of governance

begins – they take a severe anti-clergy / Catholic stance to separate

state and religion.

King George V begins his 25 year reign as monarch of England

Albanians rise up against the Ottoman rule of their country

An International Convention of Socialist Organizations met in

Copenhagen, Denmark and proposed to launch an International

Woman’s Day for the right to vote – this day is still acknowledged and

celebrated throughout the world and continues to be relevant as there

are still countries that continue to deny women the right to vote.

Demonstrations against public executions turn into a riot in France.

African American boxer Jack Johnson defeats a white American boxer

James Jeffries, sparking race riots across America.

The Japan-Korean Annexation treaty is signed which is then followed by

the abdication of Emperor Sunjong of the Korean Empire resulting in the

abolishment of monarchy.

The Vatican introduces a compulsory oath against Modernism for all

priests upon ordination.

Mexican Revolution of 1910 when the election results are declared null

and void.

Other Important dates during his life-time

Haley’s Comet – 1910

1911 – The Manchu Dynasty is overthrown in China and a new Republic

was proclaimed in October

The sinking of the Titanic – 14th May 1912

1913 – General Strike of Mine workers in South Africa, Martial Law

remained in effect until 24th of March 1914. During this time riots

would frequently break out in the streets of Johannesburg and

Pretoria

1914 – 3rd of August 1914 – World War I

A year in the life – 1910

Wenning had contracted malaria as a child in Fresia but was re-

infected living in Pretoria, which was then still a Malaria area – he

became so ill that in 1910 he had to be hospitalized. This seems to

have been a turning point in his life; the nature of illness and having

to spend so much time in bed recovering generally calls one to

rethink how one’s life is being led. It was not just his health, but his

fi nances were also severely strained as the company did not pay

him sick-leave. But then a new and exciting development occurred;

De Bussy’s decided to expand their business and aside from

selling books and art pr ints they decided to stock art materials to

the growing art community of Pretoria – much to Wenning’s delight

they put him in charge of this new department. He began to come

into regular contact with the artist’s active in Pretoria at that time,

which included Oerder and Pierneef. Together with these artists and

various other practicing amateurs, they formed an art society named

“The Individualists”, with Wenning as secretary for the society. They

held group exhibitions in the Pretoria town hall, providing a platform

and support for Wenning to be recognized as the artist that he was.

On Sundays, public holidays and Wednesday afternoons, Wenning

would set out on long walking excursions to fi nd material suitable to

inspire him to paint. He would often be accompanied by other artists

and a mutual exchange of ideas would take place. These excur-

sions, and the art books and prints he was able to study through the

auspices of the bookstore, placed him a unique position of making

an informed approach to what he wanted to out of his artwork.

Towards the end of that year he sent a selection of his oil paintings

to the Brussels Exposition for which he received a commendation.

BibliographyBerman, E. (1975) The Story of South African Painting, Cape Town: A.A. Balkema.

Berman, E. (1983) Art & Artists of South Africa - An illustrated biographical dic-

tionary and historical survey of painters, sculptors & graphic artists since 1875,

Cape Town: A.A. Balkema.

Boonzaier, G. (no date) Pieter Wenning - Our Art, Pretoria: Lantern Journal in

collaboration with the S.A. Broadcasting Corporation.

Boonzaier, G. & Lipschitz, I. (1949) Wenning, Cape Town: Unie-Volkspers Bpk.

Wenning, H. (1976) My Father, Cape Town: Howard Timmins.

Heerco Wenning, father of the artist, was an

artist who made his living as an art teacher;

he also specialized in illustrated cartography

and Heraldry.

“The Individualists” – The Art Society founded in Pretoria 1910. This photo-

graph was taken at the fi rst exhibition held at the own hall. From left to right:

Dr Grünberger, Nina Murray (seated), Marcelle Piltán, Jacob Hendrik (Henk)

Pierneef, Miss Harding, Pieter Wenning and Mrs Sent.

Charicature of Wenning by D.C. Boonzaier.

D.C. and Wenning became good friends

but D.C. could be a bit of an overbearing

man at times, trying to tell Wenning what or

how to paint. They corresponded regularly

when Wenning was not in Cape Town. When

there, he was a regular visitor to their home,

he was friendly with all the members of the

household including the young Gregoire.

D,C. had many of Wenning’s work on his

walls, leading to his work having a tremen-

dous infl uence over Gregoire’s artworks.

Pieter Wenning, photo taken on his wedding

day to Johanna on the 3rd of September 1898.

Unfortunately there are no available photos of

Johanna.

Wenning painting near Tokai Forest, Cape Peninsula.

Here we may see Wenning in his trademark long

overcoat and hat. Wenning would have walked a

long distance to reach Tokai from Newlands. It was

not uncommon for him to return only after dark hav-

ing painted all day that he might fi nish the painting.

If it was raining, he would either read or paint still-

lives indoors, but many times he would be caught

in the rain and arrive at the Boonzaier family home

drenched right through.

Still Life with Bottle, Vase and Blooms - oil on canvasTerence McCaw (1913-1978) – Genadendal

(Stephan Welz in Association with Sotheby’s

October sale)

Terence McCaw (1913-1978) 1961 - The White

Cottage (Lot No. 309 Stephan Welz in Association with

Sotheby’s 4th of August sale R20 000 to R30 000)

Gregoire Boonzaier (1909-2005) 1963 – Mount Ararat

(Lot No. 284 Stephan Welz in Association with Sotheby’s

4th of August sale R150 000 to R200 000)

Written and researched by Cate Wood Hunter

Artists that infl uenced Pieter Wenning

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Staff writer

With no formal art training,

Khambule’s progression has

been impressive. Born in 1977 in

Mdlankala, near Richards Bay, he

has been dedicated to art since the

age of eight. After meeting fellow

artist Welcome Danca, Khambule

moved to Durban where he snagged

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Design because of his painting

talents. He was also introduced by

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lery’s 2008 ‘Love Art’ exhibition. It

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A year on from winning the prize,

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show of paintings appeared at the

KZNSA in Durban. The exhibition

entitled ‘It’s a Mask’, a selection

of acrylics on canvas, used the

traditional genre of portraiture to

examine identity formation, appear-

ances and prejudices based on

appearances. Speaking about the

work, ‘Thug’, what appears to be

a portrait of a hip-gangster youth,

Khambule reveals the work is in fact

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far, you might think I’m a thug, but if

you come closer, you will see I am

not a thug.”

Elsewhere, the notion of a mask

takes on a protective meaning.

In ‘This is it Kid’, a portrait of

Khambule’s last born son, a pattern

of umbrella’s adorn the background.

Umbrellas, Khambule explains,

protect one from the rain. “I’m trying

to evoke the identity of children; they

need to be protected”.

Khambule also understands por-

traiture to include the spaces which

we inhabit. ‘Friday Night’, a painting

of a pair of shoes hovering in front

of a city skyline, is one such work.

“Sometimes I take a photo of where

I stay and use that as a portrait”,

Khambule says, the shoes were

photographed in his bedroom.

SA Art Times Contemporary Artist Profile

BHEKI KHAMBULE

Glamour Girl

Acrylic on canvas 150cm X 100cm

2008 Start Nivea Winning Artwork Thug

Acrylic on canvas 150cm X 100cm

START Award winners 2008 are Mizuikyisa Ndlela , Bheki Khambule, Natalie Fossey

Friday Night

Acrylic on canvas 150cm X 100cm

South African Art Times July 2009 13

While most of Khambule’s works

do include naturalistic fi gures, there

is are signs of an exploration of

abstraction. ‘Free Fall’, for instance,

shows a fi gure who is all but a ghost

emerging from a wash of falling, red

streaks.

Khambule is currently working full

time with business partner Welcome

Danca at Vulindlela craft and

design; an interior design company

who produce unique designs

infl uenced by contemporary African

culture. Khambule is very interested

in promoting young, upcoming

artists, and hopes to one day

open his own gallery and school

for children.

To read more see www.nsagallery.

co.za or www.arttimes.co.za

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