Visual Arts Grade 12 Learner's Guide

ELLENÉ LOUW MAGHRIET BEUKES LEE VAN WYK

VISUAL LEARNER’S GUIDE

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VISUAL ARTS 12

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GRADE

Sample Copy

VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

© Future Managers 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner. To copy any part of this publication, you may contact DALRO for information and copyright clearance. Any unauthorised copying could lead to civil liability and/or criminal sanctions.

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CONTENTS Introduction to Visual Arts Grade 12 The voice of emerging artists p. 15

CHAPTER 2

South African artists influenced by

African and/or indigenous art forms

CHAPTER 3

Art, craft and spiritual works

mainly from rural South Africa p. 145

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CHAPTER 5

Multimedia and New media –

alternative contemporary and popular art forms in South Africa p. 187

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Socio-political art – including

Resistance art of the ’70s and ’80s p. 99

CHAPTER 4

p. 55

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CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 6

Post-democratic identity in

South Africa p. 245

CHAPTER 7

Gender Issues p. 287

CHAPTER 8

Architecture in South Africa p. 325

CHAPTER 9

Practical assessment tasks p. 365

Exemplar papers p. 411 Glossary p. 429 VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Introduction to Visual Arts Grade 12

1. Introduction p. 2 p. 3

3. Sharp Sharp

p. 4

4. Guide to discussing artworks

p. 5

5. Tests and examinations in Visual Culture Studies

p. 13

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2. Topics in Visual Arts


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Visual Arts covers a broad field of creative practice that involves the hand, the eye, the intellect and the imagination in conceptualising and creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks, objects and environments which reflect the aesthetic, conceptual and expressive concerns of individuals or groups.

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Introduction to Visual Arts Grade 12

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The subject Visual Arts is about selfexpression and offers one a way to engage meaningfully with, and respond to, the world. It provides opportunities to stimulate and develop your intellect, engaging your creative imagination through visual and tactile experiences and the innovative use of materials and technology in realising your ideas. It also encourages you to develop an individual visual language and literacy, which is informed and shaped by the study of visual culture, past and present.


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Topics in Visual Arts

In your Grade 12 Visual Arts studies you will:

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1. Conceptualise through the development and realisation of creative ideas in your source book (topic 1). This source book is NOT a formal, neat notebook, but is an expressive, personal book of ideas and stimuli which reflect your own style, interests and personality. It should be full, exciting and a useful source of ideas and images for use in practical assignments. The source book provides insight into the way you have formed ideas, how many alternatives you have investigated and other processes leading to the final work. The source book should clearly communicate all your thought processes leading to the making of artworks. By Grade 12 you should by know how to use the source book.Make creative artworks and present them. Each chapter includes a Practical Assessment Task that is in some way related to the chapter. There are specific instructions for source book work and options for the making of artworks. Your teacher will guide these activities. 2. Make creative artworks and present them (TOPIC 2).

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Practical assessment tasks are more open-ended which allow you to choose the materials, tools, techniques, themes and processes best suited to expressing your individual ideas. Bear in mind though that the final retrospective exhibition should represent a coherent body of work and a specialised field of focus is recommended.

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In this text book Chapter 9 addresses Topic 1 and 2 by giving specific practical assessment tasks and guidelines. Your teacher will choose and guide these tasks.

3. Study artworks to explain the historical, political, social and/or economic background of civilisations/styles/movements and individual artists in visual culture studies (TOPIC 3). Activities for the Visual Culture Studies workbook will be indicated as:

You are going to receive specific assignments for this book, but you may also include more drawings, sketches, notes, newspaper articles and cuttings, exploration of concepts and ideas. Complete in your V.C.S. workbook. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Sharp Sharp

Sharp sharp is an informal South African saying that expresses approval, acceptance or agreement and is used as a greeting at meeting or parting. In Grade 12 you return home in your art visual culture studies after your journeys through international art and say ‘sharp sharp’ to South African art! The content is divided into eight broad themes that raise specific issues related to South African society and art. It is not a chronological study of South African art, but aims to encourage discourse throughtthe studying of the themes

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The aim of the book is to give a broad overview of the different themes. Each chapter starts by introducing the theme by referring to contextual factors such as historical events. It then includes a range of international and South African artworks that relates to the theme. In each theme three South African artists are discussed in detail. Specific artworks by these artists are discussed in depth. The aim of the chapters is to expose you to a wide range of examples from each theme to illustrate the wider scope of the particular theme. The book also aims to use artists representative of the diverse cultural traditions in Southern Africa. The eight themes are:

The voice of emerging artists South African artists Influenced by African and/or indigenous art forms Socio-political art – including Resistance Art of the ’70s and ’80s Art, craft and spiritual works mainly from rural South Africa Multi media and New media – alternative contemporary art forms in South Africa Post-democratic identity in South Africa Gender issues: masculinity and femininity Architecture in South Africa

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

You must study any SIX themes. A minimum of two artists and two works for each theme must be studied in depth. It is however important to understand the dynamic interPaul Emsley, Nelson Mandela, 2010. Charcoal and related nature of art by looking at other related works and conté. 125 x 97 cm. to see influences from international styles in our art. Your art teacher will guide this process in selecting the choice of artists and artworks that you will study. It is hoped that you will find that in the study of Visual Culture Studies ‘local is lekker!’


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Guide to discussing artworks

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The emphasis in Visual Culture Studies is on art works and visual literacy. It is strongly advised that you refer to Chapter 1 in the Grade 10 book for basic information regarding the formal elements, composition, styles, subject matter, etc.

It is important to have the tools be able to discuss artworks. In Grade 10 a guide (“recipe”) was given on how one can discuss an artwork. The main ingredients are: A. LABEL INFORMATION B. DESCRIPTION C. DISCUSSION (Analysis) D. INTERPRETATION, MEANING AND MESSAGE


6 The following is an indication of how one can discuss an artwork in more depth:

a. Label information

b. description

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• Artist, title of work, medium, date, size. • When you discuss so-called ‘unseen’ works this information is given and acts as a clue to the style/ period. • In works that you have studied, you must provide the surname of the artist and titles of artworks. Also provide the medium – you may say in general it is a painting or drawing, but if it is a new/ different medium be more specific.

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• Identify things that you can see. Name and describe them. Ensure that your description is not evaluating, opinionated or interpretive by writing down only what you see. • Describe the main objects in the painting and their position in relation to each other e.g. the cow is under the tree. Only mention what you can see with your eyes as if describing the work to a blind person. • Subject: Is it a still-life, landscape, portrait study, etc.? • History: Does the work belong to a specific art movement?

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c. discussion (Analysis)

Technique

• This is not the medium, but how it was created in the specific medium. For instance is the brushwork smooth (like a photo), impasto, stippled or linear? Style • Style refers to naturalism, figurative, expressionism, abstraction, decorative works, stylization, etc. • Beware of the incorrect use of abstract. If there are no references to reality then something is abstract. A work can be abstracted with a tendency to abstract shapes, but they are still figurative if there is reference to images.


7 The formal elements in art are aspects that exist in an artwork.

Line When discussing line in an art work consider the following: • Type (curved, straight, etc.) • Direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) , • Function (Contour lines, decorative lines, lines formed by objects in a painting, etc.)

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Shape

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When discussing shape one can speak about: • Positive shapes- the actual positive image on which the eye initially focuses. • Negative shapes- these are the spaces or shapes in-between the positive shapes • Organic shapes- these are natural and curvilinear they look relaxed • Geometric shapes- these are man-made and rectilinear they look formal Dumile Feni, Fear, 1996. Charcoal. • A sculpture has form, is three-dimensional and has mass. The surrounding space is the negative form. Look at the shape of the work. Does it penetrate space or is it a closed form?

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Texture

When discussing texture one can speak about: • Tactile texture is texture that can actually be felt, like the impasto paint used by van Gogh or the real texture in a sculpture. • Implied texture looks as if it has texture e.g. the dog in Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding seems hairy, but is in reality very smoothly painted. Many paintings use this technique to convince us of reality. The ultimate point in portraying visual texture is called trompe l’oeil, - the French term meaning ‘to fool the eye’, e.g. a mural that seems to be landscape.) Andries Gouws, Feet I, 2007. Oil on canvas.


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Space

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When discussing space one can speak about: • Actual space that exists around forms and is real. Artists use actual space in the design and creation of threedimensional art works. • Real space is used in threedimensional works such as sculpture and installations real space is used e.g. the space between different parts of a sculpture/installation forms a part of Gerard Sekotos, Yellow Houses, Sophia Town, 1940. Oil on canvas. the work • Two-dimensional works are created on a flat surface i.e. illusionistic space. To portray 3D objects on a 2D surface artists use illusionism. This is done by using the correct perspective (line and/ or aerial) so that an object seems to exist ‘in’ the picture. In modern artworks the flatness of the canvas is often emphasised and space is flattened e.g. Pollock’s works.

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When discussing tone one can speak about: • Tonal value which indicates the light and dark areas of the content. • When artists use variations of tone and sharp contrasts to indicate a light source in images, it’s called chiaroscuro e.g. Rembrandt. • When artists create an atmosphere e.g. dramatic with strong contrasts or soft when predominantly light tones are used. • Tone helps to create atmosphere and feeling in an artwork. • Tone creates focal areas through contrasts. • In painting tones of colour play an important role.

William Kentridge, Deluge, 1990. Charcoal and pastel on paper.


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Colour (Make sure that you understand basic colour theory)

Irma Stern, Malay Wedding, 1957.

Pattern

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When discussing colour one can speak about: • Looking for the dominant colour in a painting. Use the correct terminology e.g. it is mainly painted in monochromatic blues creating a cool feeling. • Use of primary and secondary colours. • Use of complimentary colours (red and green. Blue and orange, yellow and purple) to create brightness. • Use of tints, shades, colour intensity, etc. • Psychological effects of colour such as warm and cool colours. Also how colour creates space e.g. blue retreating in a painting. • How colour helps to convey meaning. • Colour can thus carry emotion, have symbolic meaning e.g. black for grief or convey an atmosphere or emphasize certain areas.

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When discussing pattern one can speak about: • The repetition of elements which create pattern e.g. the tin roofs in Sekoto’s work. • The function of pattern e.g. decoration, creating an atmosphere.

Composition

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• The artwork can be planned on a horizontal, vertical or square format? • Where is the focal point (main area of attraction) and why is it the focal point, e.g. all the lines in the work lead to it; it’s the brightest or dullest part of line picture, etc. • Pick out the main geometric groupings as found in the work. Often the objects create a triangular composition. The composition could also be circular or square – this is seen through the main lines and grouping in the work. • Is the picture balanced (it normally is), if so is it symmetrically or asymmetrically? • Discuss how various objects balance each other e.g. the big tree on the left is balanced by the two small cows on the right.


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Design principles

Micheal Petit, Fans and nasturtiums, 1976.,

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Emphasis, contrast and focal points

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• Emphasis is created by contrast and isolation. • Contrast is brought about through the contrast between design elements for e.g. a contrast in tone, or colour or shape. • Are there contrasts in colour such as dull - bright, cool - warm, dark – light? • Are there contrasts of shape, texture, movement, size, complexity – simplicity? • The focal point is where your eye finally comes to rest. Explain why a certain element is the focal point e.g. use of perspective lines, etc.

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Scale and proportion • Both scale and proportion refer to size. • A work can be on a large scale e.g. installations, earth art or be very small such as Vermeer’s Lace maker. • In an artwork the scale of objects can sometimes be in consistent because the artist did not want to create a logical space. • Proportion refers to the relative size of objects, e.g. the parts of the human body. Artists sometimes distort proportions deliberately to create emotional statements. • Proportion can ruin a painting if it seems that the proportions are faulty due to the inaptitude of the artist. On the other hand proportion can add qualities of shock, surprise and humour when used with skill.

Balance • Balance is the equal distribution of motifs or design elements. The work must be visually balanced. • What creates the balance in the composition? VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

11 • Is the balance symmetrical - when something looks exactly the same on one side of a vertical axis, as it does on the other side? Symmetrical balance is used more often in architecture and sculpture than in painting. • Is the balance asymmetrical - balance is achieved with dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight, or equal visual attraction? • Imbalance can be used by artists for effect creating a sense of unease and even movement.

Rhythm

Atmosphere

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• This concept refers to the movement of the viewer’s eye, across the surface of an image, picking up the recurrent motifs, providing the repetition inherent in the idea of rhythm. • Rhythm is created by repetition, and creates a sense of movement.

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• What feeling does the work create? E.g. is it warm and crowded or empty and depressive? Atmosphere is conveyed by how the elements such as colour are used.

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(Remember to concentrate on the main elements and principles in an artwork.)

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INTERPRETATION, MEANING AND MESSAGE In discussing all of the above points, the viewer will come to a closer understanding of an art work. However, the viewer is not the artist and we may never know the full intention of the artist, but we form our own informed opinion provided that the opinion is substantiated.

• Content has to do with the deeper meaning of the artwork or the message of the work. • Contextual factors; the context of the work plays a big role in determining meaning. The biogra-

phy of the artist, political and social situations, historic factors and/or physical place e.g. a work created during Apartheid South Africa, can play a role. • Use the information gathered from your DESCRIPTION and DISCUSSION (ANALYSIS) to help you identify the CONTENT of works (what the artwork tells of the human experience). This has to do with the MESSAGE of the work. • Defend your hypothesis with evidence from other sources such as art history, past experiences the work reminds you of, or presumed purpose e.g. to praise, criticize, predict, record an event, make a political or social statement, ridicule, and so on. • Look at the symbolic meanings where possible e.g. a dove meaning peace. It is hoped that you will get plenty of opportunity to practice your skill in analysing artworks be it your own, those of your class mates, ones you see in exhibitions and those that you study. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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When discussing works of a more conceptual nature such as multimedia work, the following can be used as a guide:

• Describe the work in detail. It

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Jan van der Merwe, Guests, 2002. Installation.

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is necessary to convey all the main elements of the work. • Clearly refer to the media, for instance that it was a performance documented by video, installation, etc. • The meaning of these works play an important role and you must expand on the artist’s intention with the work.

An artist is usually discussed by referring to:

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• Biographical information: It is always

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interesting to know the ‘story’ of any artist. Use it sparingly in research projects. In tests and examinations refer to it ONLY if it influences the work directly as with Van Gogh. • Sources, inspirations and influences by other artists’ work and contextual factors such as politics. • Stylistic characteristics refer to the themes, subject matter, formal elements, style, technique, etc. Also the meaning given to the work by the artist himself or how other people interpreted the work by considering contextual factors and the work itself. • Specific examples that display the above.

With art movements the same format can be used, but biographical information will be replaced by the origin and aim of a movement.


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Culture 5 Tests andStudies examinations in Visual

Questions usually consist of two parts: 1. ‘Unseen’ artworks where you must apply your visual literacy skills. 2. Artists and artworks that you have studied. Tips on answering unseen works: • Study the captions. It provides the name of the artist, title of the work, date and medium. These are all clues that you can use.

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• The medium is important. Is it a sculpture, painting or drawing? You are not going to discuss the background of a sculpture. If it is a painting you can write about the style, brush strokes, etc. •

Carefully consider what you must discuss and see that you write on each of required factors. It is of no use only discussing colour and ignoring composition (depending what is asked). Usually what you must discuss in a work are important aspects of the work.

• Do not be obscure. A small vertical line in the background does not portray strength and power. Stick to the main elements.

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Meaning/interpretation – beware of unjustified stories without any relation to the artwork. The theme of the question is there to help you e.g. if it is for example on Impressionism, you apply your knowledge of this style to the unseen work. Beware of ‘sermons’ on social issues or religion that are not related to the work.

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General information: • Use full sentences and paragraphs. “Bullet” form of writing is not allowed. Do not use informal language and slang. Use SHORT, well- structured sentences. • 10 marks usually equals about one page, but rather write too much than too little, but watch the time available for each question and answer. • How should you approach the question? Confirm whether you are to “Discuss”, Compare” or “Analyze” and ensure you adhere to these instructions. Use the glossary to understand the meaning of the instruction. Compare means to refer simultaneously to both works. To ANALYSE means you must discuss the issue/work in great detail and break it down into small components.


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What is the main theme of the question e.g. politics and art. How are you limited? How much must you answer? Is it two specific works of an artist? Is it at least two? Underline these instructions on the paper. Look for specific issues of the questions which you cannot study and prepare for and which demand insight, opinion and interpretation. Use a basic essay format in your answer. A brief introduction which addresses the given question, the body in paragraphs and a conclusion. Be specific and do not make personal judgments that are not justified with reasons. See that you really know the formal elements and design principles and apply them. Use the correct terminology.

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CHAPTER

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The voice of emerging artists CONTENTS p. 16

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1.1 Introduction: Art in South Africa during the early days

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1.2 Overview of emerging South African artists and international influences affecting them p. 20 1.3 George Pemba p. 29 1.4 Gerard Sekoto p. 36

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1.5 Peter Clarke p. 45


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The voice of emerging artists

INTRODUCTION: Art in South Africa during the early days

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This chapter addresses the beginning of South African art and draws attention to influences of European art on early artists. It also becomes evident in the discussion of the artists’ development and work that most artists, including White artists, struggled to attain a proper art education within South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century. If they had the means to go to Europe, they received some form of art education and were exposed to international art but developed their own style and approach to creating art.

George French Angas. Nazea, wife of Karel, a Malay priest. 1846-7.Watercolour. During the mid- nineteenth century Angas, like Bowler and Baines, travelled through South Africa doing illustrations of the inhabitants of Southern Africa which he published in a book with accompanying commentary about the people. His idea was that the book would add to the study of mankind, Ethnology. Many of the illustrations depict people as types rather than individuals.

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Until late in the 19th century most Black Africans in southern Africa lived in independent chiefdoms divided along ethnic lines, dependant on the land for their survival. The influence of colonisation and the resulting industrialisation changed the lives of indigenous people radically. It is especially the discovery of minerals that impacted on people as they were lured to sell their labour by working in mining areas that quickly became urbanised environments. This changed traditional living conditions and began to influence the practice of cultural traditions as well as the social structures that existed. The activity of creating art was linked and controlled by Western capitalist society. Early Black artists were therefore dependant on the support of the White middle class. The historic context of Westernised art in South Africa began a long time after the first Europeans entered South Africa in 1652. Until the first art school was established in Cape Town in 1864 and the establishment of the SA Fine Arts Association as patron of art activities in 1871, most European inhabitants lived secluded pioneer lifestyles in rural surroundings. They did not show interest in the indigenous cultures or the development of an art tradition.

Thomas Bowler. Prince Alfred inaugurating the breakwater. 1860. Watercolour. Bowler depicted a landscape view, with Table mountain dominating the scene. The painting is a documentation of Prince Alfred turning the first sod for the building of a breakwater in Table Bay in 1860.

Daily survival was the most important feature of their lives. Artworks that were exhibited in Cape Town were works belonging to wealthy European collectors or works by visiting travellers and amateur artists. Africana artists, Thomas Bowler and Thomas Baines showed the life in the colony, which included the Malay community in Cape Town and some representations of the Khoi, San and Bantu-speaking groups of people. Their primary topics were landscapes with their different fauna and flora. They used mainly watercolours to achieve their aim of working on an accurate recording of what they observed. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

17 Edward Roworth. Mostert’s Mill, Cape Town. 1907. Oil on canvas. Roworth’s influential positions in the Cape art world gave him the power to enforce his ideas which were very conservative. His outspoken reactions to ‘modern art’ caused many controversies. In this painting the influence of Romantic realism from his training at the Slade School in Britain is evident.

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The earliest professional artists were educated in Britain according to the conservative naturalistic styles of the 19th century in Europe. They specialised in the academic tradition of genres such as landscape, portraits and narrative works. The inspirational South African landscape provided a challenge to these artists who responded by imposing the rules of British academic painting on their view of it. A dominating figure in South African art history was Edward Roworth who as the chairman of SA Society of Artists, professor in arts at Michaelis and Director of the National Gallery, dictated the course of South African art. This also influenced the preferences of the unsure conservative viewers. The British naturalist tradition was thus preferred until the mid 20th century, rejecting the ‘decadent’ developments of modern European art.

Thomas Baines. Crossing a drift, Natal. 1874. Oil on canvas.

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Baines was a traveller who meticulously documented the places that he visited in quick sketches that he later reworked as paintings. He captured numerous scenes throughout Africa in which the daily trials of a travelling lifestyle can be seen. He depicted the splendour of African landscapes and nature with technical mastery and feeling.

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The development of art talent in South Africa was gradual and limited possibilities for art education in South Africa forced many artists to study overseas. Professional artists began emerging from the beginning of the twentieth century.

J.E.A. Volschenk, Frans Oerder, Anton van Wouw and Pieter Wenning are examples of artists who became notable as professional South African artists. Although they were still working according to what they learnt from the European tradition, the beginnings of an exploration of a national South African identity is visible in some of their works.

JEA Volschenk. Mountains, Riversdale. 1915. Oil on canvas. Volschenk’s ability to represent the spectacular scenery of the South Western Cape was admired by many people for its craftsmanship and the fact that it was easy to understand. His versions of unspoilt nature which are accessible and unthreatening.

Anton van Wouw. Bad news. 1910. Bronze. Van Wouw is another artist of Dutch descent who lived and worked in South Africa. Many of his realistic sculptures indicate his support for the Boer republics in their struggle for freedom from British domination. In this work two Boer fighters are shown after they had just heard that Britain was victorious in the war against them. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Pieter Wenning. Bishop’s Court. Undated. Oil on canvas.

This artist of Dutch descent represented this study of reflections in a typical Dutch manner. This realistic representation is an intimate view of the tonal variations of the still life. The emphasis on the textures and sheens on the objects and surrounding surfaces can be traced back to 17th century Dutch art.

This untrained artist emigrated from the Netherlands to South Africa as an adult. He travelled all over South Africa. Many of his paintings depict old homesteads on farms, buildings in the city and District Six. His bold impasto brush strokes and controlled use of colours in large simplified masses are characteristic of his painting style.

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Frans Oerder. Still-life reflections. Undated. Oil on canvas.

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In South Africa the functional and ritual objects created by Black rural craftsmen were originally seen as irrelevant to fine art but objects to be studied for their ethnographic interest. Later on they were acknowledged as crafts but still seen as less important than art forms such as painting, drawing and sculpture. The art of Africa however became a strong influence on the development of the modernist movement in contrast to traditional naturalism. South African artists began to give recognition to the influence of traditional African art on their work. Mats are stored on these decorative racks when not used. Originally the racks were carved, but in modern times paint and mirrors are used to create the geometric patterns.

Clay pots decorated with geometric paTterns are still made to drink traditional beer from as part of AMAZulu culture.

This gold rhinoceros was found in a burial site at Mapungubwe in 1933. It was in the royal grave where it was buried with other gold artifacts 700 years ago.

A collection of five clay heads was discovered in the Lydenburg area in 1957. Carbon dating has proven that the heads date to about 490 A.D. they were created by Early Iron age people.

The decorated AMAZulu headrest is a functional object that also has symbolic values attached to it. It was predominantly used by the head of the family as a neck support when sleeping and children were not allowed to use it. Patterns refer to the clan from which the person descends. A bride would bring a headrest as part of her dowry and it would also be seen as a link with her ancestors. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

The beadwork of the Ndebele people influenced the designs of their decorative murals.

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1.1

Complete in your V.C.S. workbook.

The following six works by Thomas Baines represent a part of South African history.

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Discuss the following aspects in each work: • What is happening in the artwork? • What is the setting of the artwork? • Is the setting an important aspect for the interpretation of the artwork? • Where is the artist in relation to the scene? Is he part of it or is he a spectator? • Describe the composition, use of colour and tonal values. • What does the scene that Baines represented tell you about South Africa at that time? • Do you think Baines’ works can be taken as the truth? Provide reasons for your answer. • What was Baines’ intention in creating these artworks? Do you think he created them with a specific audience in mind? Provide reasons for you answer.

Thomas Baines. Klaas Smit’s River – wagon broke down, crossing the drift. 1852. Lithograph.

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Thomas Baines. Sir Henry Bottinger landing the steamer ‘Haddington’ 27 January 1847. 1847. Oil.

Thomas Baines. The landing of the British Settlers in Algoa Bay in the year 1820. 1852. Oil on canvas.

Thomas Baines. Fingo village Fort Beaufort 1848. 1848. Oil.

Thomas Baines. Wagons on Market Square, Grahamstown. 1850. Oil.

Thomas Baines. The 74th Highlanders with Beaufort and Port Elizabeth levies storming the stronghold of the rebel chief Sandili in the Amatola mountains, June 1851. 1854. Oil on canvas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Overview of emerging South African artists and international influences affecting them

Monet. Bathing at La Grenouillére. 1869. Oil on canvas.

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It is to be expected that European art movements, Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism, PostImpressionism, Fauvism, Cubism and German Expressionism would have an effect on early South African artists as many of them studied art there or saw it as part of their art education to visit Europe and witness the latest developments in art at the beginning of the 20th century [refer to Grade 11 book].

Van Gogh. The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing. 1888. Oil on canvas.

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In this Impressionist work Monet used the very contemporary subject matter of a popular bathing place and restaurant close to Paris. The effect of light and colour is a central aspect in this work.

As a Post-Impressionist van Gogh developed his own more expressive painting style while still using subject matter that represented daily life and the environment as he experienced it at that time. Seurat. Detail of Circus sideshow. 1889. Oil on canvas.

Gauguin reduced the images that he painted to areas of pure colour separated by heavy black outlines. He paid little attention to classical perspec-tive and did not pay attention to the traditional method of painting tonal values thereby breaking away from the basic rules of art as established after the Renaissance.

The Neo-Impressionist Seurat e x p e ri m e nt e d further with the effects of colour and light in his Pointillist works.

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Gauguin. Maternity (Women on the seashore). 1899. Oil on canvas.

Matisse. Algerian woman. 1909. Oil on canvas. As one of the Fauves Matisse began using bright, intense and unmodulated colour. Strongly defined outlines and shapes to create paintings in which compositions were planned according to their decorative effects.

Schmidt-Rottluff. Walking on the beach. No date. Oil on canvas.

Picasso. Factory at Horta de Ebro. 1909. Oil on canvas.

Cézanne. La Montagne Sainte-Victoire. 1885-1895. Oil on canvas.

Schmidt-Rottluff’s works are typical of the German Expressionist group, Der Brücke. They developed a common style in which strongly contrasting colour, emotional tension and violent imagery were combined to state their opposition to the dominating middleclass way of life and thinking.

In this Cubist work of Picasso a bleak landscape was the source for Picasso’s experimentation with the reduction of visual reality to geometrical elements. The use of monotone colours adds to the effect of simplification.

Cézanne was interested in the simplification of naturally occurring forms to their geometric essentials. He also wanted to capture the truth of perception. This led him to explore binocular vision graphically. He worked directly from the landscape and attempted to represent what he saw accurately in simple forms and colour planes.


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Hugo Naudé. On the farm. No date. Oil on canvas.

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The African landscape can be seen as one of the most powerful influences on the art produced in South Africa. The interpretation of the South African landscape has taken on many forms. Hugo Naudé (1869-1941) [refer to Ch 2 of the Grade 11 Book] is well known for his versions in which we can see the influence of the Impressionists in the sense that he painted plein-aire, used loose spontaneous brushstrokes, impasto paint application and strong colour contrasts. Although he was trained in a more conservative naturalistic style of painting at the Slade School in London, he broke away from it as he gained confidence. He did not consciously follow the Impressionists’ style of painting. His intention was rather to record what he saw directly onto canvas and this observational style lead him to initiate techniques that conveyed the character of the environment. His painting style is described as one of the first that adapted to the character of the South African landscape which was the primary influence on his work.

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In a work such as Western Province landscape with yellow flowers his sensitive use of colour contrasts and brushwork create a feeling of spaciousness. Naudé deliberately used pictorial devices such as the raised horizon with lines guiding the eye towards the far-off mountains and the use of cooler colours that gradually fade into the background. In spite of the similarities to the Impressionists he did not explore the effects of optical sensations which were a key aspect of Impressionism.

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Hugo Naudé. Western Province landscape with yellow flowers. No date. Oil on hardboard.

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Pierneef (1886-1957) [see Chapter 2 in the Grade 11 book] and his family left for Europe during the Anglo-Boer war as his father was Dutch. He received drawing lessons throughout his childhood. In the Netherlands he continued going to drawing classes and was exposed to the artworks of the old masters. Back in South Africa he was also encouraged by artists like Frans Oerder and Anton van Wouw. Lessons in linocut and etching developed his personal style further. He also began paying attention to the unique character of the South African landscape as compared to the European landscapes where shapes seem more constant because of the subdued light. He became aware of the harsh sunlight and large variety of colour schemes seen in a single landscape during the day. The effect of the sharp sunlight on shapes in the landscape creates flat silhouetted planes with strong contrasts. The dominating Impressionist style of the time did not suit the South African landscape. Pierneef began to develop a distinctive style because of his sensitivity to the character of the South African landscape.

Pierneef. Kloof, Rustenburg. 1935. Oil on canvas.

Pierneef. Ntabeni, Soutpansberg. 1930. Oil on canvas.


22 The theories of a Dutch artist, Willem van Konijnenburg, promoted the idea of creating art based on mathematical harmony and this suited Pierneef whose training lead him to a precise and graphic style of painting. He began to experiment more with colour and simplified geometric shapes that were visible in the natural environment around him. His painting style became very smooth, showing no brush strokes and he began to outline forms. Although some of his works have similarities to Cubist paintings, he followed a completely different approach as he was not concerned with depicting multiple view points or an integration of the subject matter with the space that it inhabits.

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Pierneef alluded to his contact with modern European art in his paintings but he developed a unique style. In the work Ntabeni, Soutpansberg Pierneef ’s characteristic painting style is evident. His choice of subject matter is a distinctive feature as he preferred the more harsh mountainsides of the Transvaal and the quiet isolation of the open fields. In this view of a landscape in the former Northern Transvaal (Limpopo), he creates the impression that he wanted to convey a sense of the structure of the landscape. He analysed and interpreted the landscape according to a formalised plan. Each element in the landscape became a unit within a type of pictorial architecture. This structured formal approach to looking and interpreting resulted in an effect of monumental order. Everything in Pierneef ’s landscapes is part of a sense of permanence in his vision of nature.

Maggie Laubser. Harvesters in Belgium. 1922. Oil on canvas.

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Maggie Laubser (1886-1973) [see Chapter 2 in the Grade 11 book] and Irma Stern are seen as the two artists who were responsible for introducing Expressionism to South Africa. Laubser visited Europe and there she worked on her painting in an artists’ colony in the Netherlands and studied at the Slade School of Art in England. She also visited Italy, Belgium and Germany where she came into contact with the German Expressionists’ work. Her development as a more expressive artist was encouraged by her experience of the Berlin art scene rather than the conservative approach of the Slade Art School. She returned to South Africa as it was her love of the natural rural South African environment that was her passion in life. Some aspects of the conservative training at the Slade Art School against which she rebelled were the use of colour according to specific recipes and the idea of painting directly from the model or still life. Laubser believed that the idea of following rules in art was unacceptable. In Berlin contact with the Expressionists’ work led her to use a more intense palette and a personal interpretation of the subject. She simplified three-dimensional forms with a strong visible outline in compositions where the interaction of colours added to the effect of three-dimensionality. Her version of reality was individual and not a copy of the visual source. Her work showed her experience and empathy with her subject. This approach was originally foreign to the conservative South African art viewing public and as with Irma Stern’s work, her works were viewed with derision.


Maggie Laubser. Prostitute, Berlin. 1924. Oil on paper.

23 Pioneer Black artists mainly portrayed indigenous African life and customs which were popular with White patrons of the arts. Landscape painting was also a recurring theme. The first available record of participation at a professional exhibition by a Black artist was Moses Tladi (1903-59) who took part in 1930 in an exhibition. It took the form of “Special Exhibition by Native Artist”. John Koenakeefe Mohl (1903-1985) was another urban Black artist who travelled to Germany and studied art there. He became known in South Africa as a successful professional artist who explored his environment in Sophiatown as well as rural areas. He was also a mentor for many other Black artists and encouraged Black people to buy his works.

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John Koenakeefe Mohl. Ploughing. 1956. Oil on board.

Moses Tladi. Crown mines. c. 1929-30. Oil on canvas board.

Gerard Bhengu (1910-1990) was an artist from KwaZulu Natal who is well known for his realistic portrayals of indigenous isiBhaca and isiZulu life and culture. As with many Black artists of his era he was encouraged as a child to develop his natural skills in art but struggled to study art due to the complete lack of opportunities as a result of the Apartheid system. The opportunities that he had were created by a number of people who crossed his path incidentally. He paid for TB treatment with his artworks and as a result was employed by Dr Max Kohler to illustrate his sociological and ethnographic research of the local isiNguni language communities such as the AmaBhaca. Eventually Bhengu received an opportunity to attend classes in English and Art at the Edenvale Vocational College with the assistance of Reverend Nichols from the Lutheran Church in Georgetown. His work was acknowledged through its inclusion in a number of exhibitions after 1936. Bhengu’s subject matter was prescribed as he did many book illustrations.

He sometimes repeated these themes with slight variations because of the demand from White buyers. Watercolour was the medium that he used most often and he restricted his colour use to sepia as he could not afford to buy other colours. His technique is a conservative naturalism but the unique aspect of his works is the subject matter. His works became a commentary on the changing lifestyles of urban Black people that lead them on a continuous search for their identity.

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John Koenakeefe Mohl. Moeng College. 1954. Oil on board.

Gerard Bhengu. Portrait of a umZulu man. No date. Watercolour. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

24 Gerard Bhengu. Homeward bound. 1941. Watercolour.

Although she was accused of not being political enough in her art works, she draws attention to living circumstances by depicting urban scenes in Black townships. She used clashing yellowbrowns and blue-purples in Houses in the hills, 1971, which is her version of a cluster of lowcost houses. The blue sky contrasts starkly with the barren hills. The houses are very simple. The rectangular blocks with two windows one either side of the door in the middle are described by Marion Arnold as “Ugly and oppressive…like a series of hostile faces-(that) glare at the viewer accusingly”.

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Gladys Mgudlandlu (1925-1979) was one of the first Black women to exhibit her paintings at a gallery in South Africa. Born in the Eastern Cape where she qualified as a teacher and began training as a nurse, she moved to Cape Town with her parents. She worked as a teacher while creating artworks for herself at home in Nyanga. As an artist she was largely self-taught. Although she did not follow a specific art tradition, her works have obvious expressionist characteristics. The loose brushstrokes and use of vivid contrasting colours in her paintings enhanced her imaginative approach to her subject matter.

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The dreamlike and simple interpretations of her world seen in her paintings have led people to link her work to European artists such as Henri Rousseau and Marc Chagall. Mgudlandlu worked from her imagination which contributed to her primitivist style of painting. Her painting style is described as direct and her use of colours as undiluted. Her memories of the Eastern Cape and the isiXhosa folk tales told to her by her grandmother served as inspiration for her paintings. She painted many landscapes, wild plants and trees as well as scenes from everyday life.

In Landscape, 1961, Mgudlandlu recreated her memories of the landscape of Peddie in the Eastern Cape. There is no sign of human interference in the landscape. Life processes such as growth, flowering and decay are all central to this emblematic landscape. Her dream of the place that she left behind is embodied in a work such as this and is representative of the experience of many other displaced people in South Africa.


Gladys Mgudlandlu. Landscape. 1961. Oil on canvas.

Gladys Mgudlandlu. Houses in the hills. 1971.

25 Michael Zondi (1926-2008) qualified as a cabinet-maker. After a brief period as an entrepreneur using his skills as cabinet-maker, he was appointed as woodwork instructor at the Dundee Trade School and later the Edenvale Vocational School. Here he was inspired by one of his colleagues to make small sculptures. He also completed his matric through private studies and obtained his builders and construction certificates. In his figurative wooden sculptures his isiZulu heritage was the inspiration for his narrative works. Some of his works also show his Christian beliefs as he created biblically inspired figures. Through some of these works he alluded to the plight of Black people and their subjugation by White people. By depicting Moses (Leader of his People) 1959, as a Black man the interpretation of the story took on a political meaning.

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After beginning in a more realistic style, Zondi’s work developed as he began to use the shape and texture of wood as the inspiration for his figurative work. The figures became more elongated and the surfaces of the works showed more expressive chisel marks. He also experimented with the idea of Cubism by using facetted forms within the human figure. Zondi is known for his interaction with other cultures while staying true to African tradition and this is apparent in one of his comments: “Taste the cultures of other countries, but never copy them.”

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Sydney Kumalo. Two Bulls. c. 1974. Bronze.

Ezrom Legae. Waiting. 1989. Bronze.

Michael Zondi. Moses (Leader of his people). 1959. Wood.


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The phenomenon of ‘Township art’ developed out of the influence of the Polly Street Art Centre in Johannesburg that operated between 1949 and 1975. At first the art lessons provided at the Centre were informal. After Cecil Skotnes was appointed as recreational officer in 1952, he established the Art Centre as a haven for young men who were interested in learning various creative skills through a basic training programme. To him the development of a typically African art form was the aim but the students were interested in being taught about Western European art and the representational skills that accompanied it. In spite of a lack of resources, the centre flourished and influenced the careers of many Black artists of whom Sydney Kumalo, Ezrom Legae, Ephraim Ngatane, Durant Sihlali, Lucky Sibiya and Louis Maqhubela are a selection.

Durant Sihlali. Dawn in Soweto. c.1978. Monoprint.

Ephraim Ngatane. After a hard week. No date. Watercolour.

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The experience of urban life in Black townships was a uniquely South African one. The artists reflected life within this deprived situation where the interaction of people with each other and their environment were central themes. The influence of Modernism with the emphasis on Cubism, Expressionism and the influence of West African art can be seen in the work of Kumalo and Legae. Ngatane and Sihlali worked in a representational manner, documenting life and thereby commenting on the circumstances that people had to face daily.

Lucky Sibiya. Abstract. No date. Carved, incised and painted wood panel.

Louis Maqhubela. Township scene. 1961. Oil on board.

It is clear that Black artists who emerged during the early twentieth century were at a disadvantage and faced many problems concerning a lack of resources, funds and opportunities for art training. An exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, curated by Steven Sack, in 1989, entitled The Neglected Tradition: towards a new history of South African art (1930-1988) was an important turning point. Through the exposure of the art and the documentation in the catalogue compiled by Sack, Black artists began to receive greater acknowledgement for their work by way of more frequent exhibitions. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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More examples of emerging South African artists

Bertha Everard. View towards Swaziland. No date. Oil.

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The work shows the influence of Divisionism’s use of colour and powerful rhythmic brush marks. The South African landscape was reinterpreted by this artist in an unconventional way.

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Dorothy Kay. Annie Matavata. 1956. Oil on canvas.

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Dorothy Kay combined realism with a unique sense of interpretation of her subject matter. Her works are not stereotypical views and challenge the viewer to interpret the subtle symbols.

Florence Zerfi. Holiday time, Stilbaai strand. 1941. Oil on board.

In this en plein air work Zerfi displays the influence of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism as she developed the use of strong light effects and expressive brush strokes as part of her painting style.

Maud Sumner. Fat lady. 1933. Oil. Sumner was influenced by French artists such as Manet, Degas, Bonnard and Renoir. In many of her works she depicted unidealised versions of women in which the painterly representation of flesh creates a sensuous effect.

Strat Caldecott. Government Avenue, Cape Town. c. 1926. Oil on wood. Caldecott developed the influence of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism in a unique manner as he used the effects of light and the topic of everyday life scenery, but painted strongly defined shapes through the darker outline. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Andrew Motjuoadi. Flute players. No date. Pencil on paper.

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Motjuoadi gives the viewer an intimate view of life in the townships in his realistic style of drawing. This detailed realistic view of daily life combined with an excellent sense of line, patterning and textures.

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Wolf Kibel. Interior. c. 1935. Oil on canvas on hardboard.

Kibel’s expressive painting style is a reflection of his unsettled life and relates to European artists such as Soutine and Chagall while the composition is strongly reminiscent of Van Gogh’s painting of a similar topic.


Dumile Feni. Father teach me how to pray. 1957. Conté crayon on paper.

Feni’s expressive ability is unique and powerful. He was able to transcend his immediate circumstances by representing what he experienced in a universally comprehensible manner that shows his understanding of human suffering.

29

GEORGE PEMBA George Pemba (1912–2001) was born in Korsten village close to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. After completing his secondary school education he obtained a Teacher’s Diploma at the Lovedale Training College in the Eastern Cape. Pemba worked at the Lovedale printing press, was a teacher in King Williams Town and later worked at a governmental administration department in Port Elizabeth. As a child he was encouraged to paint and draw by his family and teachers. He was never able to get access to full time formal art training but received some form of training through short periods of interaction with a variety of artists and lecturers.

“My objective is to interpret the feeling of my people” George Pemba

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In 1931, Ethel Smythe who taught art at the University College of Fort Hare, gave Pemba an introduction to watercolour and some direction in drawing. In 1936 he was able to study under Professor Austin Winter Moore at Rhodes University for five months. He also painted with the artist Dorothy Kay and spent some time attending art classes in Maurice van Esche’s studio in Cape Town. During this time he also met Gerard Sekoto and later Koenakeefe Mohl, both of whom encouraged him to become a full time artist and to pay more attention to his immediate surroundings as subject matter. He resigned from his work in 1952 to become a professional artist but continually struggled financially as the Apartheid system impacted on the opportunities to exhibit and the interest of art buyers. He and his wife ran a spaza shop in order to make a living. Pemba did not join the struggle against Apartheid blatantly but had to support his brother’s family and other family’s children due to their participation in the struggle. Through his art he made the circumstances that Black people had to endure, visible to the art viewing public.

George Pemba. Korsten. 1961. Oil. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

30 Characteristics Influences: Pemba’s works are often referred to as similar to Realism, as he depicted the plight of the poor in townships in a naturalistic manner. He admired the work of Millet and kept a print of The Gleaners in his studio.

Millet. The gleaners. 1857. Oil on canvas.

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His painting style references Impressionism through his use of strong light sources and his choices of subject matter related to the fleeting moments of daily life. The influence of Expressionism is also visible through his depiction of the effects of urbanisation on people, his use of subjective colour and the distortion of forms occasionally. Pemba’s interaction with a variety of White academics influenced his knowledge and eventually his painting style. The narrative aspect of British academic painting was conveyed to him and is an important part of his works. Sekoto and Mohl both influenced him to depict his immediate environment and to work within the landscape or cityscape while painting. Sekoto also encouraged Pemba to use oil paint rather than the more delicate and soft watercolour medium. This spurred on a more robust character in his works visible in the loose impasto brush marks.

George Pemba. Harvesters. 1976. Oil.

George Pemba. Clean up. 1960. Oil on board.

George Pemba. The audience. 1960. Oil.

Subject matter: Pemba’s subject matter included portrait paintings of individuals and groups, landscapes, references to religious topics and commentary on political and social circumstances. He concentrated on portraying the people and their lives in New Brighton where he spent most of his life. The way in which he approached his subject matter through his painting is distinctive. His paintings are not simply documentations of people and surroundings but consist of the uncertainties and contradictions that were part of life in South Africa at that time. Many of his works have underlying themes such as fear, joy, loss, the experiences of daily life, cultural traditions, human rights, politics and religious commentary. In some of his works he painted what he observed, while others are narrative. He loved movies and many of his works show a filmic quality. Some of his works look like still scenes from a film. His representation of township life has been described as unpretentious and honest, displaying an understanding of humanity. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Painting style: Pemba initially painted in water colour which was a cheap medium. When he began to paint with oil paint his style changed. In both his water colour and oil paintings he showed a strong feeling for form. He created forms that are solid through using simplified planes and masses. Through this descriptive portrayal of forms his work have a feeling of monumentality and sometimes show a degree of expressionistic distortion. He applied the paint in a relatively smooth texture and used brush strokes to create roundness in the forms. In some of his oil paintings his use of impasto paint resulted in lively brushwork. Pemba’s colour use in his water colours is subtle and descriptive. In his later works he created threedimensionality by creating very strong contrasts between the light and shaded areas. He also used bright contrasting colours, combining primary or secondary colours, together with White areas. This added to the feeling of solidity and simplicity in his paintings.

George Pemba. Eviction – mother and child. 1992. Oil on board.

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New Brighton, Port Elizabeth In this painting Pemba gives us a view of a busy street in the township where he lived for most of his life. The character of the community through Pemba’s eyes is revealed through this painting. Pemba looked at this urban landscape from a position in the middle of a street, on what seems like an island indicating circle for directing the traffic. His position as onlooker is from inside the community. On both sides of the tarred road are small neat houses with corrugated iron roofs and established gardens. This aspect already tells the viewer that the people have been living there for a long time and that they care about their immediate surroundings to plant trees and grow fences.

All the houses have chimneys and smoke is coming from some of them. As there are no electricity lines visible one can assume that the inhabitants had to use open fires for cooking. Even though everything

George Pemba. Portrait of a young umXhosa woman. 1946. Watercolour.

looks very neat and clean, the side-walks are not paved and there are no street lights. In the street, that is central to the composition, there are many people moving about. On the left there is a donkey cart. There are no cars driving around or parked next to the homes. In the foreground on the left three young men or boys are sitting on the side of the circle. One young man is standing with them, hands in his pockets. To the right an older man sits hunched up smoking while a neatly dressed woman stands in front of him. Just behind these two groups of people in the foreground two men look as if they are kicking a small ball around in the street. Just behind them is the donkey-cart with two men and a boy on it. Further on in the street there are men and woman walking about. One of the women has a baby tied to her back. Beyond the end of the street one can see the chimneys of factories and high rise buildings. Pemba shows us that there are many people in the community who VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

32 are at home and we are presented with a variety of people who live there. They do not have work. The community seems busy and vibrant but there are things that are lacking.

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Pemba’s composition places us as viewers within the centre of the community but he painted all the people as if they are going about their daily lives without being aware of the onlooker. Not one of them is looking towards the viewer/ artist. The composition begins close to the artist and stretches to the far-off horizon. Most of the composition is filled with the street, homes and people are closest to the viewer, in the foreground. Pemba included a band of light blue sky that leads the eye towards the city in the distance.

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In this urban landscape the contrast of warm and cold colours adds to the vibrant feeling of the community. Most of the composition has the road that is a light bluish grey with the light blue sky as background. Pemba scattered-orange and yellow on the clothing of the people. The red-orange is repeated in the earthen colour of the ground of the sidewalk and in the colour of all the houses. The white shirts of the men sitting in the foreground add crispness to the scene. The green of the hedges and trees breaks the dominance of the earthen red-brown. The people are painted in strongly contrasting tonal values of a cold brown. By using white as a highlight he created a clear light source from the right. This light effect is also visible on the yellow of the foliage. In this painting Pemba did not use expressive or gestural brush strokes but the direction of visible brush marks contribute to the three-dimensionality of forms such as the trees, bushes and figures. All the forms have a feeling of solidity due to Pemba’s painting style. Although the feeling of solidity is a positive aspect it also creates a feeling of rigidity in some of the figures. The work is painted in a naturalistic style but when inspecting it closely one can see that Pemba wanted to show the ‘bigger picture’ rather than spending too much time on finer detail. The link with Impressionism can be seen in this aspect as Pemba summarised in his paintings what he saw and experienced.


George Pemba. New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. 1977. Oil on canvas.

33 obscured in shadow but are clearly aiming with their large rifles. They are clothed in dark blue shirts and pants that are tucked into their boots which look like the uniforms worn by police when combating protesters or suspects in townships. Right behind the wounded man, the leg and arm of a person who did not run away from the assailants but is instread directly attacking them with a stick, is visible. The cavernous interior of the train compartment adds to the feeling of terror as the people seem trapped in this claustrophobic space. In contrast to the darker interior are the bits of blue sky and buildings that are visible through the windows. Pemba did not pay much attention to finer detail in this painting. The seats on the sides of the compartment and the window frames are very simple. The impact of this painting lies in the strong light source which creates dramatic light effects and the variety of bodily positions of the people involved. He was concerned with telling the story of an event that took place rather than the technical aspects of painting. Even though he is not known as a resistance artist, he showed the consequences of the Apartheid system on the daily lives of people and thereby drew attention to injustice.

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Terror In Terror Pemba confronts the viewer with the brutal consequences of the Apartheid system on the lives of Black people. The composition of this painting has similarities to New Brighton, Port Elizabeth. The floor of the train compartment takes the place of the street, the rounded ceiling takes the place of the sky and the windows are in the position of the houses. People are frantically running to get away from the two gunmen and some are lying or sitting on the floor. The scene has a feeling of chaotic movement due to the positions of the people within the enclosed space of the train compartment. Two men and a woman are running in the direction of the viewer who can therefore see their terrified facial expressions. Their arms are spread out wide in their effort to move away more quickly.

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The running man in the middle has been shot as blood is streaming down the side of his white shirt. His hat is flying off his head in the mad rush. People are lying scattered on the floor. Three of them look as if they are dead or unconscious. The suitcase lying next to one of the figures adds to the chaos. A woman sits on the floor crying out in anguish and in the middle ground a man is kneeling with his head down. On the left, just behind the running woman, a man sits with his arms hanging next to his body, as if paralysed from shock. The assailants are at the back of the compartment and are

George Pemba. Terror. 1991. Oil on board.


34 How long must I suffer? Pemba is well known for his portrait studies. They contrast with his group portraits and narrative works in which he paid less attention to finer realistic detail. In most portraits he was able to capture the essence of the sitter’s personality. Through these works he also expressed information about the changing times and his experience of being part of a fluctuating cultural background. In the work How long must I suffer? 1975 he portrayed a handicapped man who was rejected by his family. The man was a frequent visitor at Pemba’s spaza shop where Pemba gave him food in exchange for using him as a model in his work.

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As the title clearly states, the painting represents the suffering of this man. Pemba painted the man in profile, thereby concealing one half of his face. The man therefore does not face the viewer directly. This aspect contributes to the feelings of shame and depression associated with this person. He also shields himself with one hand which covers his jaw line. By painting him as he stares into the distance, Pemba summons the viewer to place themselves in the man’s position. Without the title one would wonder what he is thinking. With the answer given in the title, one starts wondering what is going to happen to him.

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The figure is in front and dominates the composition. The background is filled with a part of the simple matchbox house and a metal drum. The figure has been painted in darker colours that contrast with the yellow and bits of red in the background. Pemba used thick brush strokes and strong dark outlines for the figure. The use of contrasting tonal values as well as warm and cold colours in combination with the expressive style of this painting conveys feelings of dejectedness and depression. By choosing to do a portrait like this Pemba shows that he was sensitive to this kind of predicament. The fact that he personally struggled with alcoholism until late in his life gave him an insight into the depression and feelings of rejection that this man is suffering.

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Compared to this portrait, works such as Portrait of the artist’s mother and Portrait of a man in traditional isiXhosa dress, are not as expressive. Though both the works communicate the character and dignity of the two people, the feeling of the works is more reserved in comparison to How long must I suffer? The outcast is a work that depicts a similar theme. Pemba uses a similar composition in which the rejection and depression experienced by the man is emphasised because he is not facing the viewer. The use of a monotone colour scheme also contributes to the feeling of neglect and poverty represented in this work.

George Pemba. How long must I suffer? 1975. Oil. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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George Pemba. The outcast. 1945. Oil on board.

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George Pemba. Portrait of a man in traditional isiXhosa dress. 1950. Watercolour.

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George Pemba. Portrait of the artist’s mother. 1948. Oil.


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Discuss the themes and issues raised by George Pemba in the paintings below by answering the following questions: • What event is represented in each work? • Is it taking place in a public space or a private space? • Is the artist/viewer part of each scene? Provide reasons for your answers. • Describe the people in each of the works. Who are they? • Are the people in each painting represented in the same realistic style? Provide reasons for your answers. • Do any of the works make a political statement? Provide reasons for your answers. • What other issues are addressed by Pemba in these works?

George Pemba. Purple dancing lady. 1974. Oil.

George Pemba. ANC funeral in the Red Location, Port Elizabeth. 1965. Oil. George Pemba. Police raid. 1987. Oil on board.

George Pemba. The return of the prodigal son. 1960. Watercolour. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

36

GERARD SEKOTO Sekoto was born at the German Lutheran Mission Station in Botshabelo, Mpumalanga. The family moved to Middelburg when his father was posted to a mission school on a farm when he was five. There he grew up in a rural environment where he was happy although he did not have access to luxuries such as art materials. He realised that he enjoyed drawing as an eight year old. After he left school he trained as a teacher at the Anglican Teachers’ Training College in Middelburg where teachers were taught a variety of skills. One of the techniques was related to writing and drawing on the blackboard so that the shortage of text books could be made up by teachers copying the information onto the blackboard. This was his first formal lesson in drawing. It included the drawing of rectangular and circular objects as well as patternmaking using various shapes. This can be seen as an influence on his design-like approach to the arrangement of shapes within a composition.

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He was a teacher for a few years. During this time he created artworks after school hours and entered a competition organised by the University of Fort Hare. He won second prize and George Pemba won the first prize. In 1938 he decided to become a full time artist. It was also during this time that he befriended the sculptor Ernest Mancoba, with whom he discussed art. Mancoba introduced him to the works of Van Gogh and invited Sekoto to join him when he went to France on a scholarship.

Gerard Sekoto. Lutheran chapel, Botshabelo. c. 1938. Watercolour on paper.

He moved to Johannesburg, Sophiatown, where he boarded with his cousins in Gerty Street. Sekoto was very productive during this time. The vibrant environment of Sophiatown, a mixed race area, inspired him to paint what he experienced. It was also a time of experimentation in his artworks and therefore his work showed development. During this time he stopped teaching. Through one of his cousins he was introduced to Reverend Roger Castle of St Peter’s School, Rosettenville, who conducted part-time classes in his own room at the school for interested Black students. This was the only formal art training that Sekoto had as an artist. With the encouragement of a friend Sekoto


entered a work for an exhibition organised by the South African Academy. His work was accepted which was an unusual opportunity for a Black artist. He began to exhibit and his works started to sell. Yellow Houses – Sophiatown was bought by the Johannesburg Art Gallery making him the first Black artist in South Africa whose work became part of a museum collection. In 1942 he moved to District Six in Cape Town where he lived with the Manuel family. Here he painted the people and surroundings and met artists such as Gregoire Boonzaier and Lippy Lipschitz. He also exhibited with the New Group in Cape Town.

37 He moved to Eastwood, Pretoria, in 1945 where he lived with his family and produced his best and most mature works. In 1947 Sekoto sailed for Paris. He appears to have gone to broaden his artistic experience, rather than as a political exile, although the injustices of the racial situation played a role. Sekoto never returned to South Africa although his

stay in Paris was not always happy. Generally the works that he created during the rest of his lifetime in Paris were stylised and repetitive. He worked from memory, reworking previous topics and therefore it seemed less vibrant, more generalised and without the honesty that his South African works had.

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Examples of works created by Sekoto while living in Paris

Gerard Sekoto. Township Gossip. 1963. Gouache on paper.

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Characteristics

Gerard Sekoto. Woman with a patterned headscarf. 1975. Oil.

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Influences: Sekoto’s contact with the sculptor Ernest Mancoba was influential on his art as Mancoba discussed art issues with him and introduced him to Van Gogh whose life of struggle and expressive attitude in making his feelings part of his paintings was an inspiration to Sekoto. People who played a role in his artistic career were Brother Roger Castle who gave him board and lodging and enabled him to attend art lessons at St Peter’s Anglican Secondary School while substituting for a teacher who was on sick leave. He also introduced Sekoto to Judith Gluckman, an artist who taught Sekoto to mix colours and paint for the use of oil paint on canvas without trying to influence his painting style.

Van Gogh. Village Street and Stairs with Figures. 1890. Oil on canvas.

Sekoto’s works seem to be linked to the PostImpressionists through his intuitive sense of colour but he always denied being influenced by other artists. His subject matter was essentially South African and rooted in his daily experience of township life. Sophiatown, District Six and Eastwood were the places which shaped his works.

Gerard Sekoto. Sixpence a door. 1946. Oil on canvasboard.


38 Subject matter: The scenes of everyday life in townships offered Sekoto an endless variety of subject matter. The street scenes included seemingly unimportant events such as women gossiping or doing the washing, workers commuting, beer halls and children playing outside. His version of what he saw was not a copy of reality but instead a personal view of it. He claimed the following: “The question of being in Sophiatown… had not troubled me in the least, on the contrary, the vitality of the area was a great stimulus. It was a theatrical scene seeing all these different people.” Although the effect of the political situation in South Africa is visible in his works, he did not create deliberately political works. It is the empathy of his vision which resulted in the dignified representations of his immediate surroundings.

Gerard Sekoto. Houses District Six. c. 1943. Oil in canvas.

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Painting style: Sekoto was concerned with the exploration of formal aspects such as form and shape, colour, perspective and spatial relationships in his paintings and therefore his works do not always show the harsh realities of life in the townships completely. To some his works seem like an idealised version of reality but his understanding and sympathy for his subjects and their circumstances is visible in his paintings. Sekoto’s handling of forms is broad and has solidity. The result

Trevor Mancoba. L’Ancêtre. c. 1969-71. Oil on canvas.

Gerard Sekoto. Three figures with bicycle, Sophiatown. c. 1939. Oil on canvas board.

of this is that his earlier figures are awkwardly described and not in proportion but show a charming naivety that reflects his unpretentious attitude in his painting. Eventually he deliberately distorted forms as part of fitting them into the composition. The working method of making preparatory drawings from the scene and then painting it in the studio influenced him to represent exaggerated and distorted three-dimensional forms. Shapes form an important part of many of Sekoto’s paintings as he was interested in the repetitive use of patterns within his compositions. He also used shapes to enhance the overall design of compositions. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Gerard Sekoto. Title will be added later!!

39 In many of his works the unconventional representation of three-dimensional perspective adds to the effect of distortion. This is the result of his lack of training. Sekoto used the layout of his compositions, tonal values and colours to enhance the feeling of depth in his paintings.

such as the Post-Impressionists, Fauvism and Expressionism, but there is no direct link or relationship between him and artists working in Europe.

He also used brush strokes within the gradual depiction of tonal values to contribute to the three-dimensionality of his compositions. In many of his works he used blurred, soft edged forms, similar to the effect of an out of focus photograph. In some works he deliberately used sharper edges which seem more in focus.

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Sekoto was mainly concerned with the portrayal of colour and light. His scenes were rendered in bold, expressionistic colour. The emotional impact of his works is a result of his highly subjective colours. The flat areas of colours show that his intention was to communicate something more than the simple representation of visual reality. It also contributed to the layout of his compositions, providing a feeling of solidity and unity. His colours are not true to life. The use of blatantly contrasting primary and secondary colours is a striking feature of his works.

Gerard Sekoto. The wine drinker. c. 1943. Oil on canvas.

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The non-naturalistic colour, strong patterns and not entirely realistic drawing and spatial relationships links him to modern movements

Gerard Sekoto. Street scene. No date. Oil on hardboard.

Gerard Sekoto. Self portrait.1946-47 Oilon canvasboard.


40 Yellow Houses– Sophiatown

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This is the view of the street from his cousin’s home in Gerty Street. In one of his statements Sekoto described his experience of watching the men going to work and coming back, hanging around and drinking after work, the women doing washing, sitting in the sun and the children playing in and around the houses. He therefore had an intimate knowledge of the environment through the time he spent watching it.

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‘My efforts when I was in Sophiatown was to arouse the consciousness in our own people of the horrible conditions in which they lived. Such an awakening would create power and weight to demand the right and knowledge to be able to live like everyone else in the country.’

windows and on one wall of the houses as well as one of poles in the fence in the foreground. To the left, on her way to the yellow houses, is a young girl, carrying something on her head. Her figure also casts a strong shadow which emphasises the brightness of the sunlight and the hard and desolate feeling of the unkempt street. In the distance, above the boy and close to the horizon, a man is seen riding down the

Gerard Sekoto. Yellow Houses– Sophiatown. 1940. Oil on board.

street on a bicycle. One can see the age and the general posture of each of the three figures but not detailed individual characteristics. They become types of people moving in the street. The three yellow side walls of the cluster of semi-detached houses take up a large area in the composition. The red corrugated iron roof is a bright contrast to the yellow walls and connects with the washed out red brown of the gravel street and the triangular garden in the foreground. Sekoto painted the three yellow side walls in a variety of tonal values. The lightest wall is the furthest away and the darkest, closest to the viewer.

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The effect of bright sunlight on the colours in the urban landscape is something that captured his attention. The foreground of the composition consists of a triangle in a corner of a yard. It is fenced in and there is a small gate, hanging open, to walk through and part of a larger gate visible in the left hand corner. There are bits of green contrasted with a strong red brown showing that something is growing in the yard but it does not look like an organised garden. The road outside the fence is painted in a washed out light colour and the darker dabs of brown give the impression of a gravel road with a lot of stones towards the sides.

Three figures are seen moving in the street. From the right a boy has just come out the door of a house on the corner. The building casts a long shadow and Sekoto therefore made it a cool blue. He did the same with the figure of the boy who is carrying a large package, or something similiar, that he has to hold in front of his chest. This blue area draws attention as it stands out against the warm colours used in the rest of the landscape. He created a sense of unity by the use of a large band of blue in the sky and smaller areas of blue in the VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

There is someone moving about on the shaded front porch of the house closest to the viewer. Outside the third row of yellow houses a line of washing is blowing in the wind. All of this contributes to the feeling of movement and the fact that the houses are inhabited even though this scene does not depict a busy time of the day. Next to the cyclist is another strong form of what seems to be a load of rubble lying next to the side wall of one of the yellow houses.

41 This is a further sign of the unkempt state of the street. The scene leads to two houses further down the street which leads to the vanishing point of the landscape. Sekoto’s emphasis of the repetitive vertical and horizontal lines in the architecture and the fence in the foreground is contrasted with the organic shapes of the rocks in the street, the patchy garden and the washed out blue of the cloudy sky.

Gerard Sekoto. Yellow houses in Sophiatown. c. 1939. Gouache on paper.

The song of the pick

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“The warden, with his hands in his pockets while smoking his pipe, thinking himself the power, yet being overpowered by the ‘Song of the Pick’ with strong rhythm which he can clearly hear so that it diminishes his thin legs into nothingness.”

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Sekoto’s own description summarises The song of the pick with feeling. The political commentary in this painting is one of the most explicit seen in all his works. He based the composition on a watercolour painting that was inspired by a black and white photograph of which he had a copy that he kept throughout his life.

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Gerard Sekoto. The song of the pick (1946 – 47). Oil on canvas board.

This photograph, that Sekoto had in his possession throughout his life, was the inspiration for Song of the pick.

This version of the painting was done during the period that he lived in Eastwood when he was most productive. He altered the composition as seen in the painting by representing the rhythmic labour of the powerful Black workers in contrast to the White overseer. The nine men have all lifted the picks in their hands above their heads. They are about to thrust them into the ground. There is a feeling of unity and power in the repetition of the shapes of the extended right legs and lifted arms holding the picks. The picks are not all visible as the picks in the hands of the first three men, closest to us are cut off


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A charcoal drawing by Sekoto shows the beginning stages of the final version of Song of the pick.

by the frame. This focuses the viewer’s attention on their powerful hands, arms and bodies. Although the figures are all depicted in the same stance some individuality is shown through the variety of shapes and colours of headgear and the colours of the shirts and pants. The warden contrasts with the rhythm of their movement and song. His small figure is upright in the right middle ground of the painting and looks weak in comparison to the workers. He is a White man, standing looking at the labourers, with his hands in his pockets and a pipe in his mouth. He is clothed in a white shirt and light coloured jacket, pants and hat. Compared to the labourers his figure is small and pathetic in spite of his air of authority as represented by the way he is standing.

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Sekoto created a dynamic composition by placing the figures of the workers in a strong diagonal line. The composition is asymmetrical with the large group of workers on the left who are balanced by the small figure of the warden on the right. Sekoto simplified shapes and created roundness by the strong contrasts between light and dark. The colour consists predominantly of primary colours. By cropping the top and not depicting all the picks he placed the viewer in the middle of the action. Rhythm is one of the strongest characteristics of this work. Rhythm is created by the repetition of shapes and colours. Although it cannot be heard, the title of the work evokes the sound of a song related to the sound of picks hitting the earth.

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An earlier work, Prison yard, has stylistic similarities to Song of the pick. The use of repetitive simplified shapes, strongly contrasting tonal values and a restricted variety of colours can be seen in both works.

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In District Six Sekoto lived with Mrs Manuel in a house facing the Roeland Street jail which provided inspiration for this work. A group of prisoners walk under the control of a prison guard. The figures fill the canvas and only on the right hand side is there a suggestion of a landscape with a mountain. In this work he explores the psychological difference between the prisoners and the guard. The prisoners are squashed together with their arms close to their bodies while the guard strides with open legs. Everything about the prisoners is captive – their postures, clothes and the close group they form – in contrast with the freedom and openness of the guard. Diagonal lines dominate the composition with the prisoners and railing on the right hand side. There are no open spaces for escape and everything focuses on the group of figures. He uses mainly primary colours. He explores repetition of form and contrasts the prisoners effectively with the guard.


Gerard Sekoto. Prison yard. 1944. Oil on canvas.

43 Portrait of Anna, the artist’s mother

“My mother was a very serene lady. She would not just shout out anything. She would smile easily but always kept her inner thoughts to herself. That was how I depict her from my heart’s depth.” – Gerard Sekoto This painting by Sekoto is significant as he painted it shortly before leaving South Africa for France. He shows a personal view of his mother. The introspective posture shows her lost in her own thoughts while sewing. She is not facing the viewer. He portrayed her as a strong motherly figure. The fact that she is sitting on a wooden bench, the simple background, her clothing style and her task of doing needlework by hand all contribute to the image displaying honesty and unpretentiousness.

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Sekoto chose to portray a full length figure portrait thereby including more information. The figure has been placed in the middle of the rectangular format. The frontality of the portrait is suggestive of the archetypal symbols of motherhood seen in images of fertility goddesses and images of Christian Madonnas. The vertical figure is balanced by the strong horizontal lines of the bench on the left and the repetitive vertical lines of the door on the right. The soft organic shapes of the figure and the shadows that it casts contrast with the geometric lines of the bench, door and floor. The painting style is not loose and expressive but he used the visible direction of brush strokes to represent the roundness or flatness of forms. By using tonal values that are high in contrast Sekoto created a dramatic expectant mood associated with the light of the late afternoon. The contrast in tonal values on the face and the shadows cast draw the most attention. He also emphasised the sculptural form of the figure thereby giving the figure a feeling of monumentality and comforting permanence. His use of a restricted palette of black, blue, brown, yellow and white throughout the painting contributes to the feeling of unity.

Sekoto. Portrait of Anna, the artist’s mother. 1946-47

The following two portraits were created during the time Sekoto lived with his family in Eastwood. It provides the viewer with a personal insight into Sekoto’s life and his empathetic view of his family.

Gerard Sekoto. The proud father. c. 1947. Oil on canvas board. Manakedi on Bernard Sekoto’s knee.

Gerard Sekoto. The artist’s mother and stepfather. c.1946. Oil on canvasboard. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

44 Sekoto’s painting style changed visibly after he left South Africa as can be seen in the two portraits with a similar theme.


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Gerard Sekoto. Annie Pernet. 1973. Oil on canvas.

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Gerard Sekoto. Portrait of a young man reading. c. 1946. Oil on canvas board.

Gerard Sekoto realised his interest in drawing people as a young boy. He was attracted to the fact that people showed their feelings by their expressions and that he could represent them naturalistically in his drawings.

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Discuss the three portraits illustrated below by referring to the following aspects: Formal aspects: • Composition • Use of line • Use of colour • Tonal Values • Distortion and/or stylisation The visual impact of each portrait: • What is the first thing you notice about this person? • What does the facial expression tell us about him or her? His or her posture? His or her gestures? • His or her attire? The setting? • What do you think each person’s occupation in life could be? • What do you think the sitter wanted his or her portrait to communicate? • What do you see that makes you say that?

Gerard Sekoto. Portrait of Cape Coloured School Teacher – Omar. 1942-45. Oil. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Gerard Sekoto. Portrait of a young Malay man. c. 1943. Oil on board.

Gerard Sekoto. Mary Dikeledi Sekoto. 1946-7. Oil on canvas.

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Sekoto did not want to acknowledge any influences from other artists but there are aspects of his work Hotela Bantu that are comparable to Van Gogh’s Potato Eaters.

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Write a comparative analysis of the two works in which you discuss the following: • The compositional devices used by each artist • The use of line and how it works in each painting • The use of tonal values in each artwork and the mood they create • The choice of colours and their impact on the viewer • The use of three-dimensional space • The people represented in the paintings • The surrounding environment

Vincent van Gogh. The Potato Eaters. 1885. Oil on canvas.

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PETER CLARKE

Gerard Sekoto. Hotela Bantu. c. 1939. Oil on board.

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“My art is about people and the presence of people. The humanistic image is what interests me. I enjoy reflecting on people and their activities, their emotions, what could be events in their daily lives. But beyond that I speak via my symbols of activities on a larger wider scale that transcends all boundaries. It is the astonishment at times that gets me. How amazing to be a person, to be alive here and now on the surface of this planet. So I want to, and do, express myself and my feelings of affection, frustration and resolution in the way that I do; as well as my concern, via the people who appear in my work. By the way of them I speak about a heritage of common humanity.” Peter Clarke was born in Simonstown, Cape Town, where he also spent his childhood. In 1973 he and his family were forced to move from Simonstown as it was declared a White area by the Apartheid government. They had to move to Ocean View. After leaving school at the age of fifteen in 1944 he worked as a ship painter in the Simonstown dockyard. An article about Gerard Sekoto inspired him to believe in himself and to become a professional artist. He decided to resign from his job at the docks in 1956 to become a full-time artist and writer. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Clarke’s earliest development in his artistic career began through his own work. Although he received a variety of art instruction he was mainly self-taught, learning from books and magazines. During his lifetime Clarke had access to formal and informal art instruction. The art teacher at the Livingstone High School which Clarke attended, Hendrik Esterhuizen formed the basis for Clarke’s interest in becoming an artist. In 1947 he attended art lessons at the St Philips School in District Six and later in his life he studied at the Michaelis School of Art, University of Cape Town for three months, also printmaking at the Rijksakademie of Fine Arts in Amsterdam and etching techniques at the Atelier Nord in Oslo, Norway.

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Clarke’s first solo exhibition was organised in 1957 with the assistance of his lifelong friend, James Matthews, in the newsroom of the newspaper, The Golden City Post. Clarke saw this as a breakthrough: “Before (my exhibition) I was just another Coloured man. Our people took it for granted that only Whites could do such things. Now people are becoming aware of the fact that they can do these things too, they are human beings.” Besides participating in many exhibitions subsequently Clarke was also involved in the Community of Arts Project in Cape Town, attended the Culture and Resistance Festival in Gaberone, Botswana in 1982 and as a result became involved in Valakisa, to promote artistic development in his own community. He taught art at the Ocean View Library for thirteen years and has consistently been involved in organising cultural events and interacting with young artists in order to help them develop.

Peter Clarke. Twenty Steps, Rectory Lane, SimonsTown. 1971. Colour-reduction linocut.

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Clarke’s version of the narrow alleys between the houses of SimonsTown where he grew up.

Characteristics

Influences: Clarke received exposure to predominantly British art through the art magazines which the art teacher, Mr Esterhuizen kept in his classroom at school. Not only did he become aware of international art through these magazines but he also learned of a variety of media and techniques through it. He eventually subscribed to some of the journals after he decided to become a full-time artist. To Clarke the use of colour and tonal values in watercolour landscapes by British artists was inspirational.


He also frequented ID Booksellers in Cape Town where there was a small art gallery and he could read through the art books at leisure. He sees this as one of his prime influences as he was not able to visit exhibitions as regularly because he lived in Simonstown. Through his interest in books and journals he was exposed to modern art movements such as Fauvism and German Expressionism. His experimental use of non-representational colours can be attributed to the influence of these movements. Exhibitions that Clarke saw at the South African National Gallery included by fifteenth and sixteenth century German prints, a print exhibition of works by Edvard Munch, a Japanese print exhibition and twentieth-century German prints as well as prints by Rembrandt and Goya inspired him. It was the German Expressionist relief woodcut prints which made the strongest impression on Clarke. All the well-known German Expressionists were represented in the exhibition which was accompanied

47 by a book that Clarke acquired. Through his constant exposure to the works in the book he learnt valuable lessons about using a variety of colours in his prints, the different techniques of mark making used in woodcut and stylistic effects in the works of an artist such as Feininger. The stylisation and distortion of shapes and the strong expression of social conditions in their works attracted Clarke.

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The expressionist qualities in the works of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch was also an important influence. His more organic use of lines and representation of deep perspective can be seen in some of Clarke’s works. Clarke also acknowledged that the strong emotional representations of trauma and agony in the works of Kathe Kollwitz and Albrecth Dürer made a deep impression on him.

Kathe Kollwitz. Visit to the hospital. 1928. Woodcut.

Edvard Munch The Scream. 1895. Lithograph.

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The use of colour in the Japanese woodcut prints was an important source of inspiration as well as their attitude towards printmaking as a way to make art more accessible to the community at large.

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The social message that informed people about injustices and other social issues that can be seen in the works of Mexican artists such as Orozco and Riviera was an important source of inspiration to Clarke. This aspect is visible in many of his works which shows that his primary inspiration, similar to Sekoto, was the representation of the living conditions of people within the system of Apartheid. It is especially the suffering and hardships of the Coloured community in the Cape Town area, where Clarke lived, that is an integral part of his work. Although his works are not blatant political statements, he drew attention to social issues through recording the way people had to live.

Diego Riviera. Sugar cane. 1931. Fresco.

Hokusai. South Wind, Clear Sky. circa 1830. woodblock color print

José Clemente Orozco. The Clowns of War Arguing in Hell. 1944. Fresco. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

48 Subject matter: The human figure in the landscape or interior space is the focus of his earlier works. In Clarke’s works the daily living conditions of ordinary people are central. The disintegration of the community is shown through their daily struggles while he always gave dignity to the figures. He depicted the urban environment through architectural landscapes as well as rural areas with no buildings in them.

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Peter Clarke. The wood gatherers. 1957. Oil on masonite.

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Many of his works have a narrative aspect to them, telling us about the survival of communities living in the Cape Flats area. He frequently made use of universal symbols such as the dove as the symbol of peace. In his more recent works he started to use subject matter that is less socially involved referring to a large range of people who Clarke found inspirational during his lifetime.

Peter Clarke. Schwitters fan. 1994-2004. Fan series: folded paper with collage and inscribed text.

Peter Clarke. Homage to the poet Langston Hughes. 1984. Colour-reduction linocut.


Peter Clarke. Eroded landscape with black goats. 1970. Colour-reduction linocut.

49 Media and Style: Clarke is mostly known for his prints created from linocuts and woodcuts but he also created a large number of paintings. After 1994 he began to work more experimentally by using the technique of collage. Clarke’s works can mostly be described as figurative. He did not work in a naturalistic style as he interpreted what he saw through using distortion, simplification and stylisation, thereby making many of his works expressive. In his later works he has begun to work in abstract as well.

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The angular and stylised simplification of shapes in Clarke’s works is strongly reminiscent of German Expressionism. This aspect of Clarke’s works also resulted that some of his compositions having an ordered design-like organisation of shapes and forms within the format.

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Compared to artists such as Pemba and Sekoto, Clarke’s use of colour is more subtle. His awareness of art from other countries was instrumental in teaching him to use colour effectively as part of his expressive style while also contributing to the strength of his compositions. Wind blowing on the Cape Flats

right, the sparse grass on the dunes, the ripples on the dunes, the tree and the figures. There is simplification and angularity in the shapes that shows an expressionistic influence. Everything is stripped down to basic shapes without much detail.

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The physical effect of the Group Areas Act on the lives of people is shown in this gouache painting. People were relocated from places such as Simonstown and District Six which were then classified as ‘White areas’ by the government. They were moved to new developments on the Cape Flats such as Atlantis, Bonteheuwel, Lavender Hill and Ocean View. The new communities were located in sandy areas without proper roads and they were far away from jobs and town centres. This was part of the suffering caused through the displacement of previously close knit communities.

Peter Clarke. The wake. 1970. Colour-reduction linocut.

Clarke depicted the experience of people having to walk back to their desolate homes on the sand dunes, struggling against the strong ‘Cape Doctor’ (south-easterly wind) for which the Peninsula is famous. Three people, a young woman with a bag and a man with a child are walking towards three meagre corrugated iron homes. With their backs towards the viewer, it seems as if the onlooker is following in their footsteps. Besides the social commentary of this work, it is a sensitive portrayal of a place. Everything is leaning to the

Peter Clarke. Wind blowing on the Cape Flats. 1960. Gouache.


50 The colour is subtle, mostly white, cream, brown, grey and blue, accurately recreating the washed out colour of the Cape Flats on a windy day. The dark browns are repeated throughout the composition in the long shadows, the grass, the tree on the horizon, the shadows on the little girl and man and the girl’s blown hair and dress. The cloudy sky has been depicted schematically. The sand dunes are also simplified by representing them as angular shapes. This angularity is repeated in the sharply defined shape of the girl’s dress and the more painterly rippled surface of the sand dunes. Clarke’s ability to create a stylised geometric rhythm throughout the whole composition is represented in this painting. The yellow house at the top gives a little warmth to the scene and may be symbolic - after the struggle against the wind, the simple house at least gives protection against the elements and the difficult social conditions.

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The focal point is the girl with the bag. She is not only the largest figure in the work but the lines of the sand dunes lead the eye to her. The houses show linear perspective. The use of aerial perspective resulted in lighter colours and less defined shadows on the smaller figures and sand dunes in the middle ground. Clarke’s use of stylisation and geometric shapes is also present in the following three works in which figures move through their everyday environment.

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Peter Clarke. On the dunes. 1960. Oil on canvas.

Peter Clarke. The washerwoman. 1960. Oil on board.

Peter Clarke. Coming and going. 1960. Oil.

Family fleeing from fire

In this dramatic scene we see a family fleeing from their burning shack. The after effects of scenes such as this are still part of life in South Africa. There are many people who still live in shacks without electricity. Candles or paraffin lighting is used and food is prepared on open fires or primus stoves which regularly cause fires that spread very quickly between the densely built makeshift homes. He comments on the social conditions of people living on the Cape Flats but his comment is not restricted to this area and can be applied to the living conditions of disadvantaged people worldwide.


Peter Clarke. Family fleeing from fire. 1962. Coloured woodcut and linocut.

51 the floor planks and the wall on the left. Clarke’s use of a variety of colours and marks in different directions creates contrast and movement in the composition which adds to the drama and feeling of disorientation. The shapes in the composition are simplified by using the variety of warm red and yellow areas contrasted with white areas and black outlines which creates a feeling of solidity in the figures and their environment. In this three-colour print Clarke used wood- and linocut. The yellow and red were printed with lino. The black was printed from a woodcut that was the original image. He created the colour printing over the black woodcut.

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Clarke shows us the danger and fear experienced in a situation where one has to take your most valuable belongings, if possible, and run from your home. The focus is on the man and woman who are running. The man is tall and strong and has put a protective arm around the woman’s shoulder. His other arm is extended in the action of running and he seems to be shouting or gasping for air. The woman seems to be crying and she is protectively clutching something in her arms. It could be a baby or valuable possessions. The running figures create strong diagonal lines in the rectangular composition. The rampantly burning flames seem to be catching up to the people. The organic shapes of the flames and the people are countered by the starkly defined tilted lines of

Peter Clarke. Haunted Landscape.1975. Acrylic on canvas.

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Haunted Landscape is a triptych in which the three panels are linked through the line of the horizon and the sky. The scenes in each of the three panels are not clearly related. It seems as if Clarke could be telling a story in three instalments. The panel on the left is filled with an enclosed yard, the central panel with an open hillside and the panel on right with a road disappearing into the horizon. In the panel on the left the desolate backyard is strewn with objects. Most of the horizon is blocked out by the patched fence. On the fence a thin black cat can be seen as a sign of bad luck or a threat to the running lizard in the middle of the composition. The broken tricycle and abandoned pram seems to signify memories of childhood which are supposed to be happy. According to Clarke they represent the youth for whom the future is bleak and unwelcome. The tricycle does not have wheels which according to Clarke refers to a journey that cannot be undertaken. A further sign of derelict abandonment is the rubbish that

is overflowing from the bin. The sunflower on the right of this panel turns its head away from the sun. Above it are two birds, usually symbolic of positivity,which are however squabbling. Together with the dark tones of the colours and the gestural brush strokes the scene creates the feeling of an ominous dump site. In the central panel three children are standing very close together. They look as if they are threatened by the black dog. The dog is silhouetted with a luminous green outline and is barking at them. They are standing gesturing with raised arms in the direction of the dog. Clarke reminds us, that dogs were used to intimidate non-European people but the children could also be taunting the dog. Clarke says that they did taunt police dogs as children. The scene is therefore ambiguous. On the hill a far-off dark shack looks abandoned and forebiding. It does not provide a welcoming shelter for the children. The single tree and pole behind the house show that it used to be inhabited although there are no signs of life left. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

52 The inclusion of the sharp diagonal line of the barbed wire fence and pole is another element that contributes to the feeling that this is an inhospitable scene. The sky is warm with sunlight but blue clouds are painted in a very expressive and dry style. In the last panel a troubled man whose face tells a story of hardship, walks towards the viewer with his head bent and a stick in his hand. He is walking on a flat red road that stretches diagonally across the bottom half of the composition. Two silhouetted figures which look like a man and a woman, are walking in the opposite direction to the man in the foreground. The wide road leads to the horizon in the distance. The depth of the three-dimensional perspective is accentuated by the stark black poles linking the electricity lines as they follow the road into the distance. The dark blue storm clouds gather in a fiery orange sky. The clashing of the complementary colours (blue and orange) expresses the anger of the sky at these injustices. The overall effect of this landscape is reminiscent of the anguish portrayed in The Scream by Edvard Munch. Although Clarke says that it is not an intentional reference he has always admired this work.

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Hobbs and Rankin quote Clarke as describing this work as a ‘landscape of the mind’. The symbols in the work was created intuitively and therefore are not strictly defined. Through time the general interpretation of this work by different people has reached an agreement. It is seen as an apocalyptic vision foretelling the breakdown of the education system in South African townships and the subsequent trauma that would be suffered by the children involved.

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Clarke’s use of an expressive rough painting style in combination with the colours and distorted jagged shapes throughout the three panels emphasises the discomfort of the situation. Clarke created this work while he was away from South Africa, visiting America. It is as if looking back at his home country from a distance he drew this series of simplified images that resulted in a complicated symbolic narrative reflecting on the injustices of Apartheid.

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Peter Clarke. Sketch for the central panel of Haunted landscape. 1975. Pen and ink and watercolour.

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Peter Clarke is known as a versatile artist who has never stopped improvising. Painting, drawing and printmaking are the processes for which he is most well known. The following two examples of a painting and a linocut print provide an insight into the lives of young people in South Africa as well as being applicable to the lives of disadvantaged people everywhere. Discuss the two works by answering the following questions: • Briefly describe the scenes in the two works • Discuss the compositions • Discuss the use of texture and pattern VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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How would you describe the style of each of the works? What are the influences of the media on the styles of the works? Why are the colours so restricted? What is the message/meaning of these works? Do you think the works are still relevant today? Provide reasons for your answer.

Peter Clarke. For some the pathway to education lies between thorns. 1993. Coloured linocut.

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Peter Clarke. The Blue bird. 1959. Oil on board.

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• • • • •

Both Peter Clarke and Gerard Sekoto were struck by the familiar presence of rows of labourers. Through their interpretations of the topic they showed their concern for social issues although neither of them made blatant political statements.

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Compare the two works by referring to the following: • Composition • Use of colour • Shapes and forms • The message/interpretation of the two works

Gerard Sekoto. The Song of the pick. 1946-7. Oil on canvas board.

Peter Clarke. Workers in the sun. 1960. Gouache.


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x 55

CHAPTER

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South African artists influenced by African and / or indigenous art forms

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CONTENTS p. 56

2.2 Indigenous African Sculptures and Masks

p. 61

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2.1 The Influence of Indigenous Art on European Art

2.3 San Rock Art p. 62 2.4 Ndebele Murals p. 63

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2.5 Overview of South African Artists

p. 66

2.6 Irma Stern p. 73 2.7 Walter Battiss p. 84

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2.8 Andries Botha p. 91


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1

The influence of Indigenous African art on European art

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A fashionable philosophy originating in 17th century Europe described the “savage”, and later, the “good savage”, as a reproach to European civilisation. The effects of industrialisation on people was perceived as corruptive while the romanticised description of “primitive” or “savage” people was that they were unspoilt by civilisation and that their moral values were still of a high standard compared to those of the Europeans.

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The influence of cultures different to, or outside of the mainstream culture of artists from Western Europe is an important part of the development of modern art.

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This philosophy supported the attitude that all cultures outside of Western Europe were in contrast to it and therefore not modern, civilised, industrialised, highly educated and literate. The descriptive word that categorised these cultures is ‘primitive’, a derogatory term which implies the superiority of the West and is now associated with the exploitation and colonisation of non-Western people by Western Europeans. The primitive was associated with the instinctive. Within the Western European society the stereotypical view of the primitive was also identified in groups such as peasants, children, the insane and even women. The lack of organisation and technological accomplishment were not only seen as signs of being unsophisticated but also as being closer to the natural essence of humanity.

In art this difference implied that primitive cultures were not bound to Western European rules and history. Compared to the idealisation practised by the Classical Greeks that was linked to perceptual reality, African artists created figures that were conceptual or symbolic in form. The influence of the primitive was therefore seen as revolutionary and instrumental in breaking with restrictive Western art traditions. For the definition of PRIMITIVISM refer back to Chapter 2 of the Grade 11 book.


Paul Gauguin. Breton Girls Dancing, Pont-Aven. 1888. Oil on canvas. In works such as these Gauguin’s aim was not to present the viewer with a realistic documentation of life in Brittany. The slow and ritualistic quality of the girls’ dance hints at ambiguity. Their size within the surroundings and isolation amongst the small heaps of grain seemsexaggerated. The zigzag link created by their arms creates the idea of a fenced in space. Their dark dresses, white collars and the shocking red poppies attached to their dresses contrast strongly with the yellow-green hay around them.

Gauguin’s (1848 – 1903) life and art epitomises this yearning for an untainted and natural lifestyle [refer to Chapter 2 of Grade 11 book]. [Although he was not affected by the influence of African art, his interest in cultures outside of the dominant Western existence in his artworks were influential in the inspiration of other artists to investigate other cultures.] His interest is already evident in his portrayals of the traditional religious fervor of the inhabitants of Brittany in France. The influences are visible in terms of his choices of subject matter as well as his painting style and technique.

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He develops this fascination further during his stay on the South Seas Islands. The paintings resulting from his interaction with the people from the islands are symbolic representations of Gauguin’s interpretation of their lives and beliefs. These works are inspired by their lifestyle but are idealised and romantic interpretations by an outsider who comes from a Western tradition. These works contained a strong sense of rejuvenation and of return to the unspoilt natural state that the human race was perceived to have had in its infancy. Gauguin shared this view but also attached a personal yearning for his own roots because of his exotic Peruvian ancestry on his mother’s side.

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Paul Gauguin. Aha oe Feii? (What, are you jealous?). 1892. Oil on canvas.

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By giving his already controversial paintings these kinds of titles Gauguin, challenged European ideas about traditional native beliefs that did not contain the Christian concept of sin, especially in matters of sexual and material possession.

The import and exhibition of objects collected from the colonies influenced many European artists during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The exhibitions of African and Oceanic sculptures and masks attracted special attention. In Paris the Ethnographic Museum of the Trocadéro was an important source of inspiration for the Fauvists and Cubists while the German Expressionists visited the Dresden Ethnological Collections.

Displays at the Trocadero ethnographic museum in 1895.

Fang mask used for the ngil ceremony, an inquisitorial search for sorcerers. Wood, Gabon, 19th century.


58 The Fauvists, whose name “wild beasts” implies an association with the ‘primitive’, were mainly inspired by the decorative qualities of traditional African and Oceanic art. Similar to Gauguin, their inspiration from these art forms were linked to the need for a new angle on representation which overthrows Western tradition. The stylised simplification of shapes and disregard for realistic proportions are some aspects that were evident in African and Oceanic art which the Fauves appropriated.

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The decorative qualities and the importance of the surface design are also significant characteristics visible in African art and Islamic art which were very influential in Matisse’s development. Many of Matisse’s depictions of nude female figures as seen in Luxe Calme et Volupte (1904), are reflections of the romantic interpretation of the concept of oneness with nature which relate to Gauguin’s representations of women ‘in their natural state’.

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Henri Matisse. Madras Rouge (The Red Madras Headdress). 1907. Oil on canvas.

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Both these examples of Matisse’s works contain the influence of Algeria and Marocco that he visited respectively in 1906 and 1910. The decorativity and colours of Oriental style textiles and interior decoration are obvious. The influence of African art such as masks can be seen in the simplification of the facial features in both figures.

Henri Matisse. Luxe Calme et Volupte (Luxury, Calm and Pleasure) 1904. Oil on canvas.

In their quest to rebel against the stifling middle class values that dominated the industrialised urban society in Germany, the Expressionists saw African, Oceanic and Medieval sculptures and masks as genuine and unmediated expressions that contained power and emotion [Refer to Chapter 3 of the Grade 11 book]. The fascination that the German Expressionists had for African artworks manifested itself in their subject matter as well as


Henri Matisse. Odalisque with a Turkish Chair. 1928. Oil on canvas.

their styles of expression in painting, woodcuts and sculptures. In terms of the expressive style of their artworks they used a similar simplification and distortion of forms. Through this style they showed their emotional and physical involvement in the process of expression. It was also a way of rejecting the traditionally accepted style of naturalism in which the artists’ competence took precedence over their emotional expression. The

59 female nude was a symbolic reference to nature as the opposite of culture. Culture was interpreted as the negative part of modern contemporary life as seen in the commercialised industrialised cities and restrictive bourgeois society in Germany.

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German Expressionists saw the artworks from other cultures as references to the opposition of nature and culture. This had a powerful influence on their interpretation of their subject matter. The representation of nudity and especially the

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Max Pechstein. Summer in Nidden. 1919/20. Oil on canvas.

Kirchner. Seated woman with wooden sculpture. 1912. Oil on canvas.

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Kirchner contrasts ‘nature’ and ‘culture’ in this painting by representing an Africanised sculpture next to his girlfriend Erna who appears here as a modern urban type smoking a cigarette. Her fashionable outfit is in contrast to the nudity of the sculpture but both have the same masklike faces. The decorative patterns in the background were part of Kirchner’s studio where an exotic environment contributed to the bohemian atmosphere required to work as an expressionist artist.

Schmidt-Rottluff. Three Kings. 1917 Woodcut.

ang Reliquary figure. Gabon. WOOD


60 Picasso reacts strongly to his experience of African sculptures and masks. In the important work displaying the influence of non-western cultures, Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, Picasso makes a radical break from Western naturalism. This work shocks his peers and the public. His representation of this group of nude female prostitutes depicts them as strong, challenging and almost inhuman. There are blatant references to Iberian sculptures in the figures on the left and to African masks in the figures on the right while the jagged simplification of the figures relates to the simplification of figures seen in African sculptures. For Picasso this painting represented an expressive reaction to sexuality in combination with his experience of African sculptures and masks: Picasso. Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. 1907. Oil on canvas.

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“The masks weren’t just like any other pieces of sculpture. Not at all. They were magic things…The African pieces were mediators… They were against everything – against unknown, threatening spirits. I too believe that everything is unknown, that for everything there is an enemy! Everything! … I understood what the Negroes used their sculptures for. They were weapons. To help people to avoid coming under the influence of spirits again, to help them to become independent. Spirits, the unconscious, emotion – they were all the same thing. I understood why I was a painter. All alone in that awful museum with masks, red-skinned dolls, dusty mannequins, Les Demoiselles D’Avignon must have come to me that day, it was my first exorcism painting – yes, absolutely.”

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Statue from Pre-Roman Iberia (the Spanish and Portuguese peninsula) In the early 1900s, Picasso was influenced by these sculptures which went on display in an exhibit at the Louvre Museum. Iberian sculptures were influenced, in turn, by the Greek and Phoenician cultures.

Songye Kifebwe mask

from the Bukishi society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Female figure in Dogon style. Mali.


Picasso. Head of a woman. 1909. Bronze. This is Picasso’s first Cubist sculpture. Like his early Cubist paintings the shape of the sculpted head is faceted into smaller units. This technique of simplification of naturalistic forms is instrumental in the modernist revolution – the movement away from traditional realistic representation.

61 Georges Braque was one of the artists who was disgusted with Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. He nevertheless responded to the challenge of change by a less shocking but also expressive representation of a female nude in which he used rough brushstrokes that flattened the shape of the figure. They used of African inspired geometric shapes in combination with the influence of Cézanne’s flat square brushstrokes were used as a method to analyse and fragment threedimensional forms. This developed into experimentation with the experience of three-dimensional vision on a flat two-dimensional surface as seen in Analytical Cubism.

Georges Braque. Big Nude. 1908. Oil on canvas.

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Indigenous African sculptures and masks

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Indigenous African sculptures and masks from various parts of Africa were collected by European colonialists and exhibited throughout Europe. The objects were usually exhibited as part of Ethnographic museums. The function, power and meaning of the objects disappeared when taken out of their original context and thus this became objects with commercial value that were admired by some Westerners for their aesthetic value. [See Chapter 2 of the Grade 10 Book]

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The search for renewal from the restrictive aesthetics of the West became evident through the interest in African art shown by artists in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. African art therefore had an integral role in the liberation of Western art from the traditional methods of naturalism and perspective.

The Mwana Pwo (young woman) mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represents the female ancestor of the Chokwe people. It embodies ideal feminine beauty and records traditional Chokwe facial scarification patterns.The Mwana Pwo mask is always worn by a man who is disguised as a woman with a bodysuit, false breasts and a cotton skirt. In dances performed for the ruler and the entire community, Mwana Pwo is sometimes accompanied by the male ancestor mask, Cihongo. Cihongo symbolises authority and wealth; Mwana Pwo symbolises generative power. During the performance, the Mwana Pwo dancer mimics and exaggerates the mannerisms of young Chokwe women.

Songye Kifebwe masks are part of the regalia of the powerful Bukishi society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The power of the masks is directed towards issues of social control, justice and the continuity of the established political hierarchy and the dances in which the masks appear are characterised by otherworldly sounds and lively movements. Kifebwe initiates learn the various hidden names of each part of the mask such as the nose which may be referred to as “the doors to a furnace”. Male and female masks, all worn by men, are distinguished by form and coloration

Living in small forest communities the Fang focused upon tightly knit kinship and lineage systems and the veneration of ancestors through the use of figurative sculptures. When not in actual use the sculpted figures were generally hidden from view.

Fang ancestral figure from South Cameroon.

Fang ancestral figure from North Gabon/ Gabon. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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San rock art

The pictographs and pectroglyphs in the rock art of the San in southern Africa, as well as of other groups around the world, represent the first art created by people [Refer to Chapter 2 of the Grade 10 book].

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Due to the extinction of most of the nomadic San people by the Europeans who immigrated to southern Africa, the chain of the oral tradition, passing on knowledge regarding their culture and the rock artworks, was broken. This made the interpretation of the paintings and engravings very difficult. Through the investigations conducted by people such as Wilhelm Bleek and Lucy Lloyd who recorded the language of incarcerated San men during the 1860’s to the 1870’s, some of the stories that contained the background to the San culture were preserved. The symbolism of the images became clearer after taking these stories into account.

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This rock painting of a group of figures and a dying eland is in the Game Pass in the Drakensberg Mountains. The scene depicted in this part of the painting reveals some of the metaphors associated with the San people’s spiritual beliefs The eland is standing with its head lowered. One front leg is buckling under its weight and its two hind legs are crossed. The hair on its neck is standing upright. This is not visible in this photograph but depicted through short lines. These are all signs that it is dying. Right behind it, touching its tail, is a human figure. This figure is anthropomorphic – changing into an antelope. The shape of his face has already transformed. On his body there are little dots signifying that his hair is on end, like that of the eland. His legs are also crossed and his feet have changed into hooves. This transforming man is a shaman / spiritual leader, who is entering a trance. Through the visual comparison in the painting the metaphor of dying and transforming into a powerful eland is associated with the process of going into a trance in order to communicate with the spiritual realm.

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Humans were always depicted as simplified, elongated silhouetted shapes without unique identities. The animals, and more specifically the Eland and the antelope, were emphasised through realistic representation. People were depicted in a large variety of postures showing activities such as hunting, collecting plants and roots and a variety of rituals, such as clapping, dancing and the process of entering a trance. The rituals were mostly associated with securing a successful hunt, rainmaking or the curing of illnesses. At some sites there are overlapping layers of different paintings. These palimpsests show that certain places held specific importance for the nomadic San people.

The superimposition of paintings in layers can be seen in a variety of rock painting sites. There has not been a clear explanation for it. In some cases it looks as if the artists have combined their paintings with those that were already on the rock face and in some cases it looks as if the site of the paintings, was important to the artists.


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IsiNdebele murals

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The Southern amaNdebele people, known as the Ndzundza, used mural decoration as a way of reinforcing their culture and identity after being dispossessed by colonial invasion. The Ndzundza are the primary practitioners of the brightly coloured decorative style that has influenced many artists and designers in and outside South Africa.

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As with the changes seen in beadwork through the introduction of coloured glass beads from Europe, isiNdebele wall painting is also a ‘new’ tradition. According to historical records the practice of decorating homes in brightly coloured contrasting colours was only noticed from the 1940’s. Wall decorating was mainly practised by the Sotho people who built mud and dung houses before the amaNdebele people did as they used to live in grass huts. The original decorations developed from patterns and textures created through finger painting and the use of natural pigments.

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Originally the decoration of a home was done once a year when the young men of a family left for ritual initiation. The women, custodians of the home and traditions, The colourful symbols of Ndebele murals represent a language would then replaster and redecorate the that communicates personal prayers, self-identification, values, emotions, and marriage. outside walls of their homes. Women plastered walls with their hands and would trace patterns into the wet clay with their fingers. Dry pigments, originally made from crushing certain stones, were mixed with water and applied with fingers or softened twigs and later with toothbrushes or paint brushes. Eventually commercial pigments and later synthetic paints were used which then influenced the regularity of decorating. As the commercial paints are more durable an annual redecoration became unnecessary. The designs of the patterns used in murals are closely related to the patterns used in the distinctive isiNdebele style beadwork. Chevrons, lozenges, razorblades, crosses, triangles and stepped motifs were repeated in endless variations. Contemporary beadwork eventually also became decorative in function as beliefs and hierarchy systems have changed. In recent times urban images such as aeroplanes and tower clocks have been included in the decorative patterns on the murals as well as the beadwork.

The beaded apron is ceremonially worn by Ndebele women and is a sign that they are married and have children. The decorative patterns are similar to the kind used in mural painting and are a modern addition as they used to be less decorated in the 1930’s and 40’s. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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2 .1


The following words appear in the introduction of this chapter: CIVILISATION

SAVAGE

DIFFERENCE

COLONIALISM

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PRIMITIVE

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CULTURE

APPROPRIATION

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IDENTITY

THE OTHER


ETHNOGRAPHIC

TRADITION

RITUAL

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These concepts form the background of the topic for this chapter. • Discuss the meaning of the words in class. Refer to the images in your discussion and indicate if the original meaning has been adapted. • Write down the definition for each of the words as used in this chapter. • Which of the words could be controversial? Explain why? • Do you think the Fauvists, German Expressionists and Cubists were aware of the controversial issues? • Name the aspects in African art that drew their attention.

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MORE EXAMPLES OF ART WITH FEATURES RELATED TO TRADITIONAL AFRICAN ART

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Compare any THREE of the following examples of artworks with traditional African artworks (Use the examples of artworks in Sections 2.2 – 2.4) by referring to the following: • Use of imagery • Use of medium and technique • Formal elements of art • Stylisation • Any other issues concerning the artworks

Modigliani. Jeanne Hebuterne with Hat and Necklace 1917. Oil on canvas.

Brancusi. Mademoiselle Pogany. 1912-13. Terracotta.

Henry Moore. Reclining Woman. 1930. Hornton stone

Paul Klee. Comedian’s Handbill. 1938. Gouache on newsprint.

Keith Haring. Untitled. 1982. Graffiti.

Marino Marini. Little Rider. No date. Bronze.

Basquiat. Selfportrait. 1982. Acrylic and mixed media on canvas.


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Overview of South African artists inluenced by African and/or indigenous art forms.

ALEXIS PRELLER (1911-1975) Throughout his life time Preller remained a world traveller, returning to Europe several times, visiting places such as Zanzibar, the Seychelles, Egypt and Greece. In southern Africa he regularly visited the traditional homesteads of the Ndebele people and familiarised himself with the cultures and art of the AmaZulus and Swazis by visiting places where they lived. Preller was profoundly influenced by the traditional African rituals with the accompanying sculptures and beadwork.

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His early artworks are clearly influenced by his interests in Van Gogh and Gauguin as well as Irma Stern. It shows a similar romanticised view of life in Africa as seen in Gauguin’s versions of Tahiti. Through his more intensive exposure to a number of different traditional cultures, including those of Egypt and Greece, Preller began to develop a new painting style. It was especially his visits to the Ndebele people that influenced him in the sense that their use of colour, simplified geometric patterns and shapes, strong use of line and unique symbolism were assimilated into his personal visual language.

The photographs of Constance Stuart Larabee taken in the 1950’s were a source of inspiration for Preller. In this photograph an Ndebele woman is wearing a complete traditional outfit.

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His interest in the Italian Quatrocento artist, Piero Della Francesca, eventually guided his painting technique. This can be seen in his use of colours, compositions and emphasis and three-dimensionality. In combination with his use of imagery which seemed dislocated from reality, Preller’s style seems like a version of Surrealism or magical realism. He created a new way of looking at traditional Africa. This was the perspective of a European outsider who was fascinated by his intense direct interaction with traditional cultures. He interpreted it with his background as an artist also influenced by traditions of European art history. Works such as The Kraal II (1948) and his series Grand Mapogga (1951-57) display his poetic interpretation of Ndebele life and culture. The combination of personally chosen symbolic imagery with rich jewel-like colours and a sometimes stylised repetition of shapes and forms created an unconventional art form in his time. The influences of cultures outside of southern Africa can be seen in works such as Christ Head (1952) and Adam and Eve (1955) [see Chapter 5 of the Grade 10 book and Chapter 4 of the Grade 11 book].


Alexis Preller. Grand Mapogga II. 1957.Oil on canvas. The resemblance of the general shape of the woman in Preller’s painting to that of the woman in Larabee’s photograph is striking. Preller has been progressively stylising the figure of the Mapogga woman since he began to paint them. It is not only the shape, but also the body posture that has become symbolic through Preller’s paintings. The image of the women he portrayed now represented an iconic symbol of the Ndebele culture. Of all his versions of Grand Mapogga this one is the most colourful. In the surroundings of a homestead, this stately figure takes on the status of a Mother goddess. The walls are decorated in the traditional Ndebele style. A white cloth is draped over the tree in the background. This signifies that the young men of the family have gone to the ritual initiation that takes place after the summer rain. this is a proud sign that a member of their household is absent on initiation rites and they attach a white cloth to a pole alongside the house. Preller also includes a personal interpretation of the significance of the ceremonial period that is entered through the inclusion of a three-pronged standard made out of slender branches behind the woman.

67 Dogon People. Mali. Seated Couple. 16th -19th century. Wood and metal.

Yoruba. Nigeria. Egungun helmet mask.

Alexis Preller. Christ Head. 1952.

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Alexis Preller. Adam and Eve. 1955. Oil on canvas.

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CECIL SKOTNES (1926-2009) As a student Skotnes was influenced by the strong interest in African art under the guidance of the art history lecturer, Dr Maria Stein-Lessing at the University of Witwatersrand. His interest was further developed when he met Egon Guenther, a collector of traditional West and North African art who introduced him to woodcut printmaking. The parallels in the technique of engraving into wood not only linked to African art in general but also to Gauguin and the influential German Expressionists’ work.

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After starting off with traditional woodcut prints Skotnes realised the additional potential of using the blocks as artworks. He would print his engraving first and then fill in the cut-out areas with marble dust and coloured oxides. The raised surfaces would then be given a layer of black ink which resulted in a stained glass effect. This technique was developed further as he started to combine the relief technique of engraving wood which is sculptural, linear and texturised, with oil painting. The characteristics of his works relate to African art in general in the sense that figures are simplified, anthropomorphic and sometimes abstracted and faces are mask-like showing no references to specific individuals. His use of monumental organic shapes, strong graphic lines and his use of natural earth tones are also seen as influenced by Africa. Skotnes also referred to the influences of Picasso and Henry Moore in his work which also relate to the strong connection with Africa.

Cecil Skotnes. Captive. 1964. Painting on incised panel.

Cecil Skotnes. KING. 1964. Painting on incised panel. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

68 His works are described by Harmsen as “evok(ing) the quintessence of archaic Africa” and representing “primeval forms”. Berman said the Skotnes had “penetrated the spirit of Africa which has been moulded by anthropomorphic beliefs, ancestoral cults and the psychological immediacy of spiritual presences.”

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Cecil Skotnes. Figures in a Metaphysical Landscape. 1985.

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Skotnes’ style and themes are clearly rooted in Africa and address a variety of aspects. His representation of landscape as an existential experience is visible in many of the wide landscapes depicted without people, animals or trees. Skotnes’ awareness of spirituality through his use of universal symbols can be seen in works such as Figures in a Metaphysical Landscape, 1985. His analysis of humanity, looking at power structures and thereby implying the political struggle in South Africa is visible in works such as King, 1964, The Citizens, 1969, The Censors, Martyr and Captive. He also referenced historical events in works such as The Assassination of Shaka, 1973, Visit to a Battle Site, 1974-5 and 1820 Settlers, 1984-6, in which political issues are also prevalent.

Skotnes’ influence in South African art history is far reaching as he was instrumental in establishing Polly Street as an art centre which gave many Black artists the chance of training during a time when there were few other opportunities for further education for Black people. He was also a founder member of the idlozi group, a group of artists whose work showed their interest in combining European and African traditions.

Cecil Skotnes. The Assassination of Shaka. 1973. Series of 43 colour woodcut-prints. In this series Skotnes was concerned with one of the most powerful narratives in South African history. The story behind the assassination of the great AMAZulu king Shaka in 1928 was relatively unknown amongst nonZulu speaking South Africans. Skotnes presented Shaka as an heroic figure contributing to the shift in public attitudes and knowledge about this historical figure.

A black and white woodcut print that is part of the Assassination of Shaka series. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

69 EDUARDO VILLA (1915-2011)

Eduardo Villa. Head. 1964. Bronze. The influence of African art and Cubism through its fragmentation and simplification of the human face is evident in the geometric style with intersecting planes of this early work.

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Villa was born in Italy and received training as a sculptor there. After he was interred as a prisoner of war in South Africa he decided to stay here. His work therefore reflects the strong European background that his training provided as well as the influences of living in South Africa at a time when artists were eager to connect the impact of Europe and Africa on their works. When considering the development of his works the influence of Africa appears to be related to the influence of Picasso’s Cubist works, Henry Moore’s simplified and emblematic representations of humanity and the abstractions of David Smith. His early works are relatively conventional experiments with abstraction. The change in Villa’s approach began in the 1950’s when he started to weld steel off-cuts together. This development opened up new avenues to Villa as he now worked in an additive technique which was opposite to the traditional sculpture technique which is subtractive. The use of steel and iron as media was also revolutionary and seen as important to progressive sculpture in the Western world.

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Villa’s works clearly show African influences in his use of linear and geometrically facetted structures. In Mapogga Woman (1964) the influence of fragmentation seen in Cubist works also reflects the stylised concept of African identity that is part of Alexis Preller’s works as well. The figure’s dominant form is like a column. It is narrower at the top with the body parts simplified to a series of shapes. A sphere represents the head and eyes with a rectangular division representing the nose and mouth. The ornamental decoration around the neck has become a geometric form and the breasts are unevenly spaced hemispheres. The blanket around the shoulders is also simplified to a basic geometric shape. Villa presents the viewer with an abstracted impression of a person. The idea is not to show personal information but rather a symbolic interpretation.

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A later work, Confrontation (1978) is an even further abstraction but as with most of Villa’s works it is never completely non-representational. The combination of modular tubes, semi-cylinders and rectangles in different sizes and heights are arranged to suggest a feeling of movement within the structure which suggests instability. Because of the title these vertical shapes are suggestive of a group of people. The shapes representing the heads also refer to the title as some of them are angled and suggestive of a verbal standoff. The various figures are all arranged at different distances from each other contributing to the feeling of friction amongst the figures. As the work was created shortly after the 1976 uprisings, it is one of Villa’s personal reactions to the situation in the country. Even though the statement is a guarded one it is a testimony to the artist’s involvement in the country.

Eduardo Villa. Mapogga Woman. 1964. Bronze. the two installation views of this sculpture show the importance of moving around a threedimensional work in order to experience the complete effect intended by the sculptor. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Eduardo Villa. Confrontation. 1978. Steel.

animals and the relationship between the two are portrayed as symbolic interpretations which he depicted in solid compact figures and simplified forms. His works have a monumental quality even though they are not large. The stylisation of the human and animal forms shows the influences of abstraction as generally seen in traditional African sculptures which also influenced Western artists to develop the modernist tradition as seen in Cubism. Besides this influence of European modernism his works could also be interpreted as a search for his African roots and identity. As a man coming from an urbanised environment his subject matter was interpreted as testimony that he had not forgotten the spiritual heritage of his people.

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SYDNEY KUMALO (1935-1988)

The two installation views of this sculpture show the importance of moving around a three-dimensional work in order to experience the complete effect intended by the sculptor.

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Eduardo Villa. Confrontation. 1978. Steel.

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In 1952 Kumalo attended art classes at the Polly Street Art Centre as one of the first students to specialise in sculpture. Skotnes and Guenther showed him the traditional sculptures of West, North and Central Africa which together with the exposure to Western artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Henry Moore and Lyn Chadwick, had a strong influence on his work. After he worked in clay initially, he was introduced to sculpting in metal by Eduardo Villa with whom he studied for a while. Villa also encouraged the influence of traditional African sculpture. In his early works he only worked in terra cotta clay that was fired in a kiln. He began by constructing a sculpture by modeling it to the shape he wanted. He would allow it to dry and then carve into the “leather” hard clay, giving it the texture of wood carving, which relates to the influence of traditional African sculptures that were only made from wood. When his works were later cast in bronze, this resemblance to wood was re-enforced through the colour of the medium. Throughout his career he had a preoccupation with depicting humans and animals as basic forms. His choices of subject matter showed a universal frame of reference as it was influenced by a wide range of sources. Dominating ideas about humankind and


Sydney Kumalo. Dancing Woman. No Date. Bronze. Kumalo’s interest in both African and Western sculpture is evident in a work such as this one. The dancing figure stands contrapose, a pose integral to Western sculpture but rarely seen in African sculpture where a figure would usually be read as symmetrical in the frontal plane. The contrasting treatment of the abstracted right leg and defined breast and the more naturalistic left leg and abstracted arm, reflects Kumalo’s own grappling with the dynamic interchange between representational and abstracted treatment of form in African and Western sculpture. The rhythm and movement of the dancing figure are accentuated by the pronounced sloping shoulder and different forms of the legs, while the face, tilted upwards, is transfixed, perhaps by distant music. This sculpture has a monumentality that belies its height of 72cm, for reasons perhaps related to his observation, ‘The African people are a heavy people and I’ve always admired this heaviness’.

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Sydney Kumalo. Madala. 1979. Bronze.

Sydney Kumalo. Head. 1965. Bronze.

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HELEN SEBIDI (1943-)

Sydney Kumalo. Ecstatic woman. 1965. Bronze.

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Sebidi’s childhood was shaped by the combination of Setswana traditions and Christian beliefs. She was raised by her grandmother in rural Marapyane, north of Pretoria. Although not a typical Tswana tradition, Sebidi’s grandmother was known as a mural painter which served as her first artistic influence. Sebidi’s early works are naturalistic representations of rural scenes depicting the daily tasks of women, shepherds and workers in the fields. These conventional works are utopian views of traditional pastoral life lead by Black people as it shows their daily lives without the problems experienced within their debased situation in a society divided by Apartheid. The works are also a part of her process of growth as an artist showing her preoccupation with developing her technical skills as an artist. It is her later work, created after the 1980’s when she attended the Alexandra Art Centre, which is evidence of her experimental expressive attitude.

Her expressive drawings are mixed media collages that reflect the intense experiences of township life in the 80’s. She combined these images with the background of themes and symbolism from traditional life. By discontinuing working in a realistic tradition she freed herself and was able to redefine the picture plane by filling it with figures, limbs, animals and objects without regard for threedimensional space. She re-worked many drawings by tearing out parts and collaging fragments of other drawings into them. The compositions are related to experiences of dislocation, confusion and overcrowded spaces. Through the visual effects and the titles of her works, Sebidi created a personal reaction to her world that is a mixture of her traditional Setswana background and the radical changes caused by urbanisation and Apartheid.

Helen Sebidi. Rural Scene. 1981. Oil on board. In this naturalistic version of women in a rural environment Sebidi draws attention to the experience of the open landscape. The three figures are evenly spaced providing a diagonal line from the right of the composition. This is countered by the line of the hill sloping in from the left. The folds in their garments also echo the folds in the landscape. This traditional scene draws the attention to the daily life of the women and not their individual identities. The emphasis is on the role the woman-child-rearing and of household chores such as fetching water. The fact that water is being carried in clay pots further emphasises their traditional descent.


72 In the work The child’s mother holds the sharp side of the knife, Sebidi explained it as follows: “I see a woman chained, pulling her tradition. In our language they always say – yours is yours. You’ve got to handle it, you’ve got to be, don’t let go… In African tradition they say it is the woman who holds the sharp end of the knife. Here the woman is holding the knife in this way and is saying – this is what I have to do and it’s my way.” Her works are not only comments on the ravages of social change on Black people in general. She emphasises the role of women who took on the sole responsibility to care for their children within the deprived environment of Apartheid townships. Helen Sebidi. Where is my home? – The mischief of the township. 1988. Pastel and collage on paper.

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Dislocation and confusion are the side-effects of urbanisation. The loss of traditional beliefs and values has created a sense of not belonging here or there. Sebidis’s work is expressive of what she has experienced firsthand.

Helen Sebidi. The child’s mother holds the sharp side of the knife. 1988-89. Pastel on paper.

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WALTER OLTMANN (1960-)

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After deciding to change from working with the expensive medium of steel to working with wire, Oltman created an artwork from the ordinary but unorthodox material. This paved the way for developing further woven works in which ordinary objects are transformed. The technique of weaving with wire is extremely labour-intensive but very effective in terms of the transformative qualities of the medium. Although Oltmann was not specifically aware of the influences of traditional South African basket weaving as an influence on his choice of technique at the time, he recalls seeing people weaving baskets in KwaZulu Natal and going to a market where the woven products of an informal craft school were sold. When he began using the wire weaving technique his subject matter related to the modernist investigation of abstract shapes seen in the works of artists such as Robert Smithson and Richard Long. Oltmann’s development of his ability to utilise this technique fully opened up possibilities to explore aspects such as the decorative and textural qualities of the wire. Eventually he developed an interest in more figurative work. By becoming more aware of the implications of using wire weaving as a technique, meant that Oltmann also started to explore the idea of using the medium as part of the message. He would create objects that were incongruous with the texture and interpretation of the technique, such as intricate wire lace work that is used to shape a gun.


Walter Oltmann. Shoring. 2007. Aluminum wire and rocks. Shoring is a general term used in construction to describe the process of supporting a structure in order to prevent collapse so that construction can proceed. Within the confines of the strong circular format of the work the overfull and chaotic combination of natural forms seems as if it has to be stopped from falling. The hands – not attached to a body, look as if they have to keep everything together. The variety of intricate textures and forms created through the laborious weaving technique combined with the effect of the colour of the medium gives the work a feeling of being indestructible and profoundly symbolic.

73 Although the technique of basket weaving has become “women’s work”, weaving with wire has still remained a technique practised by men as well. Similar to basket weaving, it involves a process of coiling and stitching. Oltmann acknowledges his interest in the interchange between cultures in the choice of technique, seen as a craft practised by the AmaZulu, AmaXhosa and Basotho indigenous to southern Africa, while his choices of subject matter have been influenced by his studies of historical Western art issues.

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According to Oltmann: “I manipulate industrial materials in a way that contradicts their prefabricated nature by emphasizing hand-made processes. Hence I use the linear qualities of these materials to create various forms and surfaces through techniques that parallel handcrafts. I have become deeply interested in the interchange between different cultures in South Africa, and my sculptures and drawings often reflect and acknowledge the crafts of Africa.” He deals with issues such as scale, abjection, feelings of phobia, biblical themes and the transformation of objects. He thereby combines what is traditionally seen as art and craft and subsequently creates a kind of tension in his work due to the opposing interpretations of the two issues. He also sees the use of the metallic sheen of the wire as significant, choosing media such as aliminium, copper, brass, and bronze to create an iconic feeling in commonplace objects.

Walter Oltmann. Caterpillar Suit I and III. 2007.

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Referring to larvae and therefore transformation the human shape of these suits is a metaphor of personal change that could be spiritual or physical. The use of different coloured media implies difference as does the difference in textures and shapes.

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IRMA STERN

“Searching I roamed the world – to arrive at the origin – at beauty – at truth – away from the lies of everyday – and my longing was burning hot – then the darkness opened up and I stood at the source of the Beginning – Paradise” Irma Stern was born in Schweizer-Reneke in 1894 to German-Jewish parents. They regularly travelled between Germany and South Africa. After enrolling in a special class for women at the Weimar Academy in 1913, she joined a painting studio in 1916 where she worked under the artist Martin Brandenburg. He influenced her to start painting in oil, using strong colours and introduced her to more contemporary artists. During 1916 she met the German Expressionist Max Pechstein who encouraged her and arranged her first one person exhibition in 1919. In 1933 she settled in Cape Town and used this as a base from where she traveled to Africa and Europe. Her travels to places such as the Transkei, KwaZulu Natal, Swaziland, Mozambique, the Congo, Senegal, Dakar and Zanzibar is testament to her self-assured character and intense interest in the variety of cultures in Africa. She died in Cape Town in 1966.


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The beginning of Stern’s Expressionist painting style Although Stern started off her painting career in an Impressionistic style, she became bored with this way of painting as soon as she decided to be a full time artist. The first painting that shows clearly visible change is the famous work, The Eternal Child. This painting is not a typically Expressionist work in the German sense of the word but it has visible elements of change compared to her earlier painting style. After seeing the girl on a train while travelling in Germany, she did this painting from memory in a simplified style. It is clear that she felt free to interpret reality in her own way in this painting.

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The frailty of the child is clearly depicted through the exaggeration of the large head and small body of the figure. Her wide staring eyes look directly at the spectator. Although there is a glimmer of light in her eyes, her expression is reserved and cautious. The bony hands holding a small bunch of flowers further emphasize her fragility. Stern conveys her sensitivity to the damage caused by the war by contrasting the defenselessness of the frail child with the youthful light in her eyes and the hopeful symbol of life in the bunch of flowers.

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Although The Eternal Child does not have the strong shapes and bright colours of other expressionist works it does evoke a strong reaction. The well known Expressionist, Max Pechstein praised the work as he saw the start of a personal visual language in her painting style.

Irma Stern. Nude Study. 1916. Oil on canvas.

In this naturalistic figure study the natural surroundings look like a kind of paradise and therefore the work could refer to Eve picking the forbidden fruit.

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At that stage Pechstein was a respected artist and part of Die Brücke. He also undertook an expedition to the Palau islands in a search of “primitivism”. He was also strongly influenced by Matisse’s colour theories and ideas about the unity of design and composition in paintings. These aspects were also conveyed to Irma Stern and strongly influenced her art. Her connection and strong interest in Africa was strengthened through Pechstein’s idea that he was in search of the ideal of humanity in harmony with nature. A further influence was that she relied less on intensive studies of reality and instead worked from memory letting her imagination have a stronger influence.

A letter from Pechstein to Stern with roughly drawn decoration. Irma Stern. Eternal Child. 1916. Oil on canvas.


75 Max Pechstein. African wood sculptures. 1919. Oil on canvas. The use of brightly contrasting red, green, yellow, blue, pink, purple, black and white in roughly applied brush strokes and flat colour surfaces are characteristic of the German Expressionists style. The use of African sculptures as subject matter is evidence of the direct influence of African art on these artists.

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Pages from Irma Stern’s journal. Inscribed in German with the words: “and I fled from a burning Europe into the land of rare colours”

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SUBJECT MATTER / THEMES IN STERN’S ARTWORKS: Even though Stern’s background and training was European and her main stylistic influence was from the German Expressionists, her subject matter is mostly connected to Africa. Her travels in Africa gave her enough material to keep her painting during the highpoint of her career. She also collected artifacts from Africa which appear in many of her works. In her visual diary, found in her home after her death, there are many watercolour paintings and allegoric writings conveying her deepest feelings. The following extracts show her feelings about Europe and Africa as well as her experiences as a modern artist:

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“and (I) fled from a burning Europe into the land of rare colours” “I am on the road to the interior of the Belgian Congo. The Congo has always been for me the symbol of Africa, the very heart of Africa. The sound “Congo” makes my blood dance, with the thrill of excitement; it shows to me distant native drums and heavy tropical river flowing, its water gurgling mystic depths”

Irma Stern. Mother and child. 1947. Oil on canvas. Stern used an acquaintance to pose for her version of a Christian topic, the Virgin Mary and Jesus.

“How strange it was that I had a white skin – how strange it was that I was covered in clothes, how strange it was that I moved with a thousand natives, but without burdens, only with my longing, which had found a kind of home” “I took all this beauty home to Europe – to the poor and sun-starved people, and they thanked me for it, but sadness and love made my soul sick” Themes and subject matter which recur in her works are women, fertility, rituals, Irma Stern. Rest. 1927. Oil on canvas.

This large painting typifies Stern’s vision of Africa as an idyllic paradise that echoes Gauguin’s representation of Tahiti. The figures pose in a style similar to the Odalisque paintings in the Western tradition which was the embodiment of the western idea of Beauty. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

76 mother and child, harvesting, labourers and still life paintings in which a feeling of abundance is visibly emphasised. Her use of rich and vibrant colours and textures can also be seen as an underlying theme that she identified as part of Africa. Stern’s visual imagination and psychological character influenced her experience of the world. She never copied the world around her directly but instead gave her impression of it though the language of painting. Stern’s impressions of Africa and the people living in it were conveyed from the view of an outsider. She did not try to portray the spiritual being or probe the personal character of the people but rather, according to Berman, saw truth as ‘life and beauty’ which she found in the visual abundance of colours, patterns and figures of Africa. Although she can be criticised for the one-sided view that she perpetuated she was also passionate about whatever she decided to paint and did not portray people in a demeaning way.

Irma Stern. Malay Wedding. 1957. Oil on canvas.

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This is one of a variety of paintings in which Stern looked at wedding rituals as subject matter. This extremely stylised representation provides an idea of the solemnity of the occasion.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STERN’S WORK

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Marion Arnold’s description of Stern’s working process provides insight into Stern’s success in creating free and spontaneous end products: “ …(in her works created during the late 40’s and early 50’s) She applied the paint with a knife and smeared the pigments onto the board and the latter lightly coloured or the natural colour of wood as a contribution to the different tones of colour shining through. She firstly drew with paint and had a preference for diluted blue – usually cobalt and sometimes ultramarine. Close inspection of all her paintings reveals this blue underpainting.” Stern’s early expressionist manner of painting included thick impasto layers of paint which she abandoned after 1960 when she began painting in thin brushstrokes. She applied large areas of bright contrasting colours. The texture of her paint application and the vibrating colours provided a strong optical feeling to the paintings. The visibility of separate brushmarks contributed to the gestural qualities of her painting. Through her understanding of the power of expression in


(Left) Irma Stern. Swahili Woman. 1939. Charcoal. (above) Irma Stern. Arabian Man. Dakar. 1938. Charcoal. The abundance of portrait drawings testifies to Stern’s constant interest in the appearance of people. The drawings show her confident technique and ability to capture the essence of individual characters.

77 colour she achieved the illusion of space on a flat surface by juxtaposing contrasting colours. She also gave a lot of attention to composition by combining shapes and colours in a decorative way on the picture plane. This is strengthened by her use of strong darker outlines which define figures and shapes in her compositions.

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Seen in the two illustrated examples are the elaborate frames that Stern used on some of her paintings. Stern is one of the few artists whose work was not overwhelmed by these intricately ornamental frames that she ruthlessly created by taking apart Zanzibarian doors, carved from of wood. As a part of the heritage of Zanzibar, it is illegal today even to export these doors. In spite of this, the elaborate frames contribute to the idea that Stern’s work is seen as a fusion of African and Arabian visual culture.

Irma Stern. Bibi Azziza Biata Jaffer. Courtesan of the Sultana of Zanzibar. 1939. Oil on canvas.

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This is one of many paintings in which Stern professes her fascination with Eastern influences, which she witnessed during her travels in Africa. This portrait is not idealised and represents the character of the woman in charge of the Sultan’s harem. She depicts a confident, impressive woman busy with her own thoughts. The positioning of the figure central to the Eastern architecture behind her is a telling reflection of her position as a woman within this culture.

Irma Stern. Congo Landscape. 1945. Oil on canvas.

Although Stern is not as well-known for her landscape paintings, she created many throughout her career. These works are a record of her extensive travels and are therefore influenced by her views about the places. The expressive reaction to the dense and undisturbed nature of the Congo is evident in her work Congo Landscape (1945). In this work the abundance of foliage and colours of the impenetrable jungle are conveyed with a combination of large and small brush marks with longer slashes of colour.

EXAMPLES OF STERN’S WORKS

Pondo Woman (1929) Stern produced many portraits in her lifetime. In the works in which she portrayed people from other cultures, she was interested in depicting their culture rather than the individuals. The visual appearance of the person was important to her and therefore many of these portraits present us with types of people. Most of her works are entitled according to the ethnic group from which that person originates rather than their names. This is evidence of her reluctance to probe further into the individual’s personality. The work Pondo Woman (1929) is an example of a figure study where the simplified facial features, hairstyle, decorative beadwork and traditional clothing dominate the

Irma Stern. Pondo Woman. 1929. Oil on canvas.


78 representation of the woman. Stern enhanced the view of the beauty that she observed in the facial features of this traditional Pondo woman through the expressive exaggeration of her eyes, nose, mouth and the shape of her face. Through her pose the woman turns in on herself. She is pensive as if she is resting or daydreaming. The fact that the woman looks down creates a barrier between her and the viewer which obscures her personality, contributing to the stereotypical rendition of the woman. As with most of her portrait and figure studies, Stern placed the subject centrally, similar to traditional Western portraiture. Behind the figure the dark foliage, entangled creepers and tree trunks surrounding her places her within a jungle-like environment that cannot be linked to any specific place. The painting style is expressive and she used strongly defined darker outlines and loose brushstrokes which are clearly visible. The tonal values are also clearly defined as she used contrasting colours to emphasise the three-dimensionality of the figure, foliage and trees. The warm red, browns and yellows of the figure contrasts with the cool colours used in the background.

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When compared to a realistic painting, this work is clearly expressive in terms of the painting style. It is the combination of this disregard for realistic detail, as seen in the rendition of the hands and the fact that she chose to depict traditional Black people as her subject matter that outraged the critics and the public when she exhibited in the 1920’s in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The police were called to investigate issues of immorality and the headlines in a Johannesburg newspaper declared her exhibition to be “Irma Stern Chamber of Horrors”. While the conservative South African public reacted negatively, she was praised in Europe for capturing the exotic lives and environment of Africans. Many years later it was exactly this issue where she showed her indifference to the true realities of daily living that drew criticism.

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Ramadan (1945) Stern’s fascination with Africa included the significant Arab civilisation of the East coast of Africa. She was as captivated with Zanzibar as with the Congo. In a work such as Ramadan, 1945, described by Esmé Berman as a key work in her career, Stern depicted her experience of visual beauty. In Zanzibar Stern was surrounded with an abundance of colours and decorative patterns. On one of her explorations in an Arab bazaar she became aware of an old man sitting quietly and apart from the noise and movement, busy praying while telling his beads. To her this scene was a revelation as the devout Islamic man represented a symbol of spirituality. Because he practised the religious prayer ritual within the chaos of a bazaar without being disturbed by it, his ability to isolate himself was accentuated. Through works such as this one she moved away from simply depicting external beauty. The work conveys her understanding of the visual elements as a means of expression to create a contemplative feeling of spirituality. The figure of the praying man, clothed in a long white shirt and white turban with the beads moving


Irma Stern. Ramadan. 1945. Oil on canvas.

79 through his hands, fills the largest area of the vertical composition. He sits with hunched shoulders, facing away from the viewer and Stern’s portrayal gives the impression that he is an old man. Behind him, stands another old man dressed in an amber shirt and green turban. In the far off background a crowd of people is moving in and out of a doorway. These people are represented as anonymous shapes resembling the form of a bustling crowd. Stern’s use of strong outlining, simplified tonal values and thinner loosely painted brush strokes that seem as if she painted them quickly, indicate the expressive nature of the painting. In contrast to some of her other works, her choice of colours is more subdued. The effect of the colour scheme could relate to her interpretation of the spirituality that she experienced from witnessing the practice of the Islamic faith during the bustle of daily life in Zanzibar.

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In the intentionally constructed compositions of her still life wokrs, Irma Stern controlled the combination of shapes, colours and textures. On looking at her whole range of still life works, her interest in creating energetic versions of an arrangement of ‘lifeless’ objects is apparent. She did not try to create realistically analysed copies from an objective distance. Her compositions are usually filled with an abundance of natural and human made objects. The blatant contrast in shapes and colours is the vehicle for displaying her skills and creating three-dimensional depth. Through the contrast of colours, tonal values, gestural brushmarks and the juxtaposition of a variety of forms she also displayed the value of her venture into expressionism as a painting style.

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The influence of a variety of cultures can also be seen in her still life works from the variety of objects that she collected throughout her lifetime. These works include Eastern, African and European objects and textiles that she chose for their aesthetic value. Her selection of flowers, fruit and vegetables was also part of the choices made concerning the expressive and decorative use of colours and shapes as well as the overall effect of abundance. Through her travels Stern built up an impressive collection of indigenous African artworks. At this stage Europeans were not yet convinced of the aesthetic value of these objects. She had a large selection of African masks and featured these in many still life works. The way in which they are placed in the compositions attests to Stern’s contradictory attitudes towards Africa. In works like Still life with mask and Mask (Mau Mau) the contrast between the natural objects and the man-made masks are striking. The shapes of the masks and the ominous darkness of the shadows that surround them contrast starkly with the green fruit and leaves. Her overall choices of colours are cold and dark compared to some of her other still life work.

Irma Stern. Still life with mask and Mask (Mau Mau).1953. Oil on canvas.


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Irma Stern. Still Life with masks. 1954. Oil on canvas.

African artworks from Stern’s collection

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One of her most valuable collected objects is the Congolese wooden sculpture known as the Buli-stool. This stool comes from the town Buli where a range of high quality sculptures has become well known. These were produced by a master and his school from approximately 1890 to 1910. This work consists of a female caryatid that probably represents an ancestor. She is representative of the importance of women within the Luba community as she ‘carries’ the chief on her head. Her hairstyle and facial markings are signs of an elevated social standing and the enlarged head is a sign of intelligence and therefore power. Stern used this work in a number of her still life work. In Buli Stool with fruit she depicts the stool as a functional object as it carries fruit. She does not include its traditional symbolic value as supporter of the king in this version of the statue but its importance is not diminished as it is the dominant form in this composition. It towers above the fruit and calabashes. The focus is the dark, silhouetted figure of the Buli stool surrounded by the collection of fruit and calabashes. The table surface at the bottom of the rectangular format of the painting contrasts with the white material with the decorative prints. The idea of feminine fertility is part of the symbolism in this still life as the female statue carries a whole fruit and she is surrounded by the round, womblike shapes of the calabashes and the suggestive shape of the halved papaya.


Irma Stern. Buli Stool with fruit. 1952. Oil on canvas.


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Irma Stern. Arum Lilies. 1951. Oil on canvas.

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Irma Stern. Still Life with Buli stool. 1940. Oil on canvas.

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READ THE FOLLOWING CONTEMPORARY REVIEW OF IRMA STERN’S WORK AND COMPLETE THE TASKS.

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• Underline any words that you do not understand while you are reading. Look up the meaning in a dictionary and make a note of each. • Summarise each paragraph in your own words. • Explain the writer’s opinion about Stern’s work in general in 1 or 2 sentences. • Do you agree with the writer? Substantiate your answer with reasons.

IRMA STERN’S ROMANCE WITH AFRICA A sanitized view captures the visual beauty without the poverty and suffering – Benita Munitz “You can look – but you mustn’t touch!” We’ll never know if this was the directive that Mama Stern gave to daughter Irma. But it does seem likely when you consider pictorial evidence of her forays into Africa. Stern’s intimidating, often petulant persona was at odds with her alter ego – passionate and with insatiable appetites.

Africa was as enticing to her as a table with an abundance of food, and exotic locations fed her hunger for sensuous forms, vibrant colours and mysterious shapes. She had the money to travel and she had the energy and passion to seek out exotic subjects. She had the temperamental tools to fit the tasks she set herself – and she found what she sought in Zanzibar, Swaziland and the Congo. But while the more colourful aspects clearly seduced her, her relationship with Africa suggests that of


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an Englishwoman enjoying the romance – while keeping her legs crossed. Put another way, the Africa that Stern describes is sanitized – no poverty, no dirt, no mutilated beggars and no sweat. But the colours! We can almost forgive her anything when she invites us to share her romantic Arabian Nights vision, moulded in part by Expressionist influences that sometimes recall Delacroix more than Pechstein.

Stern always retained something of the wonder of the tourist in transit – sometimes producing happy-holiday sketches rather than works of art. In a 1913 figure study nothing distinguishes the individuality of a shapely bare-breasted female. A short skirt and facile figure contours describe a young woman who might have stepped right out of a Sarafina dance line-up – or an advert illustrating “exotic Africa”. A surprising choice for a portfolio, I thought. But at the other end of the scale there’s a fine semi-figurative composition from 1955 rendered in rich, deep hues. Employing Roualt-style expressionism, Stern integrates a variety of shapes inspired by her own African collection. Between these two extremes are a number of pictures sure to please – among them a landscape with minarets in the background, figure studies, group scenes and portraits.

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Time can alter our perceptions and raise our awareness, and looking at art we can see the past through different eyes. Stern’s art, for example. In her approach and attitude towards her subjects, she reveals an artist firmly bedded in the colonial mould. And looking at these works we may now ask questions – about how she used what she saw, and how she captured the visual beauty of Africa. In her own journal she says: “I took all this beauty home to Europe…” The new limited-edition portfolio consisting of 10 reproductions of paintings and drawings provides opportunities to look at Stern’s work without eyes glazed by her legendary status – and by a R200 000 price tag (the reproductions are a mere R150 each).

the decision to reproduce Stern’s gouaches and drawings (works on paper) rather than oil paintings.

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With Stern, what you see is what you get and her focus on pictorial qualities, as well as a gestural approach a lot less genteel than most of her contemporaries, has won her many fans.

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Technically these prints appear to meet the high standards set by previous editions that are now, apparently, collectors’ items. Without the originals before us it’s hard to gauge the closeness of colour matching, but Stern’s multi-hued palette, assertive brushstrokes and confident line work is very strong. There is also the sense of a “virtual reality” image – resulting from

The mood of this selection is nowhere near as boisterous and extravagant as Stern’s well-known oil paintings, but these fine reproductions stand alone as souvenirs of a dominant figure in South African art and of a time when our art, however good, was not welcomed in many countries beyond our borders.

THE FOLLOWING 3 PAINTINGS OF PONDO WOMEN BY IRMA STERN WERE CREATED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. COMPARE THE THREE PAINTINGS BY DISCUSSING THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS: • Use of formal elements such as colour, line, form, shape, tonal values, composition. • Painting style • Discuss the different ways in which Stern represented the individual women – did she represent each person’s character or just the visual effects of their appearances? Discuss each work separately.


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Irma Stern. Portrait of a Pondo woman. 1929. Oil on canvas.

Irma Stern. Pondo Woman. 1952. Oil on canvas.

Irma Stern. Pondo woman.1959. Oil on canvas.

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Discuss in class: Look at the following 4 examples of stern’s paintings of African people created through her lifetime. Discuss your impression of what you think she was trying to represent. What is the message that you get from these paintings?

Irma Stern. Swazi Youth. 1929. Oil on canvas.

Irma Stern. Arab. 1939. Oil on canvas. Irma Stern.

Irma Stern. Watussi queen. 1945. Oil on canvas.

Irma Stern. The Water carriers. 1935. Oil on canvas.


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WALTER BATTISS “When I came down from the mountain of initiation I was articulate and free. For I had conversed with the white rocks and lilac trees, the coucal and the rhebuck. I had conversed too with the ancient men of Africa who spoke to me through their picture writings on the walls of their crumbling rock shelters. The twisted rivers and the endless veld spoke of animate and inanimate space. All this was my peculiar discovery but I had no desire to paint an anecdote about them but rather to make pictures of them in such a way that I exposed the happy change they had worked within me. Yes, I made and want to make pictures which are a colour language of the haphazard experiences of my African existence. These pictures I call fragments of Africa but they are also fragments of myself.”

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Battiss was born on January 6, 1906 in Somerset East, the eldest of three children. As a child, he was influenced by his surroundings and therefore nature had a very strong influence on him. In 1917 the family moved to Koffiefontein where Battiss was introduced to rock art through his friendship with a local engineer, William Fowler, who showed him some of the best examples of fine line engravings. Battiss only realised the value and influence of these ancient artworks later in his life. His intense interest in San rock art developed when he saw rock paintings as an adult. He studied them extensively and published five books on the topic. After completing a teacher’s degree he completed a degree in Fine Arts in 1940. He was also instrumental in the establishment of The New Group and later in his life created the imaginary Fook Island.

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He travelled consistently throughout his life visiting Europe, the Namib Desert, Turin, Italy, Paris, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Mozambique, Tanzania and the Middle East, the Bajun Islands, East Africa, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, Greece, the Greek islands, Germany, Spain and London, the Seychelles, America, England and Turkey, Fiji, Samoa, the Hawaiian islands and Australia, Tahiti and West Germany.

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Through his travels he was not only exposed to a large variety of cultures, but also art forms ranging from pre-Islamic calligraphy and Ndebele mural painting to the work of Picasso and Pop Art. As one can see in his artworks, he was forever seeking and never static. This fact had to do with his energetic personality and the pleasure that he derived from creating art. He is also described as someone who had a deep concern and sympathy for other people and especially artists. As a teacher, he inspired many young people to become artists.


Walter Battiss. Barrow Hill, Ladybrand, Free State – Copy of rock painting. Undated. Watercolour.

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Walter Battiss. Untitled. No date. Watercolour.

Walter Battiss. Icarus. 1981. Watercolour.

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS WORK: Originally, Battiss’ works were impressionistic and mostly landscapes. Later his style moved away from realism towards an abstract symbolist character referring to the ancient culture and religious beliefs of the San which reflected his South African heritage. He worked in oils and watercolours, woodblock and silkscreen prints. By exposing himself to a large variety of art from different cultures, he created calligraphic forms, animal and human abstractions which appeared in his works as part of his attempt to create a new visual language.

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As he developed and experienced more San rock artworks, he accepted the influence of their style on his works. During his visits to rock art sites, he copied and traced the works to keep as documentation of the paintings. These tracings were more reliable than photographs to preserve the works which are constantly deteriorating due to exposure and the interference of people. This definitely had an influence on his work although he did not copy the works for that reason. Battiss’ empathy with the unknown San artists is visible in his works where it becomes a new pictorial form and a modern interpretation of rock art. The cryptic messages left by the San, their symbolic simplification of their world and the supernatural atmosphere of their artworks are all aspects which inspired Battiss. The fact that he promoted a mystical view of the rock artworks and admired the San as our prime cultural ancestors contributed to the concept of rock art as a sign of Africanness and thereby a movement towards an authentic South African identity.

The silhouetted shapes of a group of male hunters is an example of the kind of images that inspired Battiss to create his own modernised version of San rock art.

Walter Battiss. The early men. 1938. Oil on paper. According to Battiss: “This is the first painting in which I break away from Impressionist art.”

His works include the idea that the San saw their art VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Walter Battiss. Mantis Dance. Undated. Screenprint.

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as a way of communicating with the supernatural in their religion as well as the Western idea of art as an intellectual game in which ideas, images, shapes and colours feature. Through his interest and connection with rock art Battiss created his artworks as a kind of search for the meaning behind the

Walter Battiss. Palimpsest IV / Flames of Africa. 1966. Oil on canvas.

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Both Palimpsest IV and The living bush are examples of Battiss’ reinterpretation of the idea of layers of paintings as seen in many San rock paintings. By using the sgraffito method Battiss scratched his personal symbols into thick layers of paint.

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rock artworks. There are other visible influences of rock art in Battiss’ artworks. He used a similar two-dimensional painting style in which detail is redundant. He also excluded the use of a three-dimensional background and used large flat surfaces of colour instead. His depiction of figures shows that he, like the rock artists, gave specific attention to the postures and movement of figures. He also used elongated figures painted in a silhouette style similar to the figures in rock art. The figures and shapes Battiss used, like those of the San, are simplified and are PICTOGRAPHS (descriptive symbols that are easily recognisable). The use of soft, natural organic shapes, not geometrical, are also an influence seen in rock art.

Another influence is the fact that the San made layers of paintings on top of each other – as if the specific site on a rock was an important place for them to create their paintings. This layering of marks on top of each other (similar to modern day graffiti) is called a PALIMPSEST. Battiss interpreted this, in his own way, in oil paint by painting a dark under layer of paint which would dry and then painting an impasto layer of white paint on which he would scratch, with a palette knife or the back of a brush, so that the darker paint would become visible again, also known as the sgraffito technique. Battiss’ extensive contact with European art – especially the influence of Picasso, Matisse and the Pop artists, resulted in artworks that show a mixture of European and African art. Other influences on his work include the colourful decorative effect of Ndebele beadwork. He also visited the Middle East in 1961 and studied early pre-Islamic calligraphy. The fluid graphic forms, derived from nature, which he saw fascinated Battiss.


Walter Battiss. The living bush. 1963. Oil on canvas.

87 EXAMPLES OF BATTISS’ WORKS

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The body postures of the simplified figures reflect the movement of their labour. The people are represented as anonymous silhouettes which are reminiscent of the figures represented by the San in their rock paintings. Even though the figures are simplified, Battiss’ interpretation of their actions appears naturalistic and based on experience.

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Fishermen Drawing Nets In Fishermen Drawing Nets Battiss painted a naturalistic scene of the daily tasks of a group of African people. It is most probably a scene that he witnessed and recreated in an expressive style. It is related to the Fauvists in the sense that he used bright contrasting colours and loose brushstrokes. The Fauvists’ decorative composition can also be seen in the rhythmic spread of figures in combination with the diagonal curved shapes of the fishing nets.

Walter Battiss. Fishermen drawing nets. 1955. Oil on canvas.

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The blackness of the figures contrasts starkly with the background in which the loose brushstrokes create the feeling of the movement of water and the abundance of fish caught in the nets. Linear effects of calligraphic marks can be seen in his handling of the squirming fish. The contrasting reds and oranges used for the nets in combination with the variety of blues that were used to depict the water, create a feeling of three-dimensional depth. Even though the scene is viewed from a distance, Battiss chose to fill the format with a busy event without revealing the surrounding background. Here is another similarity to the San rock paintings. Although no backgrounds were depicted in their paintings, they painted events without regard for the ‘beginning’ or ‘end’ of the format because they painted on rocks. Like them, Battiss painted this scene as if it could continue beyond the frame of the format. Battiss’ choice of subject matter connects with his interest in cultures other than his own as can be seen in many of his more realistic works. His version of what he saw focuses our attention on the responsibilities of daily living and like the San, he shows the bigger picture of the community, from a distance.

Walter Battiss. Wild pomegranates. Undated. Wood engraving.


88 Symbols of Life

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Considering the neat, smooth finish and the lack of tonal values, one might think that it is merely an abstract design. It is when you begin to contemplate each shape that Battiss’ idea of picture writing or pictographs becomes apparent. Each shape represents an organic version of some living being: people, jackals, elephants, insects, butterflies and antelope are some of the creatures that are recognisable. Similar to the pictographs of the San rock paintings, Battiss created his own collection of natural symbols.

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In many of Battiss’ later works the connection with San rock art is more striking. Symbols of life is an example of such a work. Silhouetted symbolic motifs are spread all over the white picture plane. The arrangement of these shapes is very controlled, leaving an even distance between them. A quarter from the bottom of the canvas a bold horizontal organic shape divides the evenly arranged symbols in two opposing sides.

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The division in the painting contributes to the mystery. It is not clear what this darker horizontal shape represents but due to the shape of it, the idea of rocks that symbolises a mountain range is one possibility or the idea of a life giving river, another. The title of the work tells the story behind the work. This is an example of one of Battiss’ conceptual interpretations of what he learned from rock art. In it he did not copy rock art but created a personalised symbolic system which explains Battiss’ ideas about life and spirituality. The decorativity of the composition lies in the arrangement of the shapes all over the canvas which is similar to a textile design but the layout is not completely structured. The work has an organic feeling because it is not geometrically placed which is a similar to rock paintings. His use of earthy colours reinforces the connection with rock art. The painting Mantis is another work in which Battiss used his personalised interpretation of the symbolic forms from rock art to compose the mythical figure of a praying mantis.


Walter Battiss. Symbols of Life. Undated (1967). Oil on canvas.

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Walter Battiss. Mantis. Undated. Oil on canvas.

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Mantis Man

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His attitude towards the appropriation of symbols and the variety of technical processes of creating art used by him expressed his experimental and playful approach. This painting represents a change in Battiss’ painting style, influenced by the boldness of Pop Art but still explores the topic of the praying mantis which is central to San spiritual beliefs.

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Battiss was one of the first South African artists to use the silk-screen process as part of his range of media. This medium was made popular by the Pop artists who intentionally used techniques derived from mass media [See Chapter 6 of the Grade 11 book]. The use of bold colours and shapes associated with silkscreen printing influenced Battiss’ painting style. He maintained the investigation of mythical symbols through his use of the praying mantis as a topic, but the myriads of fine shapes used in previous paintings now give way to a close-up view of pictographs overlapping each other in some areas. The organic shapes seem to represent human figures, faces, natural shapes such as plants, rocks and caves and symbolic lines and shapes which connect them. On the right hand side of the painting the unmistakable portrayal of the praying mantis’ head is the binding force of the painting. This mantis seems to be in the process

Walter Battiss. Mantis Man. 1970. Oil and acrylic on paper.

of transforming into a human or the other way around. Directly next to the mantis figure the womblike shape refers to the idea of birth and again it is linked to a variety of human figures at the top and bottom as well as directly to the left. The shapes in the middle of the canvas are abstract and seem to imply a process of unification and splitting up through the line that divides them. This connects with the traditional idea taken from San stories that the praying mantis is a dubious figure which can transform and plays the role of a trickster who can lead one down the right or wrong path. Battiss’ use of very bright contrasting colours is a modern aspect included in his exploration of this topic. The colours connect his use of large flat shapes that look as if they overlap in some areas and are divisions between shapes in other areas. This ambiguity leaves the viewer to figure out what parts of the painting are supposed to be solid and which are supposed to be voids. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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• Discuss the influences of San rock painting, Ndebele murals, pre-Islamic calligraphy and Pop art as seen in the following 3 works by Battiss. • Discuss the differences between Battiss’ works and San rock art in general.

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Walter Battis. Red rock. 1949. Oil on canvas.

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Walter Battiss. 8000 buck or more. 1967. Oil on canvas.

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Walter Battiss. Flying angels. Undated. Screenprint.

San rock painting depicting a trance dance. In it metaphors of swimming, bleeding from the nose and bent over postures depict the process of going into a trance. The women are standing clapping.

Ndebele mural Andy Warhol. Mickey Mouse.1981. Screenprint.

Persian calligraphy VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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ANDRIES BOTHA (1952-)

“We are all haunted by the innate contradictions which exist within ourselves, striving to balance light against dark, force against gentleness, rest with action … Our past inhabits our present and our future is held hostage to memory. There is no way to escape our innate brutality. I find this persistently tragic. The tragedy of the intersection of past and present is an appropriate metaphor which creates the sobering context for the future…” Andries Botha with one of his elephants.

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Botha’s childhood was characterised by moving as his parents divorced when he was still a young boy. During his high school career at a technical school he accidentally discovered the works of Michaelangelo in a book in the library. This inspired the idea of becoming a sculptor. Without much support from his family, who believed that it would be difficult to make a living from sculpting, Botha paid his own way through his studies at the University of Natal by working on the docks and as a train conductor. The support of his lecturers, Gavin Younge and Lukas Van Vuuren, was instrumental in his having the confidence to proceed as a professional artist.

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From early in his student years he became aware of the inequalities within South Africa. His critical attitude towards these circumstances made his experience of the problematic situation unbearable. He decided to leave the country but felt that being away from South Africa did little to change his feelings. On his return he resolved to work at contributing to the community in a positive way. As someone who understood personal suffering, Botha decided to be part of the Durban Community Project in order to make a contribution by teaching prospective artists from disadvantaged townships. Besides practising as a professional artist, Botha has lectured at the Durban University of Technology in Sculpture since 1982.

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DEVELOPMENT AND GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF HIS WORK

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As a student Botha created fibre-glass cast sculptures consisting of multiple structures. These works were expressive and contained references to the political situation in the country through the representation of tortured and distorted body parts.

Andries Botha. Man in chair. 1981. Resin, Canvas, wood, found objects, leather.

Following this he began to work in a more abstract style, moving away from political content, but still referring to daily experiences such as his personal experiences of hard work as seen in Sweet Toring (Sweat Tower)(1981). His exposure to the weaving of grass huts, mats and baskets by AmaZulu during a visit to the Drakensberg Mountains inspired him to learn their techniques and use them as part of his search for new directions in his sculptures. During Botha’s childhood years he spent time with his uncles working on their car engines. This together with his technical training in electrical engineering is, seen an influence on his choices of materials and his ability to work with them. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

92 His early works are enormous hollow structures that he titled “Human Structures” and they are very close in style to the isiZulu baskets that are used as strainers when making traditional beer. He described these works as protective sheaths or casings for human bodies, similar to coffins. His interest in opposing dualities, such as life and death, genesis and apocalypse, which are part of life, begins to emerge in these works. The forms are monumental, another characteristic that would recur throughout his career. It is also evident that most of his works took a long time to complete due to their size. Therefore the creative process of deciding what to make and how it would be made was a time consuming effort. Botha initially had the help of his teachers in the weaving technique, Myna and Agnes Ntshalishali, but later on he employed assistants in his studio. Although Botha conceives the ideas of his artworks he invariably shares the creative process with more people, making it an interactive group project.

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Andries Botha. Familiar Memories. 1985. Thatching grass, metal, wood.

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Since the mid-eighties Botha’s work has become even more loaded with personal associations of which the interpretation is not clear cut. It is left to the viewer to make associations with the visual information and title at his/her disposal. Botha described his artworks as documents of journeys through which he is looking for and formulating an identity.

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His use of Afrikaans titles added to the narrative gist of many of his works. By combining figurative forms taken from a range of sources such as history, the bible and politics he created a complex system of metaphors which are not simply descriptive or documentary. He developed his interest in dualities in these later sculptures by including opposites such as male/female, birth/death, internal/external, traditional/industrial.

Andries Botha. Sweet toring. 1981. Metal, wax, sand, wood.

Andries Botha. Force of victory I. 1985. Thatching grass (indigenous South African grass used in the building of traditional African homes), wattle (exotic South African wood).

Andries Botha. Dwase Drome van Boesmans en Ministers. (Stupid dreams about bushmen and ministers). 1991. Wattle, thatching grass, plastic, metal reflectors. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

93 His choice of materials is also part of his system of metaphors. The use of grass, wood, wire and tyres are deliberate references to the opposites of nature and culture, traditional and industrial, handmade and machine made as well as a comment on the reuse of scrap materials in a wasteful consumer society.

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The contradictory experience of being of Afrikaans descent but using an indigenous African technique for his sculptures is also a significant aspect of his works in general. In terms of this technique he has chosen to use weaving used to create isiZulu huts which by women, thereby taking the contradictory aspects present in his work even further. Weaving has always been seen as a craft, a lesser art form, and by using it as a sculptural technique he began to draw attention to the time and effort necessary to create woven pieces. According to Botha his works are about the search for balance and solutions for conflicts.

In these photographs the construction process of Nomkhubulwane has been documented showing the laborious labour needed to create works by using the weaving technique traditional to many indigenous groups of people in Africa.

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DROMMEDARIS DONDER... EN ANDER DOM DINGE (DROMMEDARIS THUNDER/ SWINE … AND OTHER STUPID THINGS)

The title of this work references one of the ships that brought Jan van Riebeeck to the Cape but in the sculpture there is no sign of a ship. The idea behind the name of this ship in the title is that it symbolically stands for the Europeans and everything that they brought along with them. The rest of the title is also cryptic but could be interpreted as follows. Donder can mean thunder Andries Botha. Drommedaris Donder … en ander dom or it is a derogatory name for a person in the dinge.1988. Rubber, mild steel, wattle (exotic South African same vein as calling someone a swine. The rest wood), brass, galvanised wire. of the title could refer to all the other things that happened after the Europeans set foot in Southern Africa. The sculpture consists of four large structures which take up a large space, therefore it requires the viewer to look at it from a distance to take in the whole scene and then to look closer at it in order to see the finer detail. The work has a dramatic narrative feeling to it. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

94 Each of the structures was made out of different media. In front, as if leading a procession an exaggerated figure that looks like a copy of a San man from a rock painting, parades holding a staff ahead of him in two hands. On his back is a deformed shape that resembles the shape of a child. The figure is strong and sturdy. Its head, the creature on its back and its penis create a shadow but the rest of its body is ‘light’ in colour as only the outlines have been made out of wire and it is see-through. The wire structure gives the figure outlines but no inner substance. He seems to be leading the procession and is supposedly important but is almost ghostlike in appearance.

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Behind the figure is a dark, weirdly shaped beast which has two legs with hooves. The beast looks as if it is struggling to move and it seems very heavy as it has been made out of strips of rubber tyres that have been woven into the tightly shaped animal. Directly behind this halved animal, pressed tightly against it, is a large human figure. This human has been made out of wattle sticks that have also been woven tightly to create the form. Wedged between the collarbones of the human and the neck of the animal, a large shiny object, shaped from brass, protrudes. This object looks like the enormous sting of an insect at the end of a long pole. The combination of these three shapes does not make immediate sense.

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Andries Botha. Sondebokke, Sluipmoordenaars, Seges en Slagoffers. (Scapegoats, Assassins, Sieges and Victims). 1991. Leadwood, wax, metal, wattle.

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If we stick to the idea that the title initiates the invasion of southern Africa by the Europeans, then it seems as if the dark beast is emblematic of dark Africa. The human figure with the protruding shiny sting represents the invaders who seem to be sexually molesting the animal. The shiny sting-like object is like a large canon or phallic symbol, representing the invasion of Africa through the technological advances of weapons like guns. In his own description of the work Botha refers to the time when it was made – the height of the violent Apartheid regime. The effect of instutionalised violence on the inhabitants of this country was perplexing and caused an all-encompassing insanity amongst everybody. The idea of a procession or ritual is to create a kind of social order but within it the evils of the society remain evident. The variety of media used for the weaving technique contributes to the metaphorical allusions through the differences in colours, textures and weight. Through the use of the Afrikaans title Botha has placed it within a specific context relating to it Afrikaans speaking people. This title provides us with more information about the artist’s intentions but also contributes to the puzzle in the discussion of the meaning of the work.


Similar to Drommedaris Donder … en ander dom dinge this work was made in response to the effects of the Apartheid regime. Through referring to historical and religious metaphors and icons Botha exposed the fact that anxiety, violation and state repression is a recurring historical tendency which should not be allowed to become the norm.

95 GENESIS, GENESIS, JESUS

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The title refers to the creation of earth and the later rescuing presence of Jesus, the son of the creator, in the bible. In Genesis, Genesis, Jesus … we are faced with a combination of natural materials in comparison to the dominant use of industrialised materials featured in the previous work. The use of thatching grass shaped by a metal structure in one of the figures and leadwood, bolted together around a metal structure in the other figure presents clear distinctions. The diving figure is light in colour and weight and fine in texture. The figure on the ground, pulling itself ahead, is rough, dark and seems heavy. The influence of the traditional isiZulu thatching Andries Botha. Genesis, Genesis, Jesus. 1990. medium and technique is again combined and Leadwood, thatching grass and metal. extended through the use of wood. Botha’s materials are constant reminders of the place that he comes from, KwaZulu Natal, and the effect it had on his life as an artist. The two figures seem to represent a concept of the act of creation. The idea of creation can be interpreted as the act of the light and dark figures becoming one, as if they are on the point of transforming into something else. The figure swooping down onto the dark earthbound figure also reminds one of the representation of God as the creator in the Bible and the representation of God, swooping down to perform his act of creation as seen in Renaissance artworks.

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Botha’s representation of the creator subverts the traditional view by making it an acrobatic feminine form. The figure that she is interacting with is not the classical lean Adam but a sinister static shape that is half human, half beast. This groveling and vulnerable figure evokes masculine and feminine characteristics and is therefore ambiguous, without a clear indication of gender. Its shape is round and feminine while its texture is rough, dark and heavy suggesting a masculine earthbound strength. The acrobatic diving figure is also in a state of transformation as its legs are unified suggesting a fish tail. Opposites play an important part in this work beginning from the most visible, shape, colour and texture developing into more abstract concepts of male and female and order and chaos. Botha interchanges the association made and does not stick to stereotypical versions of concepts.

Andries Botha. Installation view of Ungayithenga inhlizyo nomongo wami - (African curios) at De Panne beach, Belgium. Summer 2006.

Andries Botha. Installation view of Ungayithenga inhlizyo nomongo wami (African curios) in Brussels. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

96 Ungayithenga inhlizyo nomongo wami (African curios)

Andries Botha. Installation view of Ungayithenga inhlizyo nomongo wami (African curios) at De Panne beach, Belgium. Summer 2006.

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This work which consists of nine life size elephants, was completed in 2006 and is part of a series that Botha has been working on continuously ever since. Translated the first part of the isiZulu title says ‘You can buy my heart and my soul…’, and it is followed by a reference to the objects Botha is commenting on, African curios. The title is direct and clearly tells us something about the artist’s idea of the effects of commercialisation as is also evident in Botha’s comment on the work: “In African mythology the elephant reincarnates carrying the soul of a murdered God. It is thus the embodiment of the transmigration of souls. It is also the metaphor for the world’s preoccupation with Africa as an exotic location. The elephant thus embodies the world’s romanticism with Africa. In part it is the Colonial panacea: wildness can be contained, civilised and taken back to the ballrooms of the First World as a trophy.”

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The family of elephants was made of 14 different types of wood sourced in KwaZulu Natal from deceased or fallen trees. Pieces of the wood were carved to fit together and bolted onto the metal structure by a team of carvers. In experiencing this impressive group of elephant figures, the spectator is confronted by a variety of issues. The repercussions of colonialism in Africa are central to the interpretation of the work. Introducing capitalism resulted in the commercialisation of everything – traditional cultures, the natural environment and the animals that live in it. As an animal which represents an aspect such as memory – an elephant never forgets – the largest mammal on land has become symbolic of the effects of human domination over nature. Elephants used to be the trophies of big game hunters and more recently have become part of the tourism trade visiting enclosed tracts of land to see wild natural Africa. The fact that large and powerful animals are threatened by the effects of people on nature comments on the future of the earth as a living organism.

Botha has exhibited this group of large sculptures in various countries to promote the idea of co-existence through the beauty and creativity that can be experienced in an encounter with them. The group of elephants is not necessarily exhibited in museums or galleries but rather in public spaces and usually outside, making them accessible to everybody who moves past them, thereby extending thier impact on the thoughts of viewers. The process has been taken further through the creation of Nomkhubulwane. The idea of creating an awareness of the endangered ecology of the earth through the exhibition of Nomkhubulwane has been promoted through the Human Elephant Foundation. Botha’s aims are the following: “What will we do to change how we live? What will accelerate our commitment to create a more sustainable world? How can an elephant catalyse this conversation and expanded commitment? I am hoping Nomkhubulwane will inspire many more people to ask and address these questions.”


Andries Botha. Nomkhubulwane. 2009. Recycled tyres, metal. The name Nomkhubulwane, derived from isiZulu culture, refers to a mythical guardian of the earth who can transform into many different animal forms. She represents the matriarchal figure that embodies organising principles around memory, social and cultural structure.

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• Look at the following information regarding traditional isiZulu processes and compare the construction processes and functions with Andries Botha’s works by making a list of SIMILARITIES and DIFFERENCES. • Discuss the influences of the traditional weaving processes and products in the two illustrated examples of Botha’s works, Final Journey and Alleenspraak in die Paradys (Monologue in Paradise). • Discuss the metaphors that you can identify in the works and refer to the influence of his use of materials.

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The process of building an isiZulu hut involves creating a structure first with flexible saplings. This part of the process is traditionally done by men. Thatching with grass is usually done by women.

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Traditional isiZulu baskets, as in the illustration above, are made from grass or the ilala palm leaves. The process of weaving involves a warp, which is the structure of the basket or mat. The weft is then woven, evenly interlaced, into the warp. Basket weaving is a concentrated process that usually involves one person. Traditional baskets are functional. Some are made to strain or store traditional sorghum beer (umggombothi) for ceremonial occasions. Other baskets were made to store grain and water and larger baskets to transport maize cobs.

Traditional baskets are mainly functional, although they also have aesthetic qualities. Traditional basket makers have started to use these qualities to create baskets to be sold and some have become well known for making decorative baskets such as Rueben Ndwandwe and Beauty Nxqonga. Modern materials such as colourful telephone wire have added a new aspect to baskets in South Africa.

Eating mat

Close-up of beer strainer woven with grass

Close-up of beer strainer woven with ilala palm leaves


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Decorative basket weaving with telephone wire

Andries Botha. Final Journey. 1984. Thatching grass (indigenous South African grass used to build of traditional African homes), wattle (exotic South African wood).

Andries Botha. Alleenspraak in die Paradys. (Monologue in Paradise). 1991. Rubber, wood, metal, neon. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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CHAPTER

3

Socio-political art – including Resistance art of the ’70s and ’80s

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CONTENTS p. 100

3.2 Overview of socio-political art

p. 103

3.3 Background – Apartheid South Africa

p. 109

3.4 Overview of Resistance Art in South Africa

p. 112

3.5 Jane Alexander

p. 122

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3.1 Introduction – art and politics

3.6 Willie Bester p. 131

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3.7 Manfred Zylla p. 138


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Introduction – Art and Politics

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Art is often used as a means of propaganda to enforce a ruler and/or political system. Propaganda is information of a biased or misleading nature used to promote a particular political cause or point of view. This can be seen in the poster of Hitler where he is portrayed as leading Germany to a new future under Nazi rule. The Socialist Realist art of the Soviet Union had the same purpose of advancing communism. In Roses for Stalin, Joseph Stalin is shown as the good father to the youth of Russia.

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There has always been a strong relationship between art and politics. From the earliest time, art was used by rulers to serve them. Khafre Enthroned and Augustus Primaporta both show rulers from ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome respectively. Both these rulers were idealised to show their absolute power.

Roman, Augustus Primaporta, 1st century. Marble.

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Egypt, Khafre enthroned, c. 2 520 – 2 494 BCE. Diorite.

Boris Vladimirski, Roses for Stalin, 1949. Oil on canvas.


Long live Germany, Nazi poster, c. 1930s.

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On the other hand, art can also be a powerful weapon to show opposition to political systems. Art, therefore, has an important function as a form of social protest and to make people aware of injustices in society, such as in the 1954 poster by Erni Hans that shows the danger of nuclear power.

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Social Realism describes the art created by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros in Mexico during the 1920s and 1930s. They were all committed to left-wing ideas during a politically turbulent time in Mexico and used realism to comment on social issues. Their large-scale murals on public buildings were painted to convey their social and political messages to the public. Diego Rivera was an active member of the Mexican communist party and in the Arsenal, he addresses the plight of exploited farm workers who should fight for their rights. He shows his friends distributing guns to the workers so that they can become powerful and overtake the government. The goal of this mission was to give the workers back their land and to maintain a strong movement towards communism. In the middle is his third wife, Frida Kahlo, who hands out guns to workers. In the background the red hammer and sickle flag waves representing communism and revolution. Rivera presents a masculine representation of Frida who is dressed in pants and a red shirt with a small red star on her chest and her hair is pulled back. She is serious in her mission to liberate the workers in the support of communism and revolution and to assist them in bearing arms. This image of Kahlo is contrasted with that of the Italian photographer, Tina Modotti who stands on the right side of the mural as is portrayed as feminine, wearing a skirt and with curls framing her delicate face. Realism is the style of this painting so the meaning of this work is easy to understand.

Diego Rivera, The Arsenal (The distribution of arms), 1928. Fresco.


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You have already studied the four artworks reproduced on this page. They are some of the most famous artworks expressing political concerns.

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Discuss the following about each work. • The historical context • Description of the scene portrayed • Use of formal elements and composition • Meaning and message

Goya, The Third of May 1808, 1815. Oil on canvas.

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David, The oath of the Horatii, 1784. Oil on canvas.

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Delacroix, Liberty leading the people, 1830. Oil on canvas.

Pablo Picasso, Guernica. 1937. Oil on canvas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Overview of socio-political art The devastation of many wars and conflict situations in the twentieth century have resulted in a variety of artistic expressions. Some include the following:

Otto Dix, Der Krieg (the war), 1929 - 1932. Oil and tempera on wood.

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Otto Dix (1891 – 1969) was part of The New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) in Germany after the First World War. This movement criticised the corruption and general demoralisation of Germany after its defeat in the First World War. Der Krieg arose out of Dix’s own experiences of the horrors of war. He had volunteered for service in the army and fought as a machine-gunner on the Western Front. He was wounded a number of times, once almost fatally. War profoundly affected him as an individual and as an artist and he took every opportunity, both during his active service and afterwards, to document his experiences. The format of his work is based on Grünewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece which includes one of the most brutal and moving depictions of Christ’s crucifixion. In this work, the left panel shows armed and uniformed soldiers marching off into the distance. In the centre and right panels he shows the horrific results of war with mangled bodies, many riddled with bullet holes, scattered in an apocalyptic landscape. The central panel shows that only one soldier survived with a gas mask in the collapsed trench. Around him corpses are in the final stages of decomposition and a skeleton hangs from a tree. Dix painted himself in the right hand panel as the ghostly, but determined soldier who drags a comrade to safety. The bottom panel looks like a coffin with soldiers asleep or dead. The whole work is painted with a wealth of realistic detail. In this work the brutality of war is shown with putrefied flesh, worms and gangrene. The many spiked vertical lines help to give a sense of devastation and even the sky, with red swirling clouds, speaks of the catastrophe that has descended over the land. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Max Beckmann (1884 – 1950) volunteered as a medical orderly during the First World War and his traumatic experiences during this war formed his work in the 1920’s when he was associated with The New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) in Germany. In The Night he placed emphasis on how the horrors of war led to a society descending into madness and where the brutality and violence invaded the home. Three intruders have forcefully invaded the cramped room of a family. The bound woman in front might have been raped.

Max Beckmann, The Night, 1929. Oil on canvas

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In the background a woman tries to hide. On the right the third intruder prepares to flee with the child. Beckman injected a personal reference by using himself, his wife and son as the models for the three family members. The unnatural angularity of the figures and the roughness of the paint surface contribute to the savage look of the work. Figures and objects seem to be dislocated and contorted in a distorted and illogical space. Colour seems to be washed out and is restricted to dirty whites, browns, grays, etc., with touches of red to create a contrast. What makes this work so effective is that it conveys a sense of the futility of war and violence with the inclusion of ordinary people.

Käthe Kollwitz, Die Freiwilligen (The volunteers), 1923. Woodcut.


Käthe Kollwitz (1867 – 1945) began a series of woodcuts called Krieg (War) in 1919 in response to what she called those ‘unspeakable difficult years’ of World War 1 and its aftermath in Germany. The seven woodcuts in the series focus on the sorrow of those left behind such as the mothers, widows and children. Kollwitz did a lot of preparatory drawings to simplify the compositions of these large-format black-and-white woodcuts. Only one print, The Volunteers, shows soldiers. In this work Kollwitz’s younger son, Peter, takes his place next to Death, who leads the troops in a blissful procession to war. Peter was killed in combat just two months after this woodcut was completed. In these works Kollwitz eliminated references to specific time and place, so that the work becomes a universal statement about the suffering and loss suffered during war and other times of crisis. She makes very effective use of her medium in the stark contrast between black and white, as well as the strong lines created by her carved marks.

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Käthe Kollwitz, The sacrifice, 1923. Woodcut.

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Käthe Kollwitz, The Mothers, 1923. Woodcut.

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Leon Golub (1922 – 2004) was an American painter whose work was formed by civil wars, revolution and repression the world over. He looked for “universal” rather than specific historical explanations for war, brutality and oppression. Golub addressed issues of power where gangs of male figures, clad in an array of different uniforms or just generic combat fatigues, usually tie up, drag, shoot and beat solitary, bound and gagged victims. In The Interrogation II a simple composition with four figures (the interrogators) stand behind a hooded naked victim sitting on a chair. Behind them is some kind of torture rack. The interrogators are relaxed – one has his hands in his pockets while another is smoking a cigarette. They are confident and are smiling. The empty spaces in this work remind one of blood. The victim becomes a piece of meat to be tortured. The viewer is filled with disgust at the torture the victem has to go through and the self-satisfied attitude of the interrogators. Golub, by focusing on these terrible tortures which happen in many societies, makes one aware of inhumane practices and torture in conflict situations In Interrogation III there is the absolute vulnerability of the nude woman blindfolded and bound at the wrists, being tortured by two policemen/soldiers. Golub made his paintings on unstretched canvas hung on the wall, like a banner. His painting technique itself took on the nature of exposure, as he painted over the figures in layers and then stripped some layers with solvents and scrap to reveal them again, creating a mottled look of skin and clothing.

Leon Golub, The Interrogation II, 1981. Acrylic on linen. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Leon Golub, The Interrogation III, 1981. Acrylic on linen.

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Martha Rosler (1943 - ) often makes use of photo-montage where she contrasts domestic life with war, repression and politics. In the Gladiators a modern living room with a spotless white couch is invaded by two American soldiers in full battle gear. They are followed by the two figures on the left in front of the couch and the outside scene through the window. In the living room of the spacious home depicted, a framed artwork hangs; a photo of bloodied Iraqi civilians Martha Rosler. Gladiators (From the series, Bringing the War Home), 2004. heaped in a pile, a crystalPhotomontage. clear indication that we are living with war in our daily lives without really seeing it. The quiet of the affluent residence has been shattered by a police officer who is apparently arresting a member of the household while heavily armed U.S. soldiers conduct a search and destroy mission through the dwelling. Viewers of Gladiators may be confused by the chaotic panorama glimpsed through the house’s huge bay windows. In part it is obviously a distressing Iraqi street scene where smoke from a detonated car bomb wafts by palm trees but who are the odd looking men rushing towards the house and brandishing clubs? They are dressed in Roman gear and seem to be an anomaly in this modern scene.


107 The photograph depicting them is not a readily identifiable image, even though it’s an Associated Press photo that was widely circulated on the internet. The image documents U.S. Marines of the 1st Division in Iraq, dressed as gladiators and - like a scene from Charlton Heston’s, Ben Hur - holding chariot races with filched Iraqi horses. The bizarre incident occurred at a Marine military base outside the doomed city of Fallujah on November 6th, 2004, the very eve of the Marine attack that would destroy the ‘’insurgent stronghold’’ of 300,000 civilians. This image gives a literal meaning to the term ‘living room war’ where the TV news images bring war into the living room. Rosler used a painstaking collage technique, shunning computer graphics technology. She physically cuts and pastes the images together. This creates an unnatural sense of scale to the perspective. The glossy, surface of the images help to create a modern magazine-like feeling to the work. The fact that one of the soldiers is raising his automatic weapon towards the viewer is a disquieting reminder that the war has indeed come home.

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The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or Arab-Israeli conflict, is one of the ongoing and unsolved conflicts in the world. In 2002 the Israeli government started building a huge wall between Israel and Palestine. According to the Israeli’s the barrier is necessary to protect Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorist activities such as suicide bombing attacks. This is a controversial issue as it restricts Palestinians who live nearby. In particular their ability to travel freely within the West Bank and to access work in Israel is restricted. The Palestinians refer to the wall as a ‘racial segregation fence’, and in English it is often referred to by opponents of the wall as an ‘Apartheid wall’, while the Israelis, call it a ‘security fence’. Graffiti on the Palestine side of the wall has been one of the forms of protest against its existence.

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Banksy is the pseudonym of an English graffiti artist. His political and social commentaries have appeared on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world. He painted images on the Palestine side of the wall in 2005 and again in 2007. According to Banksy the wall ‘turns Palestine into the world’s largest open prison. The segregation wall is a disgrace: “The possibility I find exciting is that you could turn the world’s most invasive and degrading structure into the world’s longest gallery of free speech and bad art.”


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Study the images Banksy created in Palestine and debate the following:

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• His choice of images in the context of the wall. • Possible meanings of these images. • Graffiti as a means of making people aware of socio-political issues. • Is graffiti vandalism or art for all people? “A picture is worth a thousand words.” - Since its invention photography has become an important medium to document socio-political issues. Photographs have been used to inform the public about worldwide social injustices. They have also been used as propaganda to promote national pride and patriotism. Photography was proposed as the ultimate portrayal of reality. This has not always been the case since photography can be manipulated and staged and it is often difficult to confirm the authenticity of a photo. (The most famous case of such alterations come from communist Russia where the so-called ‘enemies of the people” such as Leon Trotsky, were removed from photographs and in doing so the ‘past’ was changed.)

Robert Capa, Falling Soldier, Spanish Civil War, 1936. Photograph.

This photograph in which a soldier is shot and, almost in slow motion, falls to the ground, is one of the most striking and notorious photos of people in conflict. The validity of this photograph has been questioned and some have argued that it was staged.were buried in mass graves.


This photograph shows Dr Fritz Klein, the camp physician, standing in a mass grave at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. It shows the horror of the Nazi concentration camps where the bodies of the people who died in the gas chambers were buried in mass graves.

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Kevin Carter, Vulture and child in Sudan, 1993. Photograph.

Adam’s photograph of an officer shooting a handcuffed prisoner in the head at point-blank range not only earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1969, but also went a long way toward souring Americans’ attitudes about the Vietnam War. What the photograph does not reveal is that the man who was shot was the captain of a Vietcong “revenge squad” which had executed dozens of unarmed civilians earlier the same day.

The South African-born news photographer, Kevin Carter’s, photo about a famine in Sudan was published in 1993 in the New York Times. The next year he won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for photography with this photo. Carter received much criticism for his seeming lack of assistance to the dying girl. This was one of the reasons for his suicide in 1994.

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Eddie Adams Murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief, 1968. Photograph.

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Background – Apartheid in South Africa

In 1948 the National Party under D.F. Malan came to power and formalised the existing system of racial discrimination and the denial of human rights in the legal system of Apartheid. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the various national party governments.The rights of the majority of Black inhabitants were curtailed and White supremacy was maintained. Many laws were passed to enforce the policy of separate development of the races. One of the first was the Population Registration Act of 1950 which formalised racial classification as White, Indian, Coloured or Black. This was followed by the Group areas Act of 1950 according to which each racial group was allotted its own area. This led to the forced removal of many communities, such as those of Sophiatown and District Six. The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act prohibited marriage between persons of different races and the Immorality Act made sexual relations between people of different races a criminal offence. The Reservation of Separate Amenities Act of 1953, created among other things, separate beaches, buses, hospitals, schools and universities. Signboards such as “White only” were applied to public areas, including park benches. Black people were provided with services greatly inferior to those of Whites and, to a lesser extent, to those of Indian and Coloured people. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Education was also segregated and the Bantu Education Act of 1953 was designed to prepare Black people for the labour class. Part of the policy of separate development was the creation of independent “homelands” for Black people such as the Transkei, Ciskei, etc. The Black Homeland Citizenship Act of 1970 changed the status of Black people living in South Africa so that they were no longer citizens of South Africa but became citizens of these ten ‘homelands’. The aim was to ensure a demographic majority of White people within South Africa by having all ten ‘homelands’ achieve full independence. This was never economically viable and led to the disintegration of many families where the husbands went to the cities for work, leaving their wives and children at ‘home’. The government tightened existing pass laws, compelling Black South Africans to carry identity documents (“dompas”) at all times. On 9 August 1956, 20 000 women marched to Pretoria to present a petition to the government against the carrying of passes by women.

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The system of Apartheid sparked significant internal resistance. In 1949 the youth wing of the African National Congress (ANC) took control of the organisation and started advocating a radical Black nationalist programme. The new young leaders proposed that White authority could only be overthrown through mass campaigns which led to strikes, boycotts and civil disobedience actions. These often resulted in violent clashes with the authorities which in turn increased the local support for the armed resistance struggle. The government responded with further laws such as the Suppression of Communism Act which banned the South African Communist Party. Disorderly gatherings were also banned, as were certain organisations that were deemed threatening to the government.

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In 1959 the Pan African congress (PAC) was formed and then organised a demonstration against pass books on 21 March 1960. The demonstration in Sharpeville resulted in 69 people being killed and 178 wounded by the police. After the Sharpeville incident the government declared a state of emergency. They banned the ANC and PAC, arrested their leaders and more than 18 000 people. The resistance against Apartheid went underground, with some leaders going into exile abroad and others became engaged in campaigns of domestic sabotage and terrorism. The ANC then chose to launch an armed struggle through a newly formed military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), which would perform acts of sabotage on strategic state structures. In 1963 ten leaders of the ANC were arrested at Liliesleaf Farm, Rivonia and charged with acts of sabotage intended to overthrow the Apartheid government. After the Rivonia Trial Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki and others were imprisoned for terrorism and treason. The trial was condemned by the United Nations Security Council and nations across the world which led to sanctions against the South African government.


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In 1976 secondary scholars from Soweto in the Soweto uprising protested against ‘Bantu education’ and the forced tuition in Afrikaans. On 16 June, police opened fire on students in what was meant to be a peaceful protest. According to official reports 23 people were killed, but news agencies put the number as high as 600 killed and 4000 injured. The violence spread countrywide with many people killed and others fled the country. In the following years several student organisations were formed with the goal of protesting against Apartheid. The labour unions and workers also played an important role in the struggle against Apartheid, filling the gap left by the banning of political parties.

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“A jagged faultline cuts through South African history. It is a year, 1976, the year the children of Soweto decided to protest their oppression. Peaceful protest was met by police gunfire and soon Soweto was aflame. The furious sparks set the rest of the country alight; hundreds died thousands fled. In the space of a few months, things in South Africa changed forever”. – Sue Williamson, Resistance Art

This famous newspaper photo by Sam Nzima of a group carrying the body of Hector Pietersen sends shock waves throughout the world.

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112 The 1980s was a violent decade especially for Black communities. There was a great surge in the protest or resistance against the Nationalist government supported by the international community. The government answered with reactions such as declaring a state of emergency. In 1983 the United Democratic Front (UDF) was founded in Cape Town. It was important for its policy of non-radicalism and people from all races played a part in this opposition group. In 1985 COSATU was founded to coordinate the growing number of unions. The Black working class became more politicised in its opposition to the government.

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By 1986 the growing pressures both local and internationally (sanctions) had many of the restrictive laws such as the Pass Law repealed. On 2 February 1990 President F.W. de Klerk announced the unbanning of the African National Congress and Pan African Congress, as well as the release of Nelson Mandela. From 26 to 29 April 1994 the South African population voted in the first election for all South Africans and Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected president of South Africa.

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The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 1995 under the leadership of Archbishop Desmond Tutu to expose crimes committed during the Apartheid era. The commission heard many stories of brutality and injustice from all sides and offered some healing to people and communities shattered by their past experiences.

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The Commission operated by allowing victims to tell their stories and by allowing perpetrators to confess their guilt with amnesty on offer to those who made a full confession. Those who chose not to appear before the commission faced criminal prosecution if the authorities could prove their guilt. But while some soldiers, police, and ordinary citizens confessed their crimes, few of those who had given the orders or commanded the police, presented themselves.

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Overview of Resistance Art in South Africa

“The role of an artist is to ceaselessly search for the ways and means of achieving freedom. Art cannot overthrow a government, but it can inspire change.” – Thami Mnyele

Paul Grendon, Ons vir jou Suid-Afrika, 1985. Oil on wood. 240 x 12000cm.


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“I am interested in making large-scale paintings that can be used in public places with imagery that is totally accessible to everyone.”

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This huge work was a portable mural which was displayed at mass meetings. It was influenced by the Mexican muralists and depicts the oppressive and divided South African history from the settlement of the Dutch in 1652, through the Great Trek, to the exploitation of the land and mineral resources by capitalist interests. The title refers to the last line of the national anthem, Die Stem. Grendon subverts this message by showing how colonising forces exploited the majority of South Africans. Skeletons throughout the work are the bringers and receivers of death. Art should not only be confined to galleries but be a part of everyday life. Resistance art was a serious attempt to create political change and to also address associated social injustices. Resistance Art focused on the ‘wounds’ in South African society.

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Before 1976 South African art was mainly nonpolitical. The Soweto uprising of 1976 sparked a new commitment by many artists to moral and political responsibility with the belief that art had a conscious role to play under conditions of oppression in South Africa. An increasing number of artists, both Black and White, began to see art as a means of portraying their view of political and social issues in South Africa and art became a way to voice the injustices in the South African society. These artists saw art as a way to influence people and to help create change in South Africa. At the 1979 conference, The State of the Nation, at the University of Cape Town the social responsibility of the artist was discussed. At this conference artists such as Sue Williamson, Paul Stopforth and Gavin Younge signed a commitment not to participate in any exhibition sponsored by the state until universities were open to all races. In 1982 a conference, Culture and Resistance: Art towards Social Development and Change in South Africa was held in Gaborone, Botswana. The role of the artist in society was discussed and it was concluded that the act of culture was an act of struggle. Artists had to identify with the masses and produce art that attempted to change attitudes.

The 1980s was a particularly violent decade with a great surge in protest and resistance against the Nationalist government. This decade was characterised by a constant cycle of unrest, restrictions, bannings, police shootings, death in detention, states of emergency, news censorship and ‘necklacing’. Resistance art was at its most potent with artists showing their social responsibility in an explosion of politically motivated visual imagery. These images gave voice to community experience, reflecting on repression and struggle. South African art of the 1980s was filled with images of snakes, crocodiles, armorwearing creatures, motor tyres and cannibalistic plants that became symbols of the resistance. (See Sue Williamson, Resistance Art in South Africa)


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Popular Resistance Artists committed to political resistance had to re-think the idea of the artist as an individual isolated from the broader community. Many of these artists preferred the term ‘cultural worker’, rather than artist. Art had to be more democratic and not only for a chosen few but something for the whole community. In the visual arts, this popular resistance manifested through posters, t-shirts, banners, logos and murals. In all these the message to achieve democratic and human rights for all was important. Cape Youth Congress Banner, Cape Town, 1985. Acrylic on cloth. Huge banners were painted to be used at mass meetings.

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There were some 5 000 South African resistance posters produced between 1975 and 1995. These posters were never intended as permanent works of art on a wall but served the function of informing people about meetings, events and injustices. Above all they were to mobilise the people to continue the struggle for a democratic South Africa. Silkscreen printing was relatively inexpensive and the technique lent itself to mass reproduction and public display. Visual images had to be bold and easily identifiable by the people. A clenched fist, chains and reworkings of Sam Nzima’s photograph of the dead Hector Pieterson were popular visual images. Many people felt that these recurring images helped to create a strong identity for these posters, while others saw that these became clichéd and stereotypical, not showing creative imagination.

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The Medu Art Ensemble was formed in Gaberone, Botswana in late 1978 by exiled South Africans. They played an important role in producing political posters. For these “cultural workers” function prescribed the form that the poster took. People should see and remember images, and use them - over and over again. On June 14, 1985, the SADF raided Gaborone, killing twelve people, including the artist Thami Mnyele and Medu ceased to exist overnight.

Unity unions: Workers Day Rally: Launch of the New Federation, 1985. Litho poster.

The t-shirt became a potent way to make a political statement and show allegiance to an organisation. Many of these t-shirts were banned and wearing them could lead to imprisonment.

Sarmcol Workers Cooperative: The Long March, 1987. Silkscreen poster. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Graffiti was another way to pass the message of resistance on and walls became the notice boards of the people. The ‘Free Mandela’ graffiti was one of the most frequent statements. The writing on the wall became required reading about the state of the struggle.

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The Community Arts Project (CAP) was founded in Cape Town in 1977. It started as an organisation aimed at bringing together people from different economic and racial backgrounds in creating art and staging theatre events.

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CAP was perhaps the community art centre most active in using printing as a way of social transformation with the printing of posters and t-shirts for political groups fighting Apartheid. It played an important role in developing the visual arts skills of workers from trade unions and political organisations to further the aims of the liberation movement. It also launched the careers of many otherwise marginalised Black artists such as Billy Mandindi and Willie Bester.

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Artworks inspired by specific events Steve Biko was the young leader of the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilise much of the urban Black population. He was empowered with his sayings such as “man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being”. He was taken into police custody in 1977 and was murdered in detention. Since his death he has been called a martyr of the anti-Apartheid movement and his life and death have been the subject matter for many artworks. An elegy is a poem or song composed especially as a lament for a deceased person. Stopforth created a series of works called ‘elegy” as a homage to his friend, Steve Biko and to express his grief on Biko’s death. In this work the body of the dead Biko is shown laying on a mortuary tray.

Paul Stopforth, Elegy for Steve Biko, 1981, Mixed media

The body looks youthful, strong and young which makes the fact that he is dead all the more shocking. The whole body is on display in all its vulnerability, with only the head averted as if to give him a bit of privacy. The shadows and outlines are rendered in light rather than dark as in an X-ray or photograph negative. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

116 The figure is viewed from a distance and a little from above which add to its vulnerability and that it is under scrutiny. The overwhelming red of the background makes the figure stand out and alludes to violence and blood. The placing of the figure is like a horizontal crucifixion and Biko is thus represented as a martyr who died for his political convictions.

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Nhlengethwa’s collage is even starker and shows the vulnerability of Biko’s body and its devastation through torture. The title refers to the statement that the then minister of justice, Jimmy Kruger, made that Biko’s death ‘left me cold’. Biko is shown lying dead and naked in a cell like room. The collage technique is very effective in creating multiple perspectives. The out-ofproportion large cut-out head is especially touching as a symbol of the brutal assault against Biko. The empty chair and the body of Biko in this depressing monochrome room create a chilling atmosphere. The viewer wonders what exactly happened before this scene viewed through the open door.

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Sam Nhlengethwa, It left him cold - the death of Steve Biko, 1990. Collage, pencil and charcoal

See also Paul Stopforth’s The Interogators (p.114 ) and Willie Bester’s Homage to Steve Biko.

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On 21 March 1985, a funeral procession of a few thousand in the small town of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape turned into a shameful massacre when police opened fire. Large funerals had been banned by the police in terms of the Internal Security Act but the people decided to march anyway, resulting in 20 people being killed and another 27 being injured. Most of the people killed or wounded were shot from the rear,and the crowd was already dispersing as people ran away when most of the shots were fired.

Kevin Brand, 19 Boys Running, 1988. Sculpture installation of wood, polystherene, paper and paint.

Brand depicts this incident in this installation which shows 19 figures with anguished, contorted expressions on their faces as they try to escape. Their legs have been replaced by simple pine boxes. Each boy is numbered like a morgue specimen. The figures are made of slightly shaped polystyrene that is covered in brown paper and painted. They are almost two-dimensional images, appearing to be more of a front-page picture than real people. There is an irony in that the title says they are running but their bodies have been cut off at the waist and their legs are already transformed into cheap pine coffins.


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The Oppressors During the Apartheid regime the majority of South Africans saw the government as the oppressor. Albie Sachs said that “it is as though our rulers stalk every page and haunt every picture: everything is obsessed by the oppressors and the trauma they have imposed”. Many artists have portrayed the oppressors who upheld the Apartheid system.

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Stopforth’s The Interrogators, is a triptych which featured three of the nine policemen involved in the inquest around Steve Biko’s death in custody. He made use of press photographs of these figures and for the first time the real faces of the perpetrators of violence under Apartheid. Stopforth talked about the ordinariness of the three men who were alleged to have beaten Biko so badly that he died. The viewer is confronted with three close-up faces in steely gray. They seem ghostlike and sinister, especially the one who hides behinds his sunglasses. The humble materials used are a part of the power of this work. A layer of floor wax was melted on a board with a layer of graphite power layered on top of the hot wax. When it had cooled, an etching needle was used to scrape away the dark gray layer, revealing pale waxy highlights. The background is flattened by the uniform layer of black paint leaving the ghostlike image of a chair to unify the three images. The shadow of the chair is an inanimate object which becomes a symbol of latent terror in Biko’s struggle with his captors.

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Paul Stopforth, The Interrogators, 1979. Graphite and floor wax.

Gary van Wyk, State of Emergency Series, 1985. Oil on Canvas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

118 Van Wyk based these works on press and television images. It shows the oppression and misuse of power by the police in the Apartheid system. The figures are painted in black on unprimed canvas with solid red backgrounds. Clear brushstrokes are visible in the black and white clothing. Red, the colour of danger, anger and bloodshed, helps to convey a specific message of the danger and power of these people. Their body language, like the pointing finger, reinforces their power. The viewer also has to look up at these figures which again reinforces their authority. The figures do not make eye contact with the viewer and are arrogant and self-important. Although these figures were powerful and inflicted fear, they were also pathetic and comical in a way, as if they were only the puppets who had to commit terrible acts to uphold the system.

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The oppressors were often portrayed in a comically and satirical way. The huge boots in Murray’s Policeman may at first glance seem funny but chillingly comments on the power of such a figure. Often there was also a mixture of human and animal features to comment on the beastlike activities of the oppressors.

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Norman Catherine, Carnivores (detail), 1988. Drypoint.

The main figure in this work is a mixture of man and animal. It shows a policeman with his cap. This authority figure is creating a scene of devastation with mutilated bodies all around it. This hybrid figure shows how the authority figures were seen as ‘dogs’ during the Apartheidera. His tongue is shown as a snake. His teeth are razor sharp and his claws can also hurt. There is in distinct contrast with the dark colour of the main figure against the lighter background. The shapes are distorted and simplified (the teeth, eye, etc.) There are lots of different textures in the work e.g. the fur on the body, patterns and marks made in the background.

Norman Catherine, Dog of war, 1988. Etching

Brett Murray, Policeman, 1985. Fibre glass and oil paint. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

119 This is one of a series of works that Hodgins based on Ubu, the morally corrupt character in the Alfred Jarry play. Ubu appears in the ropes and chain of a mayor and is thus an authority figure. He looks downwards and sideways, shiftily avoiding our gaze. His nose has been flattened and has slid down his face and his mouth is a smudgy grimace. The pig-like quality of his face reflects his internal rot and he becomes the embodiment of a greedy and morally corrupt society. He is an evil corrupt oppressor but he is also comic in his malevolence.

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It is a painterly portrait with strong brushwork. The shapes in the face have been distorted to become animal-like. The figure dominates the picture plane and the background is a flat and dark area that places the emphasis on the figure. Colours are mainly variations of white, pinks and red. This is especially prevalent in the face with its contrasts of the white middle part and the red/pink fleshy parts of the cheeks and jowels.

David Brown, Voyage 1& II, 1988. cor-Ten and stainless steel, bronze, copper and cast iron.

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Robert Hodgins, Ubu – the Official Portrait, 1931, tempera and gesso on board.

Many artists portrayed the oppressors, the figures who had to uphold the Apartheid government. This is seen in Jane Alexander’s Butcher Boys (p.122) and Manfred Zylla’s Deathtrap (p.135). The state of the Apartheid government was also shown in art works. David Brown in his Voyages-series of sculptures shows South Africa as a ‘ship of fools’ on the way to disaster. The brutish crew seems subhuman while the swinging and caged victims are lean and lithe.


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Norman Catherine, Intensive care, charcoal and pastel, 1988.

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Norman Catherine often used satire to comment on Apartheid in South Africa. In this way, he forced the viewer to confront or experience the unpleasant reality of Apartheid. In Intensive care he portrays South Africa as the patient awaiting imminent punishment and death. The hospital patient is about to be cut in two by a circular saw blade advancing up his bed. The patient has a mousetrap at his throat. The 1948 on his chart at the foot of the bed refers to the year the Nationalist Party came to power. He is trapped in a bed by barbed wire. The masklike face gazes with eyes wide and teeth bared at the impending disaster. The only colour consists of touches of red on the patient’s mouth and in the bloody saw blade. The suitcase that is also fastened with barbed wire makes escape impossible. Catherine used definite marks to create a scratchy feeling in the work and to show that it is not a pleasant sight to behold.

Botha’s Baby: The title refers to P.W. Botha, the prime minister at the time of the creation of this piece. The sculpture is a typical high chair for a baby. The feeding tray of the chair has a recess for a gun. In this way the work makes a wry comment on the violence used to uphold the Apartheid system.

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The oppressed

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Oppression is the exercise of power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner as in Apartheid South Africa. There are many artworks which show the hardships and injustices the oppressed had to suffer.

Gavin Younge, Botha’s Baby, 1981. Cast Iron and welded steel.

Ka-Mkame named this work, Letters to God, as he called upon God to witness the atrocities happening in South Africa. He used oil pastels to draw many small scenes such as a funeral, a girl in a light blue dress running with blood staining her chest, uniformed children waving protest placards, and a woman seated alone at her dining room table. Together these small scenes form a patchwork of distress. Although the colours are bright, the overall feeling is somber. He used a sgraffito technique where colours are layered and then scratched so that scraps of the colour below the surface are revealed. According to KaMkame these scenes are ‘just what I see when I wake up in the morning’. The work shows a tender, prayer-like mix of struggle images. It shows some of the primary images of the struggle – toyi-toyi, teargas, placards etc. The type of images in this work were often found in the art world in the 1980s.


Sfiso Ka-Mkame, Letters to God (detail), 1988. Oil pastel on paper.

121 This work seems to be like a ‘snap shot’ of an ongoing scene with its composition bursting with imagery. The woman with the chain from her breast is the focal point. Technically she is represented as much lighter than the rest of the figures. She is the mother and from her breast emerges a chain that could be seen as a link to the past and its traditions. Sebidi gives her personal interpretation of life in the South African township with its overwhelming lack of space and sense of chaos. The figures and animals are squashed together trying to find their own space. It also speaks of how the traditional Helen Sebidi, The Child’s mother holds the lifestyle was being destroyed in the townships. Her work sharp edge of the knife, 1988. Pastel on paper. illustrates the plight of Blacks who were not free to come and go as they chose, suffering the injustices of Apartheid, forced to live according to government decree, of in overcrowded townships.

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Sebidi’s use of collage in this work leads to fragmented figures. The faces relate to African masks. It is figurative and expressionistic in the way that shapes are distorted. There is a lot of mark-making in her use of pastels. The use of line is clearly seen in Sebidi’s technique of rendering and outlining certain parts. The arms form clear directional lines leading the eye both upwards and downwards. The shapes are simplified, distorted and fragmented. The colours are rich and bright within the shallow space.


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“I am using the brush to be part of the struggle. My other brothers are using AK 47s’, said Mandla Emmanuel Sibande.

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Discuss how the artists of these three works used their paint brushes to be a part of the struggle. Use the following pointers: • Specific subject matter • Use of formal elements • Style and technique • Possible meanings and messages

Mandla Emmanuel Sibande, Zabalaza, 1987. Oil on board

Alfred Thoba, 1976 Riots, 1977. Oil on board.

Thomas Nkuna, Amandla ilizwe I Africa, 1989. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Jane Alexander (1959 - ) Jane Alexander was born in Johannesburg in 1959. She studied Fine Art at the University of the Witwatersrand where she obtained an MA Fine Arts degree in 1988. She was chosen as the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year in 1995. Alexander has won numerous awards for her work. She lives in Cape Town and lecturers at the Michaelis School of Fine Arts in Cape Town.

“Part of the reason I make things realistic is I don’t really want to have to explain my work. What I wish to communicate is done so most readily, I think, through this type of realism. People can make their own interpretation, and if it’s different to my idea it doesn’t matter.”

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Alexander is influenced by the work of Edward Kienholz, an American artist, who produced installation environments. The State Hospital shows two figures lying on a bunk-bed. They are both strapped to the bed. The pitiful body on the lower bunk is seen to be dreaming only of the identical misery of the patient above by means of the neon ‘speech bubble’. In each of the glass bubble heads a black fish swims. The figures are placed in the construction of a cell filled with the typical hospital smell of ether. The viewer experiences the full-scale environment of the tragedy of the mentally ill.

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Characteristics

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“My work has always been influenced by the political and social character of South Africa. My themes are drawn from the relationship of individuals to hierarchies and the presence of aggression, violence, victimisation, power and subservience.” While Alexander was at university she was exposed to information about the unjust political situation in South Africa through students’ underground organisations and activities. This had a huge influence as she responded to the South African situation in her work. Although Alexander has never called herself a political artist because she sees protest art as too specific, she has created some of the most lasting images of resistance art such as the Butcher Boys.

Edward Kienholz, The state Hospital, 1966. Installation

In her early works in the 1980’s she explored violence in human society. This reflected the extremely violent period in South African history in the 1980s. Her work is both about the perpetrators and violence. She works from the personal perspective of being a White woman in South Africa and does not pretend to understand the suffering of political victims. Her work is not a documentation of our past or present but rather an allegorical image of suffering and violence. Jane Alexander, Untitled, 1982. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

123 She often works with the theme of alienation, of people not quite belonging to society. Alexander feels that her work has no specific story besides the one the viewer creates. Her work is further based on personal experience, perception and media information.

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Jane Alexander, Dog, 1984 - 5. Plaster, hair, bone, creosote and oil paint.

Alexander is primarily a sculptor whose work is figurative and always related to the human figure as she is interested in anatomy as a form of expression. The figures are often life-sized and convey a potent presence and a sense of drama. Alexander seeks to identify the manner in which violence, aggression, cruelty and suffering are conveyed through and contained by the human figure. Her work speaks of the instinctive drives within humanity such as the desire for power, the habits of violence, victimisation and oppression.

Jane Alexander, Street Cadets with harbinger: wish, walk/Loop, Long, 1997 -98. Mixed media.

Her sculptures show a motley cast of characters. She often creates hybrids by combining human bodies with the heads of baboons, jackals, ibises and other creatures. In this way the human figures are given animalistic characteristics and she beastialises the human form. In this mixture of man and beast, Alexander forces the viewer to re-think human behaviour. Ambiguity is a constant theme in her work, especially the ambiguous nature of violence. The opposite of violence is vulnerability. When a society feels unsafe people are often both victims and aggressors.

Jane Alexander, African Adventure, 1999 – 2002.Installation. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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“If I’m going to do a piece, I choose people of physical appropriateness, and then I cast them, cut up the casts and rework those. I make the basic structure of wire and bandage, and build the plaster over that. I have a basic skull shape that I cast. Hands, feet, faces and heads are not cast but modeled.”

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Her sculptures are modeled from the human form but she also casts straight from the human body. After the casting is completed, she manipulates the form by modeling it and creating many textural possibilities. Alexander’s primary reference is the human anatomy. She has an extensive knowledge of this as she studied anatomy at one time. The exquisite detail of bone, muscle and posture compels the viewer. During the creative process foreign materials and found objects such as bone, horns, etc., are introduced. She makes use of a variety of materials such plaster, bone, horns, wood, wax and paint.

Jane Alexander, African adventure centre, 2000. Photomontage.

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Photomontages: Alexander also creates photomontages. These works allow her to cut up and collage images together and then create a new ‘photograph’. This would otherwise be impossible, because of the size of the sculptures and because of the chosen environments. These works are atmospheric, grainy in black and white and the disturbing montages evoke memories of news photos. We know these images have been manipulated and they raise questions about the validity of photographed documentation. Alexander in recent years has created many site-specific installations all over the world. On each occasion one or more new characters is introduced. The specific setting provides a theatrical backdrop for her sculptures. She installs them herself and the work continues to speak of vulnerability, neurosis and displacement.

Jane Alexander, Verity, Faith and Justice (detail), 2006. Installation.

Jane Alexander, Security (detail), 2006. Installation.


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Jane Alexander, Harbinger with Barge and Imperial Landscape (North Sea), 2006. Installation.

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Jane Alexander, Bird, Harbinger with protective boots and Lamb with stolen boots (detail), 2002 – 2004. Mixed media.

Examples of Jane Alexander’s work:

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The Butcher Boys is Alexander’s best known piece and has become an iconic work of the resistance struggle in South Africa. The themes of mutilation, violence and ambiguity can be seen in this major work in her career. It arises from a sense of horror at the increasingly repressive and brutal measures used by the Apartheid government to quell the violence of the 1980’s in South African society. This work has become a symbol of institutionalised violence, such as the Security Police who were involved in the death of Steve Biko, the Black Consciousness Leader. Their title (Butcher Boys) says that they are executioners or violent killers of some sort. What is it that has turned these oncehumans into beasts?

Jane Alexander, Butcher Boys, 1985 – 6. Plaster, paint, bone, horns and wooden bench.

Three life-size and life-like plaster figures, naked except for coverings over their genitals, sit on a wooden bench. They have been made from plaster casts taken from life, but they have been worked beyond this point. The figures seem powerful but their bodies have been penetrated and damaged. Although they are very masculine, their gender is unknown because their genitalia are covered (or sealed) by the same sort of protection that cricketers wear. However, in this case they are fused into the flesh. Bone has been inserted into the “flesh” and “flesh” has been scraped away to reveal the bone. The heads are only half-human. Horns grow out of skulls; the faces are distorted and flattened into snouts that do not open into mouths. Quite literally, they cannot speak the unspeakable or communicate with the voice of reason.


126 They also have impaired hearing since their ears are holes. They may be mutants, the victims of some terrible disaster. They have lost their senses and show no sensitivity to the world and don’t respond to any stimulation. Their seated position shows passiveness and it is almost as if they are waiting for something. They seem nervous and aware simultaneously. But they are also frighteningly malevolent, the perpetuators of some horrible violence. These are images of brutalisation. The eyes are dark and glassy, hollow and haunting. The theme of this work is the symbolic relationship between oppressor and victim. Alexander seeks to identify the manner in which violence, aggression, cruelty and suffering are conveyed through the human figure.

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The violent, aggressive and powerful characteristics are shown in the same body that reveals helplessness. Alexander has said that the alter ego of aggression is vulnerability. She continued by saying that those who are secure and unthreatened do not need to bully but when an entire society is insecure, all its members become both aggressors and victims. The association with death is created by the use of bones and skulls. In this way these figures which committed unspeakable violence are also often victims of violence. As “butcher boys” the figures are capable of butchering but as naked forms they are the equivalents of meat in a butcher shop.

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These figures have a very eerie presence and as the novelist Andre P. Brink remarked ‘it sends chills along your spine’. Although they were created in a specific oppressive South African time, they have transcended it and maybe their power lies in the fact that they touch our humanity deeply. Would we also become like them if we were forced to commit acts of violence and abuse?


127 Integration Programme: Man With Wrapped Feet depicts a Black man, climbing down or ‘hanging’ from the wall surface in a semi-fetal position, feet wrapped in a black sack and his head framed with a gold disc. The ground on which he lies is brilliant blue. This piece is both real and unreal. It is cast from life but the man is hanging upside down on the wall and framed as if he were a painting. Suffering is etched on his body.

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This is re-enforced in the bound feet so that the figure cannot escape. He also has shards of golden glass in his hair which could be the result of violence directed at him. The work is given a spiritual connection by the golden circle around his head which acts like a halo. He becomes a saint for all his suffering. The work could refer to the brutality and torture suffered by many political prisoners but also on a wider level to young Black men after Apartheid trying to become part of a new South African society. The work is extremely naturalistic and creates a haunting presence with its silence.

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Jane Alexander, Integration programme: Man with wrapped feet, 1994. Plaster clothing, oil paint, crushed glass, wood.

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In Integration programme: Man with TV, a man obviously from a rural area has come into the city in search of a better life. He is uncomfortably dressed in what appears to be his Sunday best. He is nervous and a misfit in the quick and sharp culture of the city. This makes him a victim, in his poverty and ill preparedness for city life and he might also become a victim of the violence of township life. He stares vacantly at a television screen on which a sequence is shown over and over again.

Jane Alexander, Integration Programme: Man with TV, 1995. Plaster, clothing, plastic valise, cabinet, television set, chair, video film, wood base.

On screen, a White man looks at himself in a mirror while standing in a street. He straightens his tie. He is about to turn away but notices something is not right; he turns back to the mirror, straightens his tie again and has to start from the beginning. And so the film goes on. This creates a sense of suspension as both men are restless and waiting but we are not sure why they are they waiting. This work also refers to the unfamiliar personal relationship between Black and White and the difficulty to adapt to the brand new roles laid upon the two different cultures in a democratic South Africa. The term ‘integration’ in the title points to racial integration which attempted to end the systematic discrimination based on one’s racial identity in order to create equal opportunity for every citizen. In the book titled Working Life: Factories, Townships, and Popular Culture on the Rand, 1886-1940, by Luli Callinicos, there is an old photograph of a Black man wearing a similar suit to that in the artwork. There is also an excerpt from a letter sent to the newspaper, The Star, in 1911. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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The letter says, ‘No native should be allowed to wear ordinary European dress during working hours and employers should combine to this end. European dress gives him an inflated sense of importance and equality.’ In this work there is a sad, melancholy atmosphere in the Black man who after all the years of struggling must now try to fit into a society for which he is not prepared. This is a multi-media artwork where real objects such as the suitcase and TV are part of the artwork. The viewer can enter the space between these objects.

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The Bom Boys consists of nine life-sized sculptures of small boys. They are arranged atop a checkerboard grid with each boy utterly disconnected from the other children, even though many figures stand just inches apart. Each child seems lost and bewildered, creating a disturbing vision of a world without interpersonal connection. The figures stand upright with their feet slightly apart, arms gently extended from their sides and with their palms facing outward in non-threatening body language that, coupled with their diminutive size, suggests they are caring. Despite being cast from the same mould the figures are distinguished from one another by their various stages of dress or undress: one is stark naked except, absurdly, for his polished black shoes, while another is shirtless but wears shorts. All of the figures have their faces obscured to varying degrees by an unsettling animal mask (rabbit, bird and cat), a blindfold or a cloth. This installation gains a more somber tone when the viewer realises the vulnerable figures are not just randomly grouped but are positioned instead in a game such as chess. The pale grey colour renders them like ghosts. The work was inspired by street children and raises many questions in the viewer. Are they children at a masquerade, nine small men physically arrested in boyhood? Are they vulnerable and endearing, or are they gangsters in the making? We know the desperate situation of street children and feel compassion for their plight. At the same time they are also strong and aggressive which makes them threatening. Have the baby brothers of the Butcher Boys, damaged, masked and mutating survived to become the street citizens of South Africa? There is ambiguity in the expression of these small children. They are self-possessed, swagger a little and yet allude to the powerless social position of a child on the street. It is a frightening vision of street children, their struggle for survival and the mechanisms they must use to survive like stray animals in a dangerous urban jungle. The ashen colour is suggestive of the death of their childhood and also their ‘invisibility’ to society.


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Jane Alexander, Bom Boys, 1998. Fiberglass, clothing, oil paint, wood, synthetic clay.

Jane Alexander, African Adventures, 1999. Photomontages in which the Bom Boys appear.


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Hybrids are usually mythological creatures combining the body parts of more than one real species. They can be classified as partly human hybrids (such as mermaids and centaurs) and non-human hybrids combining two or more animal species (such as the griffin). The Ancient Egyptian god, Anubis, was usually portrayed as a half human and half jackal. Anubis was associated with the mummification and protection of the dead for their journey into the afterlife.

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Enrique Gomez De Molina is an American artist who creates sculptures with the stuffed parts of dead animals.

Jane Alexander, West Coast Angel, 1985 – 6, plaster, bone, goose wings, flamingo skulls, oil paint, found bicycle and wood.

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Ancient Egypt, Anubis, Fresco.

Enrique Gomez de Molina, Warrior, 2010. Stuffed animal parts.

Answer the following on these three works:

• Why do you think the ancient Egyptians used hybrids as their gods? What is the relation

between Anubis having a jackal head and his role in the afterlife? • Describe Jane Alexander’s West Coast Angel. What does she say by calling it an angel? What is the role of the bicycle? • While taxidermy itself isn’t something new, what De Molina does is he mixes parts from different animals to create a new one, a new species all together. The result is what some might call art, and others may find plain disturbing. What is your opinion on this work? Explain why some people will find this unethical.


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Willie Bester (1956 - ) “I was sort of brainwashed all my life to believe that I’m less than other people and I thought, art can restore your pride. When you don’t agree with something art is so strong it will come out and state that you are also here, you are somebody and you are just like anybody else.” Willie Bester was born in Montagu. He was six months old when his parents were married which meant that he received his mother’s ‘privileges’ as a Coloured, rather than those of his Black father. In the Apartheid system Coloured was seen as better than Black. His mother had a shebeen in their backyard and was often arrested for the illegal sale of liquor. In 1966, the family had to move to a township outside the town according to the Group Areas Act.

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He joined the South African Defense Force for a year and spent another year in a military camp for unemployed Black youth. These experiences of racism and the war were important influences on his art. Until 1991 he worked as a dental technician’s assistant. Bester is mainly a selftaught artist. In 1986 he studied part-time for one year at the Community Arts Project (CAP) in Cape Town. He lives and works in Kuilsrivier, Cape Town where his extraordinary house is an expression of his individualism and artistic expression. Influences

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Bester‘s art evolved out of his own bitter experiences during Apartheid. The feeling of being trapped and denied basic human rights formed his artistic expression. He uses art to comment on social and political injustices in South Africa. Like many other Black children, not having resources to buy toys, he created his own wire car and toys as a child. In his artwork he continues this practice of transforming materials. Bester’s art, with the prolific use of found objects, continues the tradition of collages and assemblages of artists such as Kurt Schwitters and Robert Rauschenberg.


132 Stylistic characteristics “I’m tempted sometimes to call it a day, to go to the sea and paint beautiful things. I don’t want to be a part of a peaceful community; I want to be part of the building of it.” Bester sees himself as a ‘cultural worker’ rather than an artist because he regards himself as a mouthpiece to reveal and question the truths in South African society. He documents events in South Africa in visual terms. He sees each artwork as a social document to recall events that happened and, through it, to change people’s conscience. He says that in his works since 1994 he has kept the memory of oppression alive. This is not to make people depressed but to keep people aware of social and political injustices. He refers to his work as “bad medicine”.

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To describe his work as mixed media collages and assemblages is not enough. The wide range of materials create many levels of meaning in his work. The first impression on viewing many of his works is one of garish overcrowding. Bester combines the fields of painting, sculpting and photography in his mixed media works. He also creates large-scale sculptures from discarded objects. It is his extraordinary ability to work with layers of meaning and materials which make him a great artist.

Willie Bester Challenges facing the new South Africa, 1990. Mixed media.

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His works often incorporate photographs which he takes himself as well as pictures and headlines from the news media and found objects such as tin cans, bits of car tires, etc. His use of oil paints unifies all the different materials. Bester’s way of working can be compared with that of an archaeologist. He often reconstructs a scene by using discarded objects from the surroundings. He looks for discarded objects in scrap yards, hardware stores, hospitals, power stations etc. Each object and material is significant in communicating meaning.

He uses oil paint to create naturalistic images in his works. There are often different styles of painting in his work stretching from naturalism to expressionism. Abstract drips are often used to unify the work. Words are also an important part of his work to convey meaning. His work is usually narrative in nature. Some of his more recent paintings are small oil studies showing the daily activities of informal settlements which are framed by pieces of old metal, old spades, etc. These works show the dignity of these people who have survived years of economic hardship and racial exploitation.

Willie Bester Boy playing, 2003. Oil on canvas on board in metal. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

133 Bester makes extensive use of symbols in his work. Stencilled numbers and letters refer to methods of race classification and the carrying of passes, which affected individual status negatively. In Hambla Kahle (Go gently) he shows the murdered ANC leader, Chris Hani, encircled by a bicycle wheel. In this context the bicycle wheel refers to necklacing and it was also the transport method of township people but acts also as a laurel wreath around Hani. The white dove also appears as a symbol of peace in this work.

Willie Bester, Hamba Kahle, 1993. Mixed media.

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“What I try to get behind is why it is so difficult for people to change from their old ways. It hasn’t worked out the way I imagined. People who thought they were superior before haven’t really changed. I try to find out through studying history what gives people the right to think that way. I try to find a solution, not to be disappointed, to reach an understanding.”

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During Apartheid Bester commented on the brutalisation of society. He said he believed things would really change for the better after 1994 but still finds many things that are unjust and has continued to expose greed, poverty and corruption in society. He also believes that the memory of Apartheid must be kept alive to prevent a repetition of such intolerance. Bester always appeals for fairness and justice. He says he cannot keep quiet if he sees wrongdoing because you cannot afford to lose your humanity and dignity. His art, although deeply rooted in South Africa, is a universal expression of human suffering under unjust circumstances. He is an activist in his art and strives for the right of all to have dignity.

Willie Bester, Trojan Horse II, 1994. Mixed media assemblage.

“People have built up a resistance to anything that addresses the psyche of mankind or people or themselves. I believe that we must protest against that which is wrong. There is no form of escape; remaining apolitical is a luxury that South Africans simply cannot afford.” Head North: This monumental scrap metal assemblage depicts a metallic ox with a gun mounted on his back and excreting barbed wire as it moves along. Behind the ox, where his excretions would normally fall, is a long trail of barbed wire and small coffins with red crosses drawn on their lids. It refers to the Voortekker’s migration (“Groot Trek”) and colonialism that left innocent Africans dead in its wake. Willie Bester, Head North, 1995. Mixed media.


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Willie Bester, 1913 Land Act, 1995. Mixed media.

Willie Bester, Crossroads, 1991. Mixed media.

Examples of Bester’s work:

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CROSSROADS: Bester depicts the Cape Town township of Crossroads in the work of the same name. Townships with their matchbox houses and shacks were symbols of oppression during Apartheid. The central image in this work is an old truck transformed into a spaza shop. A woman buys something from the informal shop while children play around in the mess. At first glance it is a depiction of everyday life in the township. Then one sees the newspaper headlines over the scene proclaiming “Death Threat” and “Endless Pain” and the scene changes and becomes politically charged. The work is framed by an assembly of discarded objects like an old saw, a door handle and barbed wire. Crumpled cooldrink cans have been transformed into faces forming a frame around the work.

Bester has used a variety of mediums in this work. In the middle scene are some photographs he took of Crossroads. He then expands the scenes in the photographs with a naturalistic paint technique, so that one has to go close-up to see what is a photograph and what is painted. The outside consists of many found objects. His style ranges from naturalism in his painting technique to almost mask-like faces on the cans. The dominant soft blues of the middle scene are contrasted with the brighter, jarring colours at the sides.

On the right hand side are the grim faces of two policeman which relate to the newspaper headings and the implied violence in this work. Between the two policemen are two faces behind a wire structure which looks like a prison cell. The other faces are representations of the people of the township with the emphasis on staring eyes and exposed teeth. Their faces show extreme anger. In this work it as if the township is ‘framed‘ with the objects and images of violence. Even though the people in the middle are going about their daily lives and the children are playing, they cannot escape the political situation and the poverty that comes with it. They are imprisoned in a way by the frame in this work. The door handle at the bottom could signify the closing or opening of this state.


Willie Bester: Migrant Labourer, 1993. Mixed media.

135 MIGRANT LABOURER: The homelands created by the Apartheid governments generally had few resources which forced many Black men to work in South Africa. They were seen as migrant labourers because they were citizens of their homelands. Their reality was that they had to work for meager wages, stay in single-sex hostels and did not see their families for a long time. In this work, Migrant Labourer, Bester addresses the conditions of migrant workers who were forced to live in South Africa and after many years of service did not receive any pension. Bester tells the story of one such migrant worker, Semekazi, but it was applicable to many migrant labourers in South Africa. Semekazi was a retired construction worker who still lived in the township of Crossroads to try and support his wife and four children in the Transkei (a homeland). He did not own his own house, renting a bed in a hostel for R6 a month. When he applied for a pension from the construction firm for which he had worked for many years, he was told that he was listed as dead and therefore was not eligible for one. Semekazi received a monthly state pension of R60, 74 and therefore collected and sold scrap materials in the township. He was murdered by gangsters six months after Bester completed this commemoration of his life.

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In this multi media work Semekazi’s life is depicted with two and three dimensional objects found in townships. The focal point in the middle is Semekazi’s bed which Bester transformed into a prison from which Semekazi’s is staring out. There is a lock and a key that connect the bed to a Bible. The Bible refers to Semekazi’s strong religious convictions but also to the fact that the South Africans in power claimed to be Christian. There is an irony that close to the Bible is Semekazi’s pass book. Semekazi’s carried his pass book even after the Pass laws were repealed in the late 1980s because he was scared of being prosecuted and harassed by the police. Above the pass book Semekazi’s wife is depicted, while on the left his four children are shown. One can imagine how he would have loved to have his family with him in Crossroads.

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Rural life is shown at the top of the work. Prominent in the work is a of row numbered cups. These cups refer to the people being just a number during Apartheid. The inclusion of an ink pad and roller for finger prints strengthens this idea.

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Semekazi inhabited two worlds – rural life in the Transkei with his family and the urban world in Cape Town where he worked. These two worlds are contrasted in this work. The inclusion of horns and sheep bones refer to rural life. Urban life is represented by crowd scenes and an industrial landscape with chimneys and guns. Mechanical clamps become handcuffs and Bester shows how Semekazi was a captive of an Apartheid economicic system because he never had the prospect of a secure retirement with his family in the Transkei.

Willie Bester, Who Let the Dogs Out? 2001. Sculpture Installation. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Willie Bester, Who Let the Dogs Out? 2001. Sculpture Installation.

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Although the work tells the specific story of Semekazi, it was also the sad truth of many Black people in South Africa. The work is bursting with images and discarded objects which Bester managed to unify through his use of colour and paint.

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Who Let the Dogs Out? was inspired by a news video that shocked the world. The footage showed how local SAPS dog unit policemen trained their German sheperd dogs by letting them loose on illegal African immigrants from Mozambique. The dogs attacked three men and probably killed one of them. This incident is a brutal reminder of how much racism is still part of South Africa. It is also upsetting that a member of the dog unit filmed the incident in detail, including close-ups of the wounds inflicted by the dogs. The work is an installation of a series of life-size sculptures, partly representational and partly constructed from discarded objects. A victim lies in pain while a dog attacks him, while a policeman watches and another policeman is making a video of the scene.

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The two policemen are monumental figures who are focusing their attention on the victim. One of the policemen holds a chain trailing a dog muzzle. The two policemen are terrifying figures. The installation is accompanied by a soundtrack of the dogs barking, the cries of the victims and the crude language of the policemen. The actual video of the incident can be viewed through a peephole. The figures and the dog were welded from engine parts and other scrap metal. They all have a gleaming silver coating that visually unifies the figures. The figures are menacing with their bolted joints and portray brute force. They remind us of the evil mechanical creatures of science fiction movies. The work is a gruesome reminder of man’s inhumanity to others. Although it is shocking that the incident that inspired this work took place post-Apartheid, it shows how violence is ingrained in South Africans as a legacy of Apartheid. Bester is an artist who has confronted this violence in an explicit manner. The title of the work is ironically the same as a pop song of the time. Bester in this work reminds that all too often in our society the ‘dogs are let out’ and that there is still a lot to be done towards a more just society.


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Jane Alexander and Willie Bester have both made sculptures of dogs. They are, however, not cute pets but are used to make strong socio-political statements.

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Compare these two works by referring to the following: • The visual appearance of each • Use of materials • Style • Messages they want to convey

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Jane Alexander, Dog, 1984 - 5. Plaster, hair, bone, creosote and oil paint.

Willie Bester, Dog of War, 2001. Galvanised metal.


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Manfred Zylla (1939–) Manfred Zylla was born in Augsburg, Germany in 1939. As a child he lived through the devastation of World War II and its aftermath. After leaving school he served a printing apprenticeship. He arrived in South Africa in 1970 and married his second wife, Aziza Allie, a Muslim woman. At the time it was illegal for a White man to marry a woman of colour and this gave him an insight into the social climate in South Africa. He was a lecturer and organiser at the Community Arts Project (CAP) in Woodstock and was very involved in the Resistance struggle. Zylla lives partly in Germany and partly in Cape Town.

I use art as a tool to confront reality. I use art as a tool to get to know the world in which I live. And I use art as a tool to experience my own reality within the world in which I live.”

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Characteristics “I paint what frightens me about the things I see. The images are things I want to attack. This is the way I do so. Some people take up arms. I don’t think I could shoot someone. I’m scared of a gun.”

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Zylla’s earliest memories of Nazi Germany and the Second World War with its fear and bombings, has shaped his consciousness of injustices. In South Africa he was highly critical of Apartheid in his resistance works. His art became his tool to show the inequalities and the atrocities experienced by people living under the effects of Apartheid. Zylla makes a strong social commentary on the Apartheid conditions in South Africa. Zylla has always been committed to using art as a tool for change and believes that artists should fight injustices.

Manfred Zylla, Even the children have guns, 1987. Mixed media on brown paper.

Manfred Zylla, Freedom in SA, 1982, Crayon on cardboard.

Many of his works have the theme of the effect on the young of living in the brutalised society of South Africa. Zylla said that he was afraid for the safety of his own two daughters because there was/is so much violence against children. Zylla does not want to create pretty pictures but to make one conscious of the shortcomings and injustices in society. Zylla has never studied art formally. He was trained in lithography in Germany which influenced his meticulous precision and the care in his work. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

139 He was also influenced by the German legacy of graphic and satiric skills in the works of artists such as George Grosz, Max Beckman and Otto Dix. He is perhaps best known for working in print making and drawing. The feeling of his drawings often reminds us of newspaper photos. As a committed socialist, Zylla has always been a politically and socially aware artist. Since 1994 he has addressed issues such as globalisation, pollution, global warming, capitalism, crime, drugs, refugees, alternative energy and transport. He is extremely concerned about the destiny of humanity and the future of the planet. Art for him is a tool for social change and not about pretty pictures.

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Examples of Zylla’s work:

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Manfred Zylla, History Now 5, 1990. Mixed media on paper.

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Manfred Zylla, Pieta, 2009. Mixed media on paper.

Manfred Zylla, Bullets and Sweets, 1985.Pencil and watercolour. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

140 The South African Defence Force was used by the Apartheid government in the townships to suppress resistance. The shooting, beatings and arrest of suspected resistance fighters made the army feared in the townships. In a strange turn of events the leaders of the Defence Force wanted to be loved by the township children in spite of the army’s usually monstrous behaviour towards them. At times the army would send soldiers into the townships to distribute leaflets telling the people that they were their friends. They would also hand out sweets and play soccer with the children. The press was usually invited to report on these events in the next day’s newspapers.

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Zylla used these events to create a powerful diptych. The right panel is dominated by a brawny soldier with a half-smile on his face. He is viewed from below and is a huge presence as he looks down the barrel of his gun. A row of bullets emerges from his crotch. In his bag a Cape Dutch homestead and a sausage on a fork appear as reference to his heritage. The soldier is, however, not shooting bullets but sweets which lie at the feet of a small group of township children. These children in the left hand panel are terrified and bewildered by the ominous presence of the soldier and are ignoring the sweets. They are shielding themselves against anticipated blows and are ready to run away. The sweets are also seen at the top and form a type of frame for the scene. A row of army vehicles is seen at the top right. The soldier in this work portrays a sense of detachment as he performs his duties, in comparison to the very expressive faces of the school children. There is a fairly naturalistic depiction of figures but with a distorted viewpoint especially when seen in the figure of the soldier. There is a strong contrast of monochromatic tones. The use of the diptych also implies that the soldier and the children come from two different worlds linked only by the sad reality of the gun. The overwhelming effect is similar to a newspaper photograph which is reinforced by the use of text. In October 1985, heightened tensions between anti-Apartheid demonstrators and police came to a head in the Cape Town suburb of Athlone. Eleven days after the government declared a state of emergency in other parts of the country, police hid in the back of a truck. They knew that the vehicle will be stoned. As the first stone reached Manfred Zylla, Death Trap, 1985. Pencil op paper the truck, they fired directly into a crowd of about a hundred people. Three boys were killed and thirteen others were injured. Due to the way the police hid in the crates on the truck, the incident would become known as the Trojan Horse Massacre. The youngest boy who died was Michael Miranda, 11-year old relative of Zylla’s wife. The boy and his friends were on their way to the shops when this happened. DEATH TRAP: Zylla drew this pencil diptych to give his take on a particular event. In the top half is the truck with a distorted box filled with shooting policemen. These figures are squashed into a confined space. They are happily laughing and smirking showing no remorse for what they have done. In the bottom half it


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shows how the wheels of the truck are driving over images of human shadows. These shadows represent the people who were killed and injured on that day. A square image is illustrated below the truck on top of the black figures. The blocked image shows a drawing of Michael Miranda with only his head visible. The drawing was done from photographs Zylla took at the funeral. Zylla uses the diptych format to distinguish between the perpetrators at the top and the victims below. The scratchy pencil marks help to create a feeling of discomfort in the viewer.

Manfred Zylla, Games, 1985. Acrylic paint on Hessian

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GAMES: In this work, Zylla used a complex cast of characters to tell the story of South Africa in 1985. Four young Black boys are relaxing on sand dunes in the centre of the work. Then we realise that they are behind a dartboard with darts being thrown at them. In the top left hand corner the scoreboard tells us the game is called ‘killer’. This ominous feeling is reinforced by the cast of figures who circle the boys. There are a lot of military figures who are attacking the boys. These figures are based on model soldiers and include Roman soldiers and knights in shiny armour. On the left hand side are parliamentarians watching the game. Their desks are huge banknotes. The two larger smiling figures are previous ministers of finance with their eyes blinkered by banknotes.

There are also skyscrapers made from stacks of banknotes and a large pair of hands pushes more money under the army attacking the four boys. On the right there are cars parked so that the people inside can view the game. At the top under a technicolour pink sky with sweet blue clouds are the match box houses of Khayelitsha. Khayelitsha is the huge Black township created for Blacks some 30 km from the city. Ironically Khayelitsha means new home. In this work Zylla shows how money played a huge role in upholding the Apartheid system. Those in power wanted to retain financial power and needed to exploit the huge pool of cheap Black labour. To retain their power those with privileges would do anything to maintain their political and economic power. This is all a game when people’s basic rights and lives are at stake. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Zylla worked for eight months on a series of large drawings created in pencil on brown paper. These drawings satirised South Africans in power such as the military generals. Another drawing shows two stocky, grinning men having a braai. They have guns in their apron pockets and the cooking pot holds ammunition. One Saturday in June 1982 he stuck these drawings onto the walls at the Community Arts Project (CAP), in an old Anglican church left behind after the demolition of District Six in Cape Town. He invited people to add to them in any way they wished. More than 200 people came and painted on the artworks while they danced to reggae and ate.

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Manfred Zylla, “Inter-Action”, 1982.

According to one viewer the sight of these huge power figures was disconcerting because they were the reality which people faced daily. While most art is made for contemplation, Zylla gave the viewers paint and brushes. These became the weapons used to attack the people in the drawings. Zylla thus offered his art to the people and managed to break the boundaries between artist and community to promote free expression. After the event, Zylla had a book published with before-and-after pictures of the drawings and comments from participants. The book was banned. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Under Apartheid South Africa had a system of two years of compulsory military service after school for White men. These men had to uphold the Apartheid system in South Africa and had to fight in the Angolan Bush war (The South African Border War) between South Africa and The Angolan government, SWAPO and their allies. It is estimated that 250,000 children are fighting in wars all over the world. They are recruited by force or lured by the false promise of an escape from poverty. Read the above passage and discuss how Zylla and Bester have depicted soldiers to comment on the Border War and child soldiers respectively.

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In your answer refer to the following: • The posture of the figures • The inclusion of dummies (baby pacifiers) • The use of materials • Style • Meaning and message

Wilie Bester, Child Soldier, 2008. Galvanised metal and paint.

Manfred Zylla, The Boys from the Border , 1985, part of a series of pencil drawings


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CHAPTER

4

Art, craft and spiritual works mainly from rural South Africa

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CONTENTS 4.1 Introduction p. 146

p. 150

4.3 John Muafangejo

p. 160

4.4 Jackson Hlungwani

p. 168

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4.2 Overview of artists

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4.5 Noria Mabasa p. 178


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Introduction The inclusion of rural artists from South Africa as part of the established art world began in 1985 with the Tributaries exhibition in Johannesburg. Ricky Burnett was commissioned to curate this controversial exhibition in which he showcased the works of local rural artists alongside the works of established Black and White urban fine art practitioners. Until then the artworks created by rural artists were generally excluded from formal art exhibitions because they were categorised as craft and therefore seen as inferior to fine art.

Tsonga headrest. Unrecorded artist. 19th Century. Wood.

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An object classified as fine art, according to Western aesthetic theories is unique, signed by the artist and displayed for appreciation of its show of imagination and intellectual development. It is seen as evidence of the advanced civilisation from which it comes. This concept of art dominated South African art until recently. Works created by rural Black artists who usually did not have formal art training or any formal qualification, were described as functional decorative objects and therefore classified as craft. When works such as carved sculptures, headrests, staffs, medicine vessels, beadwork, clay pots and baskets were exhibited, it was in an ethnological museum or collection, linking it solely to the cultural heritage of the creator and denying its aesthetic value. This created the perception within the art viewing public that art created by Black South Africans was too unsophisticated and primitive to be looked at within the context of an art museum or gallery.

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This headrest displays the carver’s ability to create an intricate design that is unique and evidence of the value that Tsongacommunities placed on the personalisation of hand-made objects such as this.

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Rural artists in South Africa are usually trained to develop their skills by older family members. Unlike the impression created by Western collectors of traditional African artworks, rural artists are well known for their skills in their respective communities. The traditional objects created by them have always been functional. Some of the objects are created for ritual purposes and therefore its significance is related to the religious and spiritual practices of its creators. Many of the objects are not part of spiritual practices, but are part of the traditional practices of specific cultures. The sense of the spiritual and links with traditional culture that is present in rural artists’ works lead to a strong narrative and symbolic use of imagery, patterns and colours. The categorization of artworks as spiritual means that it could be connected with religion, but that it could also cover other-worldly concerns and issues.

Within the ethnological context, researchers, collectors or museums did not go to any trouble to establish the identities of the creators of the works and therefore created the impression that they were unimportant. This lack of individual recognition furthered the idea of craft that has been described as mass produced, decorative objects that are made for economic purposes for which the individual creator is not recognised as many people could create the exact same object as part of a production line.


Dr Mhlongo. Tsonga large medicine container. Mid to late 20th century. Gourd, glass beads and other media. Medicine vessels are used by various groups of people by the traditional healers or diviners as part of their healing practice. The vessels are usually made from gourds, horns or bottles. It holds medicine stoppers that are specially carved for each container and act as labels to identify the medicine. The medicines are powerful mixtures of herbs and honey and are also called muti. Many of the stoppers are carved in the form of a stick that can also be used to stir and apply the medicine to the patient.

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Mphephu Ngobeni. Tsonga walking stick.Late 20th century. Wood, glass beads, thread and plant material. Some of these walking sticks have pouches containing medicine (muti) attached to them.

Southern Africa.Staff with carved snake coiled around it. A snake is believed to be a sign of the presence of the ancestors who have a powerful influence on the living as they act as a go-between with the Supreme being or God.

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The function of objects made for cultural practices is linked to aspects such as the social standing, age group and gender of the person using them. The practice of traditional culture through rituals associated with different stages of life such as birth, initiation, marriage and giving birth and the connections with the ancestors which are maintained as a form of communication with higher spiritual powers, are central aspects that give meaning to objects created as part of the culture. The role of spiritual artworks is that they could serve as a form of guidance or as teaching tools. They could also be used as a focus point on which to meditate or concentrate during prayer.

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Many rural Black South African artists have been influenced by Christianity which has been combined with traditional spiritual beliefs and customs. By removing these objects from their original context, as was done by western collectors, they lose their function and therefore their significance is also diminished. In general the mediums used by rural artists tend to be easily accessible natural materials such as wood, stone, clay and grass. Influences from outside have been readily accepted by rural artists and therefore glass beads, enamel paints, metal and plastic covered telephone wire have all been incorporated into creating art works. The use of carving as a traditional technique can also be related to the easy incorporation of linocut printmaking by some rural artists.

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The general style of rural South African artists has been described as decorative with the use of simplified forms and shapes. Figures are simplified and certain elements such as eyes, noses and mouths are exaggerated. The broad interpretation of this style has been to describe it as naïve or as related to Art Brut. Both of these descriptions have also been criticised as derogatory and condescending.

Tsonga headrest. Wood. 19th century. Motifs and metaphorical allusions to cattle are seen in various objects and shows the importance attached to them as symbols of prosperity. The carver of this headrest did not attempt to copy the shape of a bull in a realistic way. In spite of this the representation of the shape of the pointed head and the placement of the horns helps to convey the intention of the carver to depict a bull.


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Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. The miraculous draught of fishes. 1918. Woodcut.

The influence of African art on Western art is explained in the discussion of the development of Cubism and Expressionism [See Grade 11 book Chapter 3]. The woodcuts created by German Expressionists show an even closer connection with African art. The emphasis of personal expression through the use of simplified and distorted forms and exaggerated colour was further developed when they began including printmaking as a favoured medium. The flatness and simplified shapes contributed to their reductive painting style. The influence of African art is clearly visible in their use of sharp and angular forms as well as their interest in spirituality. They depicted images of prophets and seers, rebirth, creation and transformation as expressions of their belief that they had lived in an age of apocalyptic transformation.

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Westernisation and urbanisation have lead to changes in the way traditional art has been created. The inclusion of new materials and the use of modern imagery are aspects of visual presentation that have changed. The demand for these objects and the need to generate money as part of modern life has influenced the creation of these popular objects. Commercialisation of African art objects has resulted in mass production and the market has been flooded which can be seen in certain galleries, curio shops and street vendors.

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The art versus craft debate has been raised once again as part of the discussion of African art objects. Due to the influence of modern life, part of the classification of objects as craft is the quantity of output. Compared to the effort which an artist puts into creating a work which is imbued with specific symbolic meanings or emotions, the mass produced works that are sold at curio shops or by street vendors simply become commercial decorative objects without any deeper meaning attached to them. More arguments in the art versus craft debate involve the intention of the artist, the once-off nature and uniqueness and the meaning that can be derived from the work.

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A typical exhibit by a street vendor in which objects related to traditional art forms are displayed. Trade with tourists is the main aim of the curio market.

The so-called discovery of rural artists which occurred in the 1980’s resulted in the Tributaries exhibition bringing fame to a large group of sculptors from Gazankulu and Venda. The exposure given to them through this exhibition lead to the realisation of the existence of current indigenous art forms which are independent and not mediated by White teachers and the white art market. As these works suddenly became popular, galleries grabbed the opportunity of accessing a new art form and marketed the works extensively. Academic theorists saw the need to classify the artists and referred to their works as ‘transitional art’. This term implied that the artists were in a state of transition from one cultural context to another. The idea of cross fertilisation between traditional African and European cultures was established through this classification. Although this sounded like an obvious and clear cut classification it was immediately questioned by the academic community. Nelson Mukhuba. Christ on the cross. 1973. Wood.


149 Artists such as Nelson Mukhuba, Jackson Hlungwani and Noria Mabasa were seen to operate within their communities, creating sculptures and utensils which are part of their traditional spiritual and cultural customs. Through this connection with their communities they preserved the relationship between art and their traditional experience and thereby avoided becoming Westernised artists who only created art for the western art world which was dominated by aesthetic and conceptual theories. Since the late 1980’s the term ‘transitional art’ is no longer used and a new category, ‘community art’ has been

Issues such as spirituality, traditional cultures, rural artists, the inclusion of traditional African art objects within the Western art market, commercialisation, the classification of objects as art or craft, the description of art as transitional or not and European influences are all part of the complicated multi-cultural South African context which is explained through the study of the large variety of art works in this chapter.


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4.1

established to classify the broad array of work produced by informally trained Black artists.

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The following five objects were all created in South Africa by artists from rural areas and all of them have traditional and modern /contemporary influences which are clearly visible. Make notes about the following issues with reference to the illustrated works in your V.C.S. workbook and have a class discussion.

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• Are these objects functional? • Identify and describe the traditional aspects in each of the objects. • Identify and describe the modern / contemporary aspects in each of the objects. • With reference to these objects explain why you think these changes in tradition have occurred. Provide reasons for your explanations. • Is it art or is it craft? How would you classify the objects? Provide reasons for your answers.

Venus Makhubele. The Lord is my Shepherd Nceka – beaded cloth worn by Tsonga-Shangaan women. No date. Textile, glass beads, thread.

Johannes Maswanganyi. Jesus is walking on the water. 1994. Wood, paint, barbed wire, animal hair. Top: Muriel Ntuli. Aids. 2002. Izimbenge (basket). Plastic coated electric wire. Artist unrecorded. Ndebele woman’s apron – Liphotho. No date. Textile, beads, brass rings, fur.

Bottom: Bheki Dlamini. Umemulo. 2002. Izimbenge (basket). Plastic coated electric wire. Esther Mahlangu. BMW Art Car. 1991. Enamel paint on car. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Overview of artists

In his paintings Trevor Makhoba deconstructed traditional isiZulu culture through raising issues such as superstition, magic, religious beliefs and experiences of daily life. Through his dark sense of humour and brightly coloured painting style he drew attention to issues that most people are too polite to comment on.

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Makhoba (1956-2003) was a self-taught artist who grew up in the rural areas of Mhumbane and Umlazi. He was encouraged to draw and make clay figures by his mother who was a teacher. He began painting to make a living after being retrenched. Jo Thorpe at the African Art Centre was instrumental in organising that his works be exhibited at the Vulamehlo (Open Eye) exhibition in 1990 organised by the Durban Art Gallery. In 1991 his works were exhibited at the Arfican Art Centre.

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Trevor Makhoba. Wild laughter. 1993. Oil a masonite.

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His unusual interpretation of life in the community that surrounded him is depicted in colourful naturalistic narrative paintings which have surrealist undertones. This hardworking artist commented on the social and political changes around him. His works communicate his ‘personal disquiet and anxiety’ about controversial issues that involve the moral degeneration of people in contemporary life and especially the changes to isiZulu heritage in this new society. He refers to spiritual issues by showing aspects of traditional culture within the present context. The influence of Christianity is also an important topic in his paintings. In the work The naked truth Makhoba depicts the subjugation and suffering of Black people under the discriminatory regime of White people. The results of social marginalisation and the deprivation of rights are visualised in this painting. They are shown harnessed like oxen while the White farmer shouts and holds the plough that they were supposed to be pulling. The harnessed women are barely clad in traditional aprons and the men wear pants without a shirt. From the side a black arm is whipping the group of harnessed people. The man and woman in front have fallen and are preventing the whole group from moving ahead.

Trevor Makhoba. Pain in the mountains. 1999. Oil on board. In this work Makhoba depicts a scene that is traditionally kept hidden from view, but through revealing the blatantly realistic image of what happens during the initiation of young men in South Africa he also exposes the fear and dangers that result from the manner in which this practice is being continued. Even though circumcision is also perceived as a counter to the spread of HIV and AIDS the results of the procedure being done in the traditional manner has killed and disfigured many initiates.

Trevor Makhoba. The Naked truth. 1983.Oil on board. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

151 The ground that they have to plough looks like a solid tiled path which represents the gold bars they are ‘harvesting’. The figures of this group of harnessed people is a visual reference to Christ carrying the cross on the Via Dolorosa (Walk of Sorrow) during which he was humiliated and tortured before being nailed to the cross. The flagellation marks on the back of the woman in the front of the group is a further reference to the suffering that Jesus experienced and therefore shares with Black people in South Africa. are supposed to protect the current generation of living people but they are helpless. Behind them are neat rows of shacks representing the current lifestyle of Black people in cities and behind it the rural hills, mountains and a cloudy sky which represent the traditional life they used to have and the idea of freedom in contrast to the harnessed people. Behind the shacks a gravel road also represents the rural life while on the right, next to the figure of the White man, a tarred road leads to a far-off city. Makhoba’s use of bright colours contrasted with the white light that falls on the figures contributes to the unearthly atmosphere of the work. The title informs us about Makhoba’s view of the situation in South Africa. He is blatant in his depiction of it. While he is making a political statement he is also referring to the degradation of traditional culture through the introduction of European ideas. His criticism is also directed at traditional culture in the form of the ancestors who are helpless and cannot protect young people from exploitation.

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The White man is dressed in khaki pants, a large hat and long socks, with no shirt. He wears black gloves so it seems as if his hands are black. Behind him is a gilded frame with the image of the sea and a ship on it. It seems as if he has just walked ‘out of history’ from where the White people arrived in South Africa from Europe to begin his slave-driving. Just beneath the White man a bible lies open. This is a reference to the introduction of Christianity to South Africa as well as the source of White mens justification for their behaviour as exploiters of Black people. Next to the Bible, the collection of round objects seems to look like peanuts that have not been shelled, maybe referring to the idea of ‘working for peanuts’. Underneath the bible and the peanuts is a Dutch flag referring to the origins of the White rulers of the country. Appearing from the ground on the left is a large group of old Black men dressed in black shirts. They look at each other in shock at the scene they are witnessing. They represent the ancestors who

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Credo Mutwa (1921-) is a umZulu diviner who uses dreams as an essential part of his religious beliefs. He was born in rural KwaZulu Natal to a Catholic father and his mother whose family consisted of strict traditionalist medicine men who believed that isiZulu customs should be followed at all costs. After his mother refused to convert to Christianity, his father and mother parted and Mutwa was raised by his father. As a young boy he still had contact with his maternal grandfather, a diviner and began learning about his practices by carrying his bags for him. Later in life he returned to his mother’s Credo Mutwa. NkuluNkulu, God the father, the chief family where he renounced Christianity, underwent a of creation and Nokhubuwana, God the mother and purification ceremony and was initiated by training as a children. 1974-1986. Clay sculptures. diviner and healer according to isiZulu custom. Mutwa’s lifelong artwork is the Credo Mutwa village in Jabavu, Soweto. It represents an outpouring of Mutwa’s creative and spiritual vision from 1974 to 1986. After Mutwa abruptly abandoned his creative enterprise, the sculpture park fell into decline. It has since been restored to its full eccentric glory. The site consists of a variety of buildings in different African styles and in different areas there are collections of larger than life sculptures representative of Mutwa’s religious beliefs. The large painted sculptures of human and animal figures have a mythical and, in some cases, fearsome quality, depicting African culture and folklore. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

152 The Village is surrounded by gardens of indigenous plants and trees used in traditional African medicine. One of the important groups of sculptures consists of the oversized figure of NkuluNkulu, God the father, the chief of creation and Nokhubuwana, God the mother and three smaller, childlike figures. NkuluNkulu has four faces, representing an African, a San, a Chinese and a European person. Next to him is the Sun god of Africa who is depicted as having a striking eagle face. All these figures, made from cement, are painted in a dark jade colour. Credo Mutwa. Shaka, the AMAZulu king and Chief Ngungunyani, the Tsonga leader. 1974-1986. Clay sculptures.

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This group of figures is encircled by a one metre high wall that is guarded by two busts at the entrance. The white-washed busts are of Shaka, the AmaZulu king and Chief Ngungunyani, the Tsonga leader. Mutwa’s cultural village documents African art, culture, folklore and architecture. The combination of unusual figures is related to the stories told by Mutwa as part of his teachings and prophecies. Mutwa is one of Africa’s foremost sangomas (traditional healer).

Credo Mutwa. Frontal view of the entrance to the enclosure housing NkuluNkulu, God the father, the chief of creation and Nokhubuwana, God the mother and children.

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Bonnie Ntshalishali (1967-1999) was born in rural KwaZulu Natal. After suffering from polio as a child she struggled through school. She left school after completing grade 10 and began working on a farm. Handwork interested her and therefore she learnt to sew and knit. When Feé Halstead-Berning and her husband bought the farm Ntshalishali was studying and combined ceramics and painting. Through her domestic assistant, Ntshalitshali’s mother, HalsteadBerning met Bonnie and began to teach her to make sculptures from clay and to decorate them. This was the beginning of the now world famous Ardmore Studio where people from the Bonnie Ntshalishali. The plague. 1990. Painted earthenware. vicinity are taught to create original ceramic art works of a high quality. After mastering the basic skills Ntshalitshali began making large sculptures and experimenting with the subject matter. Most of her sculptures are narrative and in many of her works she depicts Bible stories. Traditional culture and her personal experiences was the subject matter that she also explored. The plague is one of the works portraying the story from the Bible in which the Egyptians are plagued with infestationtions of frogs and locusts. This narrative sculptured tableau is a colourful version of the story where the infliction of the ten plagues was meant to convince them to release the ill-treated Israelites from slavery. Three Egyptians are portrayed as they stand on a plinth surrounded by menacing but colourful locusts and frogs. They all looked dismayed but do not seem too frightened.


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The clothes of the men as well as the locusts and frogs are covered with colourful patterns. Ntshalitshali’s depictions of the people, frogs and locusts are simplified and naturalistic. They are attractive because of the colourful simple honesty with which she tells the story. In other representations of Bible stories such as The Last Supper she brings in contemporary elements as well as a mixture of African and Western cultures. On the table the feast involves Coke, beer, popcorn and a goat’s head. She also left out forks as she said Black people do not eat with forks. The inclusion of animals around the bottom of the plinth on which the Last Supper takes place is an element that refers to nature and could therefore be a reference to Africa as it is not part of the traditional Christian representation of the Last Supper. Other versions of traditional isiZulu culture at that time include Lobola, Traditional isiZulu wedding and Sangoma reading White man’s fortune. These works are also a reference to spirituality related to indigenous customs and beliefs.

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Bonnie Ntshalishali. Lobola. 1998. Painted earthenware.

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The pots created by Nesta Nala (1940-2005) are part of traditional isiZulu culture and a part of the changes brought about by the influences of modern life. She created her pots in the traditional way as her mother had taught her when she began to make pots at the age of twelve. Clay was collected from areas close to her home. She used red and gray clay that was dried out and then ground with a traditional grinding-stone and then passed through a sieve. After that it is placed in a drum with 50% dried clay and 50% water and then left to mature. Then it was rolled into balls and wedged. Pots are created using the coil method. First a ball of clay is flattened to form the base of the pot. The circular grass tube, the inkhatha, on which it is placed, assists the potter to turn the pot while adding and working in the coils. She smoothes the pot with a calabash shard or metal spoon and then burnishes it with a river pebble. The decoration of the pots involves either incising geometric patterns or adding ‘warts’ of clay called amansumpa. Small balls of soft clay are attached to the pot with slip. It is then smoothed into the wall of the pot. Pots are left to dry naturally. To make sure that they are completely dry a few coals are placed at the bottom of the pots before firing. Then a group of pots are placed in pits. Nala burnt dried aloe leaves for her firings lasting three hours. A second firing is conducted to make the pots black. The large pot in which traditional beer is brewed is called imbiza. Beer is served in large pots called ukhamba and the beer is transported in a flare necked pot called uphiso, which prevents it from spilling.

Nesta Nala. Ukhamba. No date. Earthenware.

Nesta Nala. Uphiso. No date. Earthenware.


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The serving of beer is an important part of AmaZulu life and therefore Nala’s pots contributed to the preservation and practice of traditional customs. Nala met an archeologist, Len van Schalkwyk, in 1983 and he showed her some of the shards that he had unearthed. From these Nala was inspired to use patterns based on the traditional designs as she saw on the Early Iron Age pot shards. Nesta Nala Nesta Nala . Black Izinkhumbo. No date. Earthenware.

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Rebecca Matibe is a Venda potter who broke away from the traditional shapes and decorations in the containers that she creates. She is not related to a family line of potters and was taught to make pots by her husband’s first wife. The traditional mvuvhelo (a traditional beer pot) and dzikhali (a traditional cooking pot) with geometric graphite decorations on it was re–interpreted by Matibe. She simplified the designs and made large incised relief shapes that cover the one side of a pot from top to bottom. The traditional pots were her starting point and then she developed her own personal interpretation.

Rebecca Matibe.Snake pot. C.1993. Earthenware.

Rebecca Matibe. monkey. no date. Earthenware.

Rebecca Matibe. Vessel with birds and flower. No date. Earthenware painted with enamel paint.

Rebecca Matibe. Flower vessel. No date. Earthenware painted with enamel paint.

After seeing the effects of using colourful enamel paint she began discarding the rest of the formal characteristics associated with Venda pottery. The containers which she created were more decorative than functional. She included sculptural forms such as birds and flowers which she decorated in red, green, white and black. These strongly contrasting colours are now characteristic of her works. In her references to flower shapes Matibe depicted the ideas of transformation and growth. She also began to move away from making containers to creating various sculptural animal shapes using the coiling method usually used for pots. In these works she simplified the shapes and stances of the animals, capturing the essence of their behaviour and many times showing the humorous side of their appearance. This is seen in her interpretation of the mischievous facial expression of the monkey, known for causing havoc in mealie fields.


155 Johannes Segogela is a self-taught artist who began making sculptures for a living after working as a boilermaker for a few years. He was born in 1936 in the Northern Province, also known as Sekhukhuneland. Originally his works were categorised as ‘Transitional Art’ perceived as straddling tourist art and fine art. This label has now been discarded as his works, like many other rural artists’ works, have increased in importance due to their influence on South African art in general. The style of Segogela’s sculptures is simplified and naturalistic. He began by creating wooden sculptures which were left in their natural colour. Later he started painting the figures in bright enamel colours. These colours are chosen as part of the symbolic interpretations linked to the figures that he portrays. He places some of the figures within environments created from a variety of mixed media objects. The combinations of the figures in the tableaux serve as allegories that comment on daily life in South African society. In the creation of these scenes he has become like the theatrical director of a play as the scenes that he puts together strive for dramatic effect. He does not attach the figures to a fixed base and they can therefore be manipulated after he has put the piece together.

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His wooden sculptures include human figures and animals which are combined in narrative tableaux that caution everybody about the suffering awaiting the wicked. In a work such as Satan’s fresh meat market he displays his vision of what is going to happen to those who do not follow the righteous path. He is primarily concerned with moral themes which are based on biblical stories or Christian values. Many of his works focus on the struggle between good and evil. He combines figures which look as if they come from biblical illustrations with aspects of modern life such as cameras added. The cameras can be seen as God’s ‘All Seeing Eye’ which records all deeds, good or bad. The devil is sometimes used as a stand–in image for Apartheid. These aspects are combined in a way that tells stories in which the modern elements usually play a metaphorical role. Johannes Segogela. Apartheid’s funeral. 1994. Carved and painted wood.

Johannes Segogela. Satan’s fresh meat market. 1993. Carved and painted wood, metal

Johannes Segogela. Satan’s fresh meat market. 1993. Carved and painted wood, metal VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Allina Ndebele assisting students with their spinning in the early 1960’s at the Rorkes Drift Art and Craft Centre.

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Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre: Many rural artists were trained at the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre. Situated in northern KwaZulu Natal, the idea of the Art and Craft centre was initiated in 1961 by the Swedish Lutheran Church which ran a mission farm there. Peder and Ulla Gowenius, a couple trained in a variety of artistic skills, were appointed to work with recovering TB patients at the Ceza Mission Hospital in 1962. In 1963 the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre was established in the Rorke’s Drift Mission buildings. The idea was that the skills taught at the art centre should assist the developing community. They would find outlets to sell their wares and so help to raise the standard of living of Black people in the area by providing a means to generate a steady income. They also aimed to extend the artistic heritage of Africa by teaching new skills through which it could be displayed as part of a changing society. The Gowenius couple established weaving, ceramics and printmaking as the techniques to be taught in the workshops. They taught these techniques with the aim of imparting skills of a high standard but allowed the students to develop their own designs. Weaving became the flagship of the centre as it generated the most money which contributed towards the funding of the centre. Eventually the school closed in 1982. In recent years it has been re–established and continues to operate as an Art and Craft centre where weaving, ceramics and textile printing is done to empower the surrounding community.

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There are a number of well–known artists who developed further after their studies at Rorke’s Drift. Allina Ndebele is a well known weaver who continued practising after leaving the Art Centre. Dinah Molefe and Elizabeth Mbatha are well known for their ceramics. Azaria Mbatha, John Muafangejo, Cyprian Shilakoe and Vuminkosi Zulu are all artists celebrated for their contributions to printmaking in South Africa. The artists named are only a selection of a large group of Black artists who used the opportunity to further their artistic skills.

Cyprian Shilakoe. Untitled (Battle of Rorke’s Drift). No date. Drypoint. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Emma Damane. Vessel. 1998. Earthenware. Ephraim Ziqubu. Untitled vessel. c.1972. Earthenware.

Bongi Dlomo. Tower of Babel. 1978. Linocut.

157 One of the artists trained at the Rorkes Drift Art and Craft Centre is Allina Ndebele (1939-) who was born at the Ekuhlengeni Mission near Vryheid in KwaZulu Natal. She met the Gowenius couple at the Ceza Mission hospital where she was training as a nurse. Through this meeting she began working at the Occupational therapy department, first learning to weave and then teaching recovering patients simple weaving techniques.

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In 1964 she received a scholarship to train in Sweden as a weaving teacher. After returning to the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre which had been moved to the mission buildings, she continued to develop her weaving skills to become a master weaver. She was central to the teaching process at the centre. By 1977 she felt restricted by the constraints of the job and the requirements of the Christian ideology promoted by the mission and she returned to her father’s kraal in Black Umfolosi. There she established her own workshop where she felt free to express her personal ideas and stories without the restrictions of other weavers or the organisation at the art centre.

Allina Ndebele. Animal meeting. Apartheid among animals. No date. Tapestry.

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Allina Ndebele. Nqamatshe and his muti magics. 1998-9. Tapestry of karakul, beads and thread.

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Many of her designs were inspired by stories told to her by her grandmother and therefore they focused on isiZulu culture and traditions. In order to facilitate the reception of the images that portray the stories and to honour her grandmother, Ndebele built herself a small traditional hut, an uguqa, constructed from mud and grass. In these later works one can see the development of a greater individuality in her designs which are also more complex than those created at the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre. One of these works is large and took 11 months to complete. The title of the work is Nqamatshe and his muti magics. She portrayed this mythological story in a complicated narrative design that consists of bright colour contrasts and simplified shapes which express the events clearly. The composition of the work is very full and shows different parts of the story within the single format. The story is about a powerful traditional healer and diviner who lived far away from the community but close to a large river where he kept a big snake that assisted him in his practice. He was a successful healer and therefore many people visited him. Some of the women who came to him were not ill but wanted a special potion to encourage the love of their husbands or prospective husbands. When three beautiful ladies came to him for this purpose, he decided that he liked them so much he was going to keep them by giving them a potion that would make them fall in love with him. After this, they stayed there.


158 The news was given to their husbands who were very upset and left to attack Nqamatshe’s kraal and to kill him. He, in turn, was warned about them and got the snake to eat all of them. When they saw a group of white egg-like objects on the riverside, he asked what they were and was told that they were the men’s heads. In the mean time the snake was swimming up and down in anger. After this a very loud voice told him that he had misused his magical skills and that they would be taken from him. This narrative depicts specific moral issues such as greed and the abuse of power which could be applied to other situations in life and therefore serve as a warning to anyone planning to behave in a similar way.

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Azaria Mbatha is another artist who was involved at the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre as a student and teacher. Although he grew up in a traditional isiZulu environment his family was Christian and this influenced his life and art. Mbatha (1941-) grew up in Mhlabatini in KwaZulu Natal. As a recovering TB patient he was the first student at the Lutheran Art and Craft School. His interest in art was sparked by his friendship with Peder and Ulla Gowenius and he proceeded to further his studies with them. He received a scholarship to study mural and enamel painting in Sweden in 1965.

Azaria Mbatha. Carrying firewood. Linocut.

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He returned to teach at the Rorke’s Drift from 1967 to 1968 after which he decided to leave South Africa to live in Sweden. In Sweden he completed studied social sciences and achieved a doctorate in philosophy in African Historical Symbolism. He continues to live in Sweden even though he has returned to South Africa to participate in a number of exhibitions. Mbatha has specialised in printmaking. He is especially well–known for his striking linocut prints. Many of his works are illustrations of biblical stories. He has also depicted traditional isiZulu life and customs, his perceptions of modern life and his interpretation of the process of integration between the races in South Africa and the world. The strength of his linocuts lies in the variety of techniques that he has employed. Early works are busier with a lot of fine detail in the variety of lines and patterns and contrast between black and white. Later works are more simplified with less decorative surfaces while the latest works appear to be a combination of the two styles. As in most of his versions of religious stories, Mbatha represented the characters in the linocut, Adam and Eve, as Black people. This


Azaria Mbatha. Adam and Eve. Linocut.

159 alone was a political comment as all illustrated bibles showed the characters as White people. In this linocut Mbatha represented the fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden in one composition. The idea of time passing is represented by a crescent moon on the left, a large sun in the middle and a star, with no moon on the right. This effect is also part of the balance that he created in the overall composition through the use of the decorative shapes of the hills on either side of the entrance to Eden which is framed with a decorative mirror image vine.

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On the left we see Adam and Eve eating fruit from the tree of knowledge. They are surrounded by trees that are full of leaves and the environment seems abundant. They are probably nude but Mbatha does not depict this blatantly as they stand amongst the foliage. In the middle they are clearly covered by garments and above them an angel with a sword is chasing them from the Garden of Eden. On the right they are on their own amongst trees that seem dead or not growing as abundantly as in Eden. The landscapes of the two halves also differ in the decorative marks that Mbatha has used. The strong use of contrast between black and white is emphasised by his use of many decorative marks in the landscape as opposed to the sky and the background of the scene where Adam and Eve are being expelled. Outlines are in white as the positive areas of the figures are black.

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Spirituality has also been a great influence in the work of artists other than rural artists. Judith Mason is not a rural artist working with traditional culture but the subject matter of her paintings deals with a variety of spiritual and religious issues. After completing a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Witwatersrand she taught there, at the Michaelis Art School (UCT) and at the University of Pretoria. She also taught at the Scuola Lorenzo de Medici in Florence. As a young artist her work was influenced by Francis Bacon’s expressive style. Her primary media are oil paint and pencil but she has explored a variety of printmaking techniques as well. She also uses discarded objects as part of her works. She has created a number of artist’s books as well. Her subject matter centres on the mythological and symbolic interpretation of landscapes, figures and portraits. It is frequently a reaction to current events in the news, political events or what she has read about influential historical events. Poetry, in which the experience of humanity is part of a symbolic context, has also influenced her. She has created a rich symbolic language through her expressive representations of human and animal forms. Much of her work is also inspired by religion, ranging from Christianity to eastern religions as well as mythological themes. Recurring images in her work are wings, the female breast, braids, strings depicting the status of a marionette or being tied up or suspended, chicken wire, clothing such as vests, pieces of material, the artist’s finger print and many references to different animals. Some of the images are symbols that she has constructed herself while she has taken other from various cultures. In many of her works the synthesis of beauty and ugliness occurs through the metamorphosis of a figure

Judith Mason. Judas. 1966. Oil on canvas.


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from one to the other. Her questioning attitude about religion and spirituality can be seen in an early work such as Judas. She asks if Judas has betrayed Jesus out of his own free will or if he was just an instrument in God’s plan. Through this work she depicts Judas as a very simple figure who deserves sympathy and who is not to be judged immediately. Her reference to his suicide is suggested by a suspended piece of tied cloth. The suggested suicide also refers to the impending event of crucifying Jesus. The painting has an almost transparent feeling like an x-ray photograph. The head seems to suggest the presence of a skull underneath it, showing only the presence of the indentations of the hollows for the eyes in tonal values of yellows and browns. On the face a detailed representation of a fly suggests the idea of decay and the state of being blemished. In the throat area a red shape that seems to be a body part is also suggestive of the violence of the suicide as well as the presence of sin through the betrayal of Jesus. This is not an illustration of the story of Judas but rather a combination of symbols depicting the idea of humanity. The tied cloth is both a suggestion of the noose used for the hanging and the idea of a ‘helping hand’ for salvation from the guilt suffered on earth.

Judith Mason. Reaching for Paradise. 2008. Oil on supawood.

Judith Mason. Reaching for Paradise. 2008. Oil on supawood.

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A later more complicated series of works that are presented as an installation are combined in Walking with and away from Dante in which she created two enormous paintings with totem shapes around them as an investigation of the epic Christian tale by Dante, the Commedia. The various phases of travelling through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise are depicted in symbolic interpretation.

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John Ndevasia Muafangejo (1943-1987)

“My themes, I do dreams, look around me and read the newspaper … when I dream I dream something [in particular] and then in the morning I begin immediately before I forget. That was what I mean – I dream some pictures” John Muafangejo grew up in rural southern Angola in a traditional environment. His father was a Kwanyama chief and their family lived in a kraal which operated like a small village. The Kwanyamas were one of the largest groups of Ovambos who lived in southern Angola and northern Namibia from at least 1550. After his father passed away his mother who was one of his eight wives, was destitute as she did not inherit anything according to traditional law. She decided to leave for Namibia where she went to live at the Anglican Mission Station at Epinga and converted to Christianity. The 12 year-old John found it very upsetting to leave the kraal where he grew up but he also wanted to live with his mother. After a year he joined her in Epinga where he went to school.


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John Muafangejo. Angola and South West Africa. 1976. Linocut.

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His talent for drawing was noticed and an uncle, Stephen Paulus, encouraged him to draw everyday life experiences and to develop his own style. An American priest, John Mallory, suggested that he should study further in art and applied for Muafangejo to study at the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre where he trained from 1968 to 1969. Under the influence of Azaria Mbatha, Muafangejo developed his artistic ability and preference for linocut as a medium. Muafangejo’s experience of life at the art centre was very intense. As he could not speak isiZulu or Sesotho and English was his third language he experienced feelings of isolation and severe depression. He returned to Namibia in 1970 where he practised as an artist and returned to Rorke’s Drift in 1974 as practising artist. Eventually he was able to build himself a house in Katatura near Windhoek because of his successes as an artist. From 1969 until his untimely death in 1986 he participated in many exhibitions in South Africa and the rest of the world.

Relief pokerwork created by an unknown artist for tourist trade. 1930’s.

John Muafangejo. Our school 1980. 1980. Linocut.

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The traditional skill of woodcarving and decorating wood utensils with a piece of iron warmed in a fire relates to the technique of linocut in which positive and negative spaces form an important part of creating a successful composition.

General characteristics of Muafangejo’s artworks

Muafangejo’s natural affinity for using linocut almost exclusively as a medium can be related to the skills he learnt as young boy. In the traditional environment of the Kwanyama kraal of which his father was the head, the men were expected to be the hunters and providers but they also had to be creative. They created domestic utensils from wood, drums, leather garments, pottery, baskets and weapons such as spears and knobkerries. On many of the wooden objects they added design elements in poker-work or pyrography. This is an art form where wood or other materials are decorated with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. The medium of linocutting is a relief printing technique in which the white areas of the design are cut away in the linoblock. The remaining areas are inked and printed to produce the image. Muafangejo usually began by drawing the design on the linoblock although he sometimes made a separate drawing on paper beforehand. He would then begin by cutting out the areas that he wanted to leave white. He did not necessarily follow the outlines of his drawings in his carving as the outlines were often left black. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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John Muafangejo. Kudu friends, 1979. 1979. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. Disadvantage for fighting men. 1974. Linocut.

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The style in which Muafangejo worked led to a simplification of shapes that can be described as an expressive version of reality which reveals a deeper insight into life as perceived and experienced by Muafangejo. In combination with the expressive way in which he captured experiences he also created a highly decorative style in his linocuts with the repetition of lines and shapes which then resulted in a pattern-like style. Through this decorative style he created a strong rhythmic effect in the contrast of flat black areas or lines and flat white areas or lines seen in the positive and negative forms. He did not use three-dimensional space as part of his compositions and this resulted in the two-dimensional decorative backgrounds found in the majority of his works.

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The use of black and white tells something of the idea of a frugal approach, as the use of colours would be too extravagant in Muafangejo’s style of expression that he explained as “a teaching style” which “doesn’t tire the eyes”. It can also be seen as a comment on the racial polarisation of Namibian as well as South African society at the time when skin colour was a direct reason for the path people’s lives would follow. Some critics of his work relate the use of black and white as being similar to the work of artists like Goya and Daumier. In their work the clarity and directness of their commentary on social and political issues was enhanced by the use of black and white. When Muafangejo’s subject matter is analysed, the use of black and white could also refer to the duality that is part of life in general and underlies all human activities and events. By providing text in the composition of many of his prints Muafangejo describes, explains and comments on some of his images. The text is included in the same way as the illustrated cartoon stories that have text next to each frame. Lettering has to be carved as a mirror image and therefore required skillful inclusion in the design of a composition. Much of the text is in English and is aimed at white viewers. With these texts his work is explanatory and didactic.


John Muafangejo. Lonely Man, Man of man. 1974. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. He is thinking about art? 1974. Linocut.

163 There are also works in which he used his first language, Oshikwanyama. These texts are usually shorter and are comments rather than explanations and descriptions. Text and images are used by Muafangejo to interact with the viewer. The idea of reading and looking at the pictures becomes one action when looking at the prints. As with his imagery, the texts do not always follow the traditional linear sequence of reading.

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The use of black and white, the colours in which text normally appears, is therefore more significant in Muafangejo’s prints. The text is a final completion of the images which he created and is also a confirmation that his works are documentations of actual events and incidents rather than anecdotes. The following comment by Muafangejo on his work explains his intentions clearly: “I am preaching. I am passing a message – to the owner of that picture, to whom we are going to sell it, to buy it, there is a message in it.” His works included a variety of subject matter. They reflect his state of mind and his daily experiences, like a diary. They include the following categories: tribal life, animal life, observations on social conditions, historical events, church life, biblical stories and personal life.

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John Muafangejo. A Kuanyama wedding. The two brides hold a fan made of hairy part. 1972. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. The Royal Wedding. 1982. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. Kuanjama wedding. 1970. Linocut.

Examples of Muafangejo’s works

Kuanyama Wedding From an early age Muafangejo participated in the ancient traditions of his community, the Kwanyamas. His artworks on this topic reflect his awareness of the complexities of tribal life, social responsibilities, social relationships and hierarchies. He depicts the topic of traditional weddings in more than one work thereby showing the importance of this event within the traditional environment. Two of these works are entitled Kuanyama wedding and in both he depicts brides participating, as well as the drummers who are an important part of the ceremony. In the larger of the two works he portrays two brides, the bridegrooms and a drummer. The composition is filled with the five figures. On the left the two brides stand with their backs toward the viewer. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

164 Mufangejo describes the scene clearly in the caption at the top of the composition: “A Kuanyama Wedding. The two brides hold a fan made of the hairy part of horses’ tails while they dance. They wear the tanned hides and their blets (belts) decorated with ivorys. The two bridegrooms hold their hats while watching their brides dancing and waving their fans. The well trained men play the drums while the dancing goes on.” The traditional clothing of the brides in the print is significant. Traditionally Kwanyama girls were required to follow a strict initiation ritual when they reached marriageable age. This ceremony is both a rite of puberty and a group marriage ceremony that is eagerly awaited by the girls. It would only take place every three to four years when there were enough girls to participate in it. The ceremonies where held over four days and were supposed to prepare the girls for the toughness of the life awaiting them. Continuous dancing to the sound of drums played by men was part of the ceremony. After this the girls had to attend a field school of eight weeks during which they were forced to fend for themselves. As preparation for the field school they had to create a special headdress that was supposed to test their endurance as they had to create it in the blazing sun. The Kwanyama women wore omhatelaheaddresses, long skirts of ox hide, corsets of dark-blue glass beads and ivory buttons. These were attached to leather straps and worn over their backs. They also wore necklaces and copper leg rings. The dancing women are depicted upright and static with their right arms raised as they wave fly-whisks, a sign of their new importance in the community. They do not show the same expressive movement as seen in the drummer. The man seems to be older than the two bridegrooms as he has a long beard. He is bent over the long traditional drum that he holds steady between his legs. Muafangejo’s depiction of the detail of the drummer’s hands emphasises the action of drumming. The two bridegrooms raise their arms, with their hats in one hand, in recognition of their brides’ performances. The drummer and one of the bridegrooms wear Kwanyama knives of exaggerated size in wooden sheaths. Muafangejo outlined the figures by cutting out the outlines and leaving the positive areas of the figures black. The lighter background forms a strong contrast with the silhouetted figures as he used repetitive lines of various thicknesses and in different directions to imply the rhythm and movement of the dance and the natural surroundings of this ceremony. The figures are depicted in simplified style for which Muafangejo is known. He did not depict finer details such as tonal values on the figures but instead drew attention to different textures, such as the hair and decorations on the skirts of the women and men. The figures of the women are standing with their backs towards the viewer but

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The omhatela-headdress is characterized by five horn-like points, of which the front three symbolise a bull, while the two horns positioned at the back symbolise the form of a cow. After attending field school, they were cleansed of the white ash that they were covered with for the field school initiation rites and their bridegrooms were allowed access to them. The young women continued to wear the omhatela-headdress as a sign that they had achieved married status. With time the headdress became untidy and unattractive it was replaced by a new one or simply discarded. The omhatela would also be worn if a widow A Kwanyama girl with the omhatela-headdress. or divorced woman remarried. This omhatela was characterized by the two rear horns being connected by a horizontal stave. These women were no longer subjected to any ceremonial obligations. Muafangejo emphasized the appearance of the women as they are portrayed larger than the men and the decorativity of their traditional clothing and jewellery draws the viewer’s attention.


165 their feet are depicted as if they are standing side-ways. The three men’s eyes are also depicted as if seen in a frontal position although they stand side-ways, giving a profile view of their faces. Muafangejo conveys the importance attached to the initiation of girls and the following wedding ceremony in traditional Kwanyama culture and keeps the memory of it alive through the artwork. Traditional cultures are under threat. People are following western traditions because of their conversion to Christianity. Works such as this one are valuable as a remembrance of that culture. New Archbishop Desmond Tutu enthroned

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Muafangejo documented his views and experiences of the church extensively. To him the church played a fatherly role in his life as the system that was part of it supported him in his artistic development, when he was ill, promoted his work and was the source of his closest friends. He also portrayed his views of political issues through the depiction of the people attending church as Black and White. The works that he created dealing with his experiences of church matter are also documentations of important events.

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A linocut of the memorable event for South Africans is New Archbishop Desmond Tutu enthroned. The work consists of two strips of imagery with captions underneath each. The strip at the top of the composition is of the New Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He is depicted in cartoonlike style as the shape of his head is exaggerated and his shiny glasses emphasised. Muafangejo captured the essence of Bishop Tutu’s portrait in this work. Around his neck hangs a chain with a large cross and he is wearing a light jacket with a darker shirt underneath. This contributes to the significance of his position. His facial expression is solemn and he holds the pointed finger of his right hand towards the crucifix of Jesus, to remind people that they should not forget why they are there. From the left a white bird which could be a dove enters the composition, symbolising the Holy Spirit entering Bishop Tutu. The crucifix with Jesus has been depicted in black and white areas that are blatantly contrasted. The body of Christ is white with the black cross behind it in one half and the opposite on the other side. On the right, next to the crucifix, two cupped hands, one white and one black, are a symbol of prayer. According to Muafangejo he used the black and white areas as colour contrasts and not necessarily as references to multi–racialism but if his whole body of works is studied it seems as if he used black and white as a skin tone deliberately in many other works.

John Muafangejo. New archbishop Desmond Tutu Enthroned. 1986. Linocut.

In the band below there is a church filled with people attending the event. Muafangejo did not leave an open space. He also deliberately depicted the people as one black, one white, spread equally throughout the rectangle. The people are depicted in Muafangejo’s characteristic simplified style and most of them are shown in profile. Their facial expressions seem friendly and in the row of people at the top, a White and Black man are stretching their arms to take each other’s hands, thereby encircling three other people as well. This event was significant for the church, as they had appointed a new leader but it was even more significant for South Africa as a country locked in the final stages of the segregation of races caused by Apartheid. It is a clear sign of the integration of the church in defiance VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

166 of the laws of the country. Muafangejo’s caption summarises it clearly: “New Archbishop Desmond Tutu enthroned at St Georges Cathedral in C.Town in 7-9-1986 →Our Namibia →We was praying and plodding for our New Archbishop Desmond Tu Tu of Cape Town Father hear our prayers, Bless him and keep him in our mind, Hope and be strong, Peaceful, Kindness Archbishop in defficlt time but God will help him.©1986 John Muafangejo.” This blessing is a testament of his support of the changes beginning to occur in South Africa as well as his strong Christian beliefs. Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus for R3.00

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Muafangejo grew up in a culture of storytelling and therefore bible stories made a great impression on him. The subject matter of Bible stories and tribal life are the two topics that he favoured. In his depiction of Bible stories certain themes are also visible. The struggle between good and evil and the theme of holiness are two themes which are regularly addressed in these works. As he stated, he wanted to convey a message that contained a lesson for the viewer and this is clearly seen in his choices of bible stories.

that Judas was possessed by the devil at that stage which is one of the interpretations of the reason for betraying Christ.

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He would also make the story more relevant by using certain contemporary aspects as part of the story or depicting the characters as Black people and using symbols derived from traditional Kwanyama culture. He thus depicted a personal interpretation of the images that he created and they became representations of his personal life and religion. In the narrative work Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus for R3.00 his title immediately draws attention as he used South African currency. He captures the viewer’s attention by supplying the amount of money that Judas was willing to take to be bribed. In the Bible it is stated that Judas would betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. At the time Muafangejo created the work R3.00 was worth more, but it was not really a lot of money. He was implying that Judas would have done anything for any amount of money. He also places the scene within the current experience of viewers in Southern Africa. In the composition of the linocut he depicts the story from right to left. On the right he portrays the scene where Judas is kissing Jesus with a dramatic embrace. Judas is portrayed expressively in a position that looks like a serpent entwining Jesus. The print on his long dress consists of bold white stripes that draw attention and resemble the scales of a snake. This could symbolise the idea

John Muafangejo. Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus for R3.00. 1973. Linocut.


Jesus is depicted standing upright and in a frontal position. His facial expression is neutral and his right arm is raised as if he is on the point of hugging Judas. Behind his head is a square shape with a bold white cross inside it, symbolising Jesus’s holiness. Jesus’s dress has fine lines like a decorative print and contrasts strongly with Judas’s dress with its bold print. Jesus’s feet are depicted in a frontal position, something that Muafangejo rarely did. The effect of the feet is that Jesus seems as if he is not touching the ground, as if he is floating. This could also be a symbol of his holiness. On the right two men with long flowing hair and beards stand watching the scene. The men could be Jesus’s disciples who were accompanying him at the time. However they are armed with swords tied to their waists and one has a knobkerrie and a drawn sword, while the other has an axe in his hand. It therefore looks as if they are the soldiers who were on their way to arrest Jesus. The caption of this scene is at the top and reads: Judas went before them and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him but Jesus said to him Judas, betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss?

167 This scene is divided from the next by a black line. On the left Muafangejo shows the shocking scene of Judas’s suicide as he has hanged himself after realising the gravity of his deed. Muafangejo depicts the tree with large simplified leaves that resemble the shape of daggers or swords. He also depicted the three single one rand notes scattered uselessly on the ground. The repetitive lines, fine lines for the ground and thicker lines for the sky, form a lighter background for the silhouetted figure of the hanging Judas and the tree. His caption is dramatic and informative and it conveys the moral of this story: “Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord Jesus for R3.00 without asking himself what he would buy with this money. After that he hanged himself and fell down and burst. You people, be careful of money, because it is the root of sin”.

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• Identify and make a list of all the objects and issues that are associated with ‘traditional’ Kwanyama life as seen in this linocut by John Muafangejo. • Discuss the message of this artwork with reference to the list that you made. Substantiate your interpretation by explaining your statements.

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Discuss the methods used by Muafangejo to draw the viewer’s attention to issues of identity, traditional customs and the changes that took place as depicted in the three linocuts illustrated below. Consider the following: • Subject matter and choice of images – describe what he portrayed • Use of text and titles • Composition

John Muafangejo. The Ancient People. 1973. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. Muafangejo’s kraal. 1979. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. He is killing the ox to collect the corn. 1987. Linocut.

John Muafangejo. Men are working in town. They are working in mine. 1981. Linocut. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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John Muafangejo and the German Expressionist Karl Schmidt-Rottluff both used printmaking techniques to convey their personal feelings. Analyse and compare the two illustrated works by referring to the following: • Technique used • Style as seen in the use of formal art elements • Composition • Differences and similarities between the artworks • Interpretation of the subjects and the feelings these works convey

Jackson Mbhazima Hlungwani (1923-2010)

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Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. A Conversation from the dead. 1914.Woodcut.

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John Muafangejo. Disadvantage for fighting men. 1974. Linocut.

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Jackson Hlungwani’s biographical information is an important aspect of his artworks. It explains the religious background from which he came and provides the necessary background for understanding his work. There are varying versions of Hlungwani’s life story but this version summarises the basic information. He was born to a Tsonga family in the Northern Province in 1923, a week after his grandfather died. As a newborn baby Hlungwani refused to be breastfed which at that time was a sure sign to the community that the mother had committed adultery. To clear her name, Hlungwani’s mother consulted a traditional healer who divined that she was innocent of adultery and that the problem was caused by the grandfather who had been reborn through the child. At this stage Hlungwani was given his first name, Bandi Pavalala, vito ra swikembu, his grandfather’s name and a sacred name in Tsonga tradition. “Before I was born I remember my grandfather appearing to me to inform me that I was a prophet of heaven sent to work with our people” confirmed Hlungwani who had spent his whole life honoring this command from God. Hlungwani’s upbringing was the same as that of other Tsonga boys’ and this proved very useful when he later formulated his religious ideas and started making artworks. As a shepherd for his father’s cattle he was in the perfect environment with time to study the rivers, movement of fish, plants, wildlife, the climate and the cosmos. His father also taught him how to create functional objects from wood and metal. After he completed his initiation and was circumcised he gave himself the name


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Jackson Hlungwani

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that distinguished him as a matured young man. The name Jackson is a western name taken for the purpose of his identity document and has no symbolic meaning. Like other young men in rural areas, he was sent to find employment in the city when he came of age. He had a number of jobs. He was dismissed and repatriated home after losing a finger in a work related accident. He married a woman from his village and had twelve children of whom seven survived. At this stage he joined the African Zionist Church – a church following the Christian doctrine but in combination with traditional values and customs, such as the honouring of the ancestors. He was ordained as a minister in 1946 but he left shortly after that to form his own sect “Yesu Geleliya One Apostol in Sayoni, Alt and Omega”, in Mbhokota, his birthplace. The doctrine of Hlungwani’s church consisted of a combination of traditional Tsonga-Shangaan religious elements together with biblical elements that were part of the Pentecostal aspects experienced by Hlungwani in the African Zionist church.

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On a hill, which was an ancient site where Venda speaking people had setlled more than a thousand years ago, Hlungwani and his family began enhancing the site by creating a Great Zimbabwe like labyrinth of dry packed stone walls. He named this church “The New Jerusalem”. This place was seen as a journey of pilgrimage to support the idea that mortal life is part of a journey. Hlungwani’s attitude changed even more when he became embroiled in a conflict with the devil which drove him to the brink of suicide before Jesus saved him. “I saw Satan with my own eyes and he shot arrows through my leg. I managed to shake off these arrows, but the other one remained inside my flesh. It disappeared completely into my body, becoming a snake. The following morning I saw a festering abscess on one of my legs. The other leg was swollen and dry, but itchy. Eventually it burst and became a large wound which went from bad to worse. I smelt horrible. Life is sweet smelling, but I smelt the smell of death, like the foulsmelling flowers and fruits of the muhatamba tree. I was planning to commit suicide because I could not stand it anymore. I decided to wait for the sun to rise the following day before I put my plan into action. The night had come and I was lying down, thinking of the coming day and what I was going to do, when suddenly Jesus appeared. Actually there were three persons. They came from the northern horizon, the Kalanga country. I was lying on my back, looking up at them with my head at the level of their feet as they were steadily approaching; then, they had arrived.

Jesus was standing on one side and his companions took me by the armpit and made me sit. Jesus stretched out his right arm and grasped my right hand. While speaking he would emphasize his words by pointing at me with his left hand. “Number One” he said

Jackson Hlungwani. God’s leg with eggs. 1984. Wood. In this sculpture Hlungwani’s reference to eggs seems to indicate the mysterious source of life as well as the issue of pain, as he experienced due to the sores on his own legs and therefore the possibility of death.


170 his legs, Hlungwani began to create figurative sculptures on a regular basis. The process that he went through can be compared to the calling experienced by igquirra or sangomas. It usually occurs as a persistent illness that is a message to be open to a transformative experience. After this experience Hlungwani cut some of his dreadlocks and began calling himself Xidonkani, meaning small donkey, and implying his humble status in the service of God. Together with his role of preacher and healer, Hlungwani constantly created sculptures that functioned as altarpieces and as explanations of his theology within his church for religious followers. He translates religious worship into an experience of art in most of his works such as figures, chairs, crosses, walking sticks and elaborate bowls.

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“You see, today you are healed, you will not die.” Then, “Number two: You will serve God for your whole life. Number three” he said “You will see God Himself. Look over there.” He was pointing in the direction from which they had come. I did not see God’s full stature. I only saw His legs, from the knees down. I watched the legs passing by, going in the direction of KwaZulu. Then Jesus ceased holding my hands. The other two also stopped supporting me on both sides. They began moving away and they finally also disappeared below the horizon. When they had gone I remained on the floor in a sitting position. I was wide awake. I had watched all the happenings with my own eyes. I became drowsy and slept for a while. All of a sudden I woke and jumped as high as the roof of the hut. When I fell back I found myself standing straight on my two legs.”

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This ecstatic religious and healing experience filled Hlungwani with an enormous energy which he lived out in his daily life by developing his church, preaching and healing. During the period 1979 to 1980, following the life-changing experience with

Jackson Hlungwani. Son of Adam. 1990. Wood.


Jackson Hlungwani. Crucifix (II). 1972. Wood, wool strings.

171 General characteristics of Hlungwani’s artworks

Rosheim Romanesque sculpture. Two men holding each other by the beard.1300’s. The simplification of facial features in this sculpture corresponds with Hlungwani’s style, illustrated in Cain’s face

Shangaan storytelling /divination puppet 1970’s. Wood.

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Subject matter Hlungwani’s choice of subject matter was guided by his spiritual beliefs. The works he created were used as part of his sermons and used to teach and explain ideas related to spirituality. He explained his sculptures as the communication of Christ and the ancestors through him. His version of Christianity was not a conventional interpretation. The philosophy that was the guiding idea behind his spirituality was based on his accurate knowledge of the Bible and the worship of God and Christ in combination with the role of the ancestors in the lives of the people which is an important part of traditional African beliefs.

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The idea of sculptures being part of the open air church was not a custom in the African Zionist Church which has many services in the open air. The inclusion of sculptures by Hlungwani could be related to the custom of using sculptures as part of the Tsonga male initiation ceremonies where they served a didactic purpose. Most of his early works were part of the open air church that he created close to his home and were not created to be exhibited as artworks in galleries. In his explanations of his works the general opposition of binary symbols is constantly used and it is therefore an important part of the subject matter of his works. Opposites such as good/ evil, male/female, up/down, black/white, Christ/Satan, Cain/Abel, new world/old world are part of his interpretation of the world and spirituality. The human forms that he represented are biblical figures, self portraits and combinations of human and animal figures which are representations of traditional figures such as tokkeloshes or evil spirits. He also represented animals such as fish, chickens, dogs and goats. Other symbolic forms that he created are crosses, thrones, ritual containers and symbolic body parts such as hands and legs.

Jackson Hlungwani. Detail of Cain. 1970-80. Wood.


172 portray. The expressive qualities of his works in combination with his animated descriptions of the symbolism of the meanings of the works are the defining features which attracted white gallery owners to buy and exhibit his works as art. This led to the removal of the sculptures from their intended environment within the open air church attended by the local community. By changing the context of these works their function changed and their meaning was disturbed. The wood Hlungwani used was from indigenous trees that had been felled because of age or storms. Some of his tools were homemade from scrap materials and he made use of traditional adzes of different sizes. Hlungwani did not use a bench but sat on the ground with the sculpture between his legs and he controlled the adze with one hand. This working method contributed to the rough energy of his sculptures. The carving process has been described as “a peeling away, a process of revealing the form”. He did not force the chips of wood from the surface but removed them through a rhythmic and constant process of chopping with the adze shaped figures.

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Style and working method Hlungwani exploited the expressive qualities of wood. He was interested in the monumental shape of the whole sculpture as well as the inclusion of finer detail where necessary. He utilised the natural shape and grain of wood in many of his works. His carving technique shows that he was confident and precise in the execution of his intentions. In his representation of human faces he simplified the features to exaggerated forms. The style is similar to facial features seen in older examples of Tsonga and Shangaan sculptural forms evident in staffs, bowls and Shangaan storytelling puppets. The faces are clearly delineated to portray the shapes of eyes, noses, mouths, cheeks, chins and ears. The delineation was created through linear incisions into the wood. The individual shapes of the facial features differ among the various sculptures and signify something about the personality and symbolism of the figure that was represented. These features have also been compared to the sculptures of Romanesque sculptures in Europe.

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Hlungwani did not use the realistic proportions of human beings or the animals that he represented. The creation of a figure was related to the shape and size of the piece of wood available as well as the character of the figure that he wanted to

Jackson Hlungwani. Altar of God. 1970-80.

The Altars Jackson Hlungwani’s works were created for the church, New Jerusalem which he and his sons created at Mbhokota. This church was built on an ancient site. Hlungwani’s choice of creating a church on an ancient site is appropriate because of the powerful ancestral presence that such a place contains. He was also inspired by pictures of other ancient ruins and circular buildings that he collected in a scrap book. New Jerusalem was on a steep hill overlooking Mbhokota. To reach the important part of the church, the chapel with two altars, one had to walk a distance passing various chambers that included healing rooms and a space named ‘Christ’s office’, which one could only look into, as well as the Hlungwani family’s living quarters and a ‘labyrinth’. The process of walking into this church is described as a kind of pilgrimage. It is described, by those who experienced it, as a process of leaving everyday life behind and gradually entering a space in which one experienced a feeling of spirituality that was related to VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Jackson Hlungwani. Altar of God as it is currently exhibited at the Wits Art Museum.

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the presence of ancestors which was represented by the arrangement of ancient stones. The powerful references to Christian belief were embodied in the sculptures. The two altars are named Altar of God and Altar of Christ. The Altar of God was used by women and presided over by Hlungwani’s wife and the Altar of Christ was reserved for the use of men. Each altar was located in a circular area marked by stones. Each had a collection of various sculptures that were placed there by Hlungwani. The placement of the sculptures could be changed and they were not seen as a fixed arrangement. Both these altars were sold by Hlungwani in 1989. At that stage he believed that their installation within the environment of an art gallery would reach more people. The original arrangement of sculptures was changed and the effect of the sterile environments of galleries on the assemblages of sculptures, stones and other combined sculptural objects was not necessarily positive and what Hlungwani intended.

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Altar of God The tallest element on this altar is the Aerial of God. It is a silver painted telephone pole with six horizontal bars attached at different heights. In its original setting in Mbhokota it announced the presence of the sun that reflected on the towering aerial. It has an oval wire attached to the most prominent horizontal bar and to that there are a variety of attachments such as a small wooden cross, car headlights and other small sculptures such as a diminutive figure of Abel, father of the White people. Through the inclusion of a modern object such as an aerial, Hlungwani places the idea of communication with God within a 20th century context of communication, suggesting that God can be reached by tuning into particular frequencies.

The two largest figures on the altar are those of Christ and Cain. The figure of Christ has a plough-share as a halo and a single hollow eye which dominates the whole scene and is seen as the centre of the altar and therefore the cosmos. His body seems to be covered in flowing garments which could also suggest furled wings. The figure appears strong and stable which relates to the importance that Hlungwani attached to Christ who saved him from suicide. Close to Christ is the figure of Cain who is holding a shield and is is cast in the role of an African warrior. He is in direct contrast with the small figure of Abel, attached to the aerial. The depiction of Cain and Abel is significant to Hlungwani as Cain was seen as the original ancestor of Black people and Abel as the original ancestor of White people. Through this aspect the effects of racialisation in South Africa is depicted as part of religious practice.

Jackson Hlungwani. Christ, part of Altar of God. 1970-80. Wood and plough.


174 Cain’s form is in the shape of the original tree trunk from which he was created. The trunk provided the shape of the torso and the two branches became the forms for the legs. He has been carved with a tunic and a bag hanging from his shoulder which is similar to the traditional dress of TsongaShangaan men. Sandals were carved on his large feet. There are similarities between Cain and the Shangaan warriors who Hlungwani included in an Altar for Christ. This is symbolic of the disquiet that is a constant presence in the realm of men who are constantly fighting. It is also seen as symbolic of ancestral prowess within the traditional Tsonga-Shangaan culture.

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The archangel Gabriel is present in both altars but is depicted differently. In Altar for God he is depicted as a powerful and confrontational figure without wings. This figure can be seen as a counter to the peaceful, stable figure of Christ who is also portrayed playing soccer in another sculpture that is part of Altar for Christ. The inclusion of sculptures of fish on both altars refers to Hlungwani’s personal interpretation of fish as symbols of peace and non-violence. The long canoe-like shape of Cain’s aeroplane provides Cain with the power of flight which would allow him to access spiritual beings and is another link with modern life. Relief panels are also a part of the altar like maps that represent the houses of God and Christ.

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Jackson Hlungwani. Cain, part of Altar of God. Wood.

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Altar of Christ The Altar of Christ consisted of fewer sculptures in the original setting. The fish in this altar represented Jonah’s fish. Christ playing football was part of the installation and there were sculptures representing God and the Angel Gabriel. The overall area of the Altar of Christ was dominated by an arc, created by a large branch which represented the path of the sun. A metal cross was placed at the centre of this arc.

Jackson Hlungwani. Christ playing football. 1983. Wood. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Jackson Hlungwani. Altar of Christ. 1970-80. Mixed media.

Jackson Hlungwani. Archangel Gabriel Part of Altar for God.1970-80.Wood.

Jackson Hlungwani. The First Gabriel. Wood.

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Jackson Hlungwani. Fish. 1988. Wood.

Jackson Hlungwani. Jonah’s fish from the Altar of Christ. 1983. Wood.

Jackson Hlungwani. Tiger fish III. 1987. Wood.

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Leaping Fish Hlungwani made 22 fish sculptures during his life and they are therefore a prominent feature in his body of artworks. The image of a fish is a recognised Christian symbol as it represented the Greek word Ichtus, which is an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour”. Throughout the world there are various other interpretations of fish as a symbol which include aspects such as fertility, freedom, adaptability, transformation or change. Christ is also described as ‘the fisher of men’, converting them to a life of Christianity. It is also significant that the fish totem is associated with clans in certain areas of Limpopo. There are also Tsonga proverbs which include fish. The symbol of the fish is therefore complex. In terms of Christianity it can also be related to the process of being baptised through immersion or submersion in water, as is practised by churches such as the African Zionist Church. This is a ritual cleansing process through which the person is symbolically reborn to a new life. The significance of fish was uniquely interpreted by Hlungwani as representative of peace and calm. He saw these qualities as an example for people to follow. One of Hlungwani’s comments on fish sculptures are related to his interpretation of the time of transition in South Africa and the way people should deal with it: “in the new country we must learn to swim like fish”. In Leaping fish one can see many of the characteristics of his other fish sculptures. In this sculpture he worked in an expressive style, emphasising the fluid natural form of the wood. The natural shape of the wood was used to achieve the curved shape of the leaping fish while the grain of the wood contributes to the visual effect of fluidity associated with fish. The title of this sculpture evokes the energy that it exudes. This fish has been depicted as it glides through the water with an expressively forked tail which adds to the feeling of movement. The fins on the sides of the fish are rectangular and the texture of them are indicated by lines that are deeply carved. The fins on its back and underneath the body look sleeker and are carved close to the body. The face of the fish has a human feel to it as the simple line that indicates its mouth seems to be smiling and the two round cavities which indicate the eyes, seem to be gazing upward. The surface of this fish has been sanded to give it a smooth texture. Scales are represented in a simplified way as small marks that are evenly spread over the body of the fish. Tiger fish III is one of the monumental fish sculptures of which the original shape of the wood was hardly modified. There are marks on the wood that show that

Jackson Hlungwani. Leaping Fish. 1980’s. Wood.

Hlungwani worked on it but this piece of 3.5m wood does not have a lot of naturalistic detail. The tail and fins are the only naturalistic forms on the wood. The curve of the wood reminds one of a fish diving. The fact that he chose this piece of wood, modified it and gave it this title is part of Hlungwani’s sharp eye for the expressive value of forms. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

176 Large Crucifix and star This sculpture is a synthesis of many of the symbols used by Hlungwani in other sculptures. The overall monumental shape of the crucifix was created from a single tree trunk. The form of the tree trunk is still clearly visible and therefore still part of the general impression created by the sculpture. The effect is that a tree is transforming into a crucifix, making the idea of it an integral part of nature. Many of Hlungwani’s sculptures are slight modifications of the natural forms of the pieces of wood which gives his works a ‘natural’ impression. This stimulates the viewer’s imagination so that the figurative shape of what is represented and the natural forms, shapes and textures have to be unified in order to interpret the work.

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Although the form of the tree trunk is clearly visible, Hlungwani has changed the surface of this piece of wood completely. The figure of Christ is central, standing upright with arms spread out. The cross bar of the cross is not horizontal as the crucifix is traditionally represented, but follows two branches growing upright from the central log. This posture could refer to the experience of joy, by stretching the arms into the air, or it could show Christ’s moment of loneliness and torture that is symbolised in his inability to move his arms away from where they have been nailed to the cross.

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Underneath Christ’s feet is a podium created from a separate piece of wood which transforms into what appears to be the roots of the tree. This creates the symbolic impression of the hill of Golgotha and it is suspended above the earth, as the sculpture does not stand on the floor. Also suspended from one of Christ’s arms is a three dimensional wooden form representing a star. It resembles a bird or some flying creature. It consists of a central flat form that has two segments. The Jackson Hlungwani. Large Crucifix and star. 1990-2. Wood, pencil and charcoal. top part resembles the fish shapes that Hlungwani had created previously and the bottom segment consists of a series of repetitive round shapes which resemble the eggs that he includes in many works. Closer to the front of this form are four pointed forms creating the idea of a shining star. The variety of colours of the different parts of the star give the impression that it was created from different kinds of wood. Hlungwani has depicted the figure of Christ as a strong and solid figure, as in his other representations. Christ has an enormous face consisting of exaggerated large eyes which appear to be staring down sternly. Between the eyebrows a deep incision represents the symbol of the cross. The shapes of the eyes were created by incisions representing the outlines of the eyebrows, eyelids, irises and pupils. The representation of the irises of Christ’s eyes are unusual as Hlungwani used strong repetitive lines which radiate from the elevated, darker form of the pupils. The nose and cheeks are in proportion to the eyes. The shape of the face becomes thinner towards the mouth, chin and long vertical beard. The


177 shape of the mouth is indicated by a thin straight line, contributing to the stern look. On both sides of the face are two exaggeratedly large ears shaped from round relief shapes. The torso and legs are small in comparison to the head but still create the impression of solidity as they consist of rounded segments which indicate the different parts. Christ’s arms and hands come out directly from the sides of the head, next to the ears. Hlungwani included more symbolic forms over the arms. On one side is a fish, the symbol of peace and


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tranquility and on the other side is a form that looks like a decorated flat tablet which has a cross with two crossbars on it. This is the Christian symbol of the patriarchal cross. On the roots radiating from the podium on which the crucifix stands there are more symbolic forms. Repetitive egg shapes are visible on one branch. These may again refer to the idea of treating other people with care, as if they are fragile and it could also be a metaphorical reference to the sores that Hlungwani had on his legs which were also symbolic of the egg shapes in other works such as God’s leg with eggs.

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In the illustrated self-portrait by Jackson Hlungwani he has also transformed himself into a drum, a significant functional object. Describe and analyse the sculpture by referring to the following: • Medium and technique • Style of sculptural representation • Symbolic aspects • The possible spiritual significance of this work within Hlungwani’s interpretation of religion.

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In the two sculptures illustrated below, Hlungwani merged figures that have religious and spiritual significance. Discuss the two works by referring to the following: • Medium and technique • Style of sculptural representation • Symbolic aspects • Possible reasons for merging the figures in each of the works

Jackson Hlungwani. God and Christ.1990. Carved and stained wood.

Jackson Hlungwani. Self-portrait. Wood, animal-hide.

Jackson Hlungwani. Adam and the birth of Eve. 1989. Ntoma wood. [Refer to Chapter 3 of the Grade 10 text book.] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Noria Mabasa (1938-) “There were some people

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Noria Muelewa (meaning “to remember”) Luvhimbi was born on 10 who said my ancestors May 1938 in Tshigalo Village in the north of what was then known were going to punish as the Transvaal, now Limpopo. She was the third child with two older sisters and a younger brother. me for going against As a young child, Mabasa was already tradition. I was not breaking gender stereotypes. Born worried because I was to a family with few sons, her duties told by my ancestors to included tending the family’s animals carve.” a job usually left to the boys. According to commentators on her work, it is a pattern that seems to repeat itself through her life. Noria Mabasa’s father was a wealthy man, not in monetary terms but in terms of animals and crops. He was much older than Mabasa’s mother and had 18 wives, each of whom had 3-4 children. The children would form groups of about ten who ate together. She says they were forced to eat quickly to make sure they got food before the other children came to take it away from them. At the age of 14 she went to live in Johannesburg with one of her brothers whose wife became blind after giving birth. Noria Mabasa went to care for the child and to help look after the household. After a while the mother recovered and Mabasa went to live with a cousin in Alexandra, Johannesburg. It was during this time that she started having disturbing dreams. After meeting her husband, Jim Mabasa, a Shangaan, she married him and moved to Venda. There she started speaking Venda after being raised speaking Shangaan, even though her ancestry is Venda.

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Noria Mabasa. Seated figure. No date. Earthenware.

Throughout her life the dreams persisted. She saw things in her dreams that were extremely disturbing and felt weighed down by the responsibilities they presented. For instance, she saw that one of the neighbour’s twins would die. Another of her dreams was of an old woman who told her to begin working with clay. At that time she did not know any women who were sculpting with clay and she ignored the vision. She then gradually became sick. Her whole body ached and she was weak all the time. No doctor could tell her what was wrong and as her dreams persisted she became weaker. Her husband disowned her and her children and sent her back to her family. There she and her children were given a place to stay, but were not given food by the rest of her family. Eventually she was so weak that her mother and sister cared for her and her children. The dreams


still persisted and her family, in an attempt to help her, went to the inyanga (traditional healer). She kept on dreaming of an old woman who was ravaged by leprosy. She had badly damaged hands with only a few fingers, no nose and parts of her mouth missing. She wore animal hides, had a very black skin, short black hair, exposed hanging breasts and was very old and wrinkled. She was terrified of this woman and could not sleep because of her. One day the old lady said the following to her: “You do not understand because I am teaching you and you are not listening.” When Mabasa woke up, her tongue was hanging out and she could not draw it back into her mouth. She started crying and her mother wrapped a cloth around her face. Together they went to an inyanga. The inyanga took a blade and made some cuts near Mabasa’s cheek and ear and put some

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medicine in her ear but nothing helped. Her mother then took her to their church where a drumming ceremony was held for the ancestors. At the church a man from Johannesburg who had healing powers removed the cloth from her face and told her mother to get some ash from the fire. He put the ash into a cup of water and started praying and touching Mabasa’s head. This alleviated the condition but she could still not breathe properly. The man ordered her to take some of the bottled ash and water home and to drink it regularly. She went to pray at the church every evening and within a week she had recovered. After that she had another dream of her father ordering her to listen to the woman who wanted to teach her something in her dreams. Both her father and the woman disappeared from her dreams but Mabasa shook uncontrollably. This went on for a week. Her father then returned to her dreams and told her to pray to the ancestors. Her fear went away and after telling her sister that she had to pray to the ancestors they went to her brother’s house where the plant of their Noria Mabasa. Installation view of Mabasa’s exhibition at the Goodman gallery. ancestors grew. They watered the plant and Mabasa’s Johannesburg. 1986. Painted earthenware figures. shaking stopped. The following day they went to fetch clay from the river and made a fire in the house. Mabasa began to sculpt in the light of the fire. Her first figures were small. After she dropped one of the figures she fell asleep and the woman came back to her dreams to show her how to create larger figures.

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At first she sold her small figures for 50c. A larger figure was sold to the commissioner of police in the area for R10. A fellow artist, Avhashoni Mainganye, came to Mabasa in 1976 and offered her an exhibition at the Venda Sun Hotel where all her works were sold. He also took photographs of her work to the Goodman Gallery (an established and well known gallery) in Johannesburg. In the mean time Mabasa was creating works for a craft shop in Venda. She received a letter from the Goodman Gallery with an order for figures of police and soldiers. She made 200 figures and the gallery took all the figures. This was the start of her career. After her work was also included in the Tributaries exhibition (Hlungwani’s work was also exhibited there) in 1985 and after a solo exhibition (1986) at the Goodman Gallery, the demand for her work increased dramatically.

General characteristics of Mabasa’s artworks Mediums: clay and wood Noria Mabasa busy firing ceramic Mabasa began her sculpting career by creating small human pieces in a shallow pit. figures from clay. The use of this medium was not unusual as women in southern African indigenous culture work with clay. Mabasa used clay collected using a special ritual from the river banks near her home. She does not use modern ceramics equipment or tools but works in the traditional way creating many of the sculptures through the coiling method also used to create pots. After she completed building and shaping the sculptures they were left to dry slowly under plastic sheeting. During the drying process she sometimes stains the works with red ochre soil or graphite. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

180 Firing the sculptures and sculptural pots she created is a big event. Usually a large number of pieces are created before a firing takes place. A large shallow depression is dug into the ground. The space inside is packed with one layer of stones and then a layer of wood. On top of this the sculptures and pots are carefully arranged. These are covered with a thick layer of straw-like grass which is then set alight. Pieces of corrugated iron are placed on the sides to contain and reflect the heat into the firing pit. This fire is kept burning for at least a day in order to complete the firing of the batch of works.

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At one stage Mabasa saw a large piece of wood caught under a bridge over the river near her home as part of a dream. When she went to the river the wood was there. She took it home but had no tools and continued working with clay. An old man gave her an axe and with this single tool she created her first wooden sculpture. It was a figure of a woman. A long time after this first sculpture in wood she attempted carving again but this time she had a chisel. She did not care much for the carvings and left them outside in the rain. It was with the encouragement of the sculptor, Mainganye that she started asking realistic prices for the wooden sculptures. She is the first Black woman in South Africa to carve wood as this working method was traditionally seen as a male occupation. The woodcarving suited her very well as she could work in larger forms and the sculptures were thus not as fragile. The fact that she took on this traditionally male role made some of her community members angry and some laughed at her. She was undaunted by them as she says the ancestors told her to carve and she loves doing it. In spite of her move against tradition, she respects other traditional Venda practices.

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Noria Mabasa chopping a piece of wood that is to be used for sculpture.

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Two aspects are always seen as important when looking at Mabasa’s work: the fact that she is Venda and a female. Another important fact is that she behaved in an unconventional way for a rural woman supported only by the dreams she had.

Subject matter Her clay work does come out of the traditional Venda women’s craft tradition where clay was used for cooking and container vessels as well as figures for female initiation ceremonies. In a sense the clay sculptures are therapeutic and represent her place in relation to local social systems. Many of her works show women dressed in traditional clothing and the details of the style of dress, the beadwork and other adornments are significant to the Venda culture. She also represents traditional rituals as well as aspects of daily health care for people who continue to follow a traditional lifestyle. The men who Mabasa portrays generally wear western clothing in a variety of styles. They are labeled by what they wear and show that they have been influenced by their experiences in the cities. There are a few women who also wear western clothing and they usually


Noria Mabasa working on a sculpture.

Noria Mabasa. Brown suited man. 1980’s. Clay and enamel paint.

Noria Mabasa. SAP 1986. 1986. Clay and enamel paint.

181 operate outside the traditional rural world like nurses and prostitutes. Most of these figures are generic types and are not portraits of specific people.

Noria Mabasa. Seated figure pot. No date. Earthenware.

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Examples of Mabasa’s works

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The symbolism behind Mabasa’s wooden sculptures differs from the clay works. These works are large, complex and narrative. Their sources of inspiration are multiple, coming from the news media, mythology and history, but not from dreams. The large pieces of wood retain their shape as a found form and set the terms and limits of the compositions. Mabasa does not alter the form or the colour radically. She uses the form of the wood as a dominating structure into which she carves the figures that tell the stories she wants to convey. There are no backgrounds and no additional or unnecessary detail. Everything is on the surface in a kind of relief sculpture that works its way around the original form. The holes in the wood are natural and Mabasa leaves them to function as open forms.

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Mukhali This commemorative statuette of Mabasa’s grandmother, Muhkhali, is a representation of Mabasa’s reverence for her ancestor. She was a symbol of the stability and power associated with women as well as Venda culture and traditions. The title, her grandmother’s name, means ‘guide’ or ‘mentor’. Mabasa has portrayed a memory of her grandmother who she never physically saw. She depicted her grandmother as a young initiate according to the Venda traditions of decorative beadwork and attire. The decorated shedo apron and beadwork around the legs, arms, neck, head and face are represented in clay through repeated outlines. Dots are finely inscribed into the surface of the clay. The variety of textural effects seen in the attire and the hair style, are in contrast with the smooth sculptural forms of the figure. Mabasa has represented her grandmother as a young but mature initiate and the overall effect of the stance and form of the figure gives it an individuality that Mabasa does not use regularly in her works. The figure of this girl is sturdy and upright. The facial features and elaborate hairstyle are depicted in a refined and sensitive style. The almond shaped eyes and realistically shaped nose, mouth and ears convey a feeling of timeless dignity when viewed from all sides. This can be compared to the Egyptian representation of Nefertiti in which beauty and regality is associated

Noria Mabasa. Mukhali. Two views of the sculpture. 1996. Clay.


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Noria Mabasa. Domba dancers. 1989. Clay and enamel paint.

A Pedi initiation figure similar to the figures used to instruct during the Venda initiation.

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with the finely shaped profile of the portrait sculpture. Mabasa used clay for this sculpture. It is the medium with which she was most familiar and with which she began sculpting as required by the troubled dreams that she experienced. Clay is the medium that was traditionally mastered by women in their task of creating coiled pots that are pit-fired for the household Mabasa was skilled and familiar with this. Compared to some of her other clay figures and many of the figures represented in her wood sculptures in which she represented generalised types of people as part of events or stories, this sculpture is the result of her ability to represent a more finely finished naturalistic representation of an individual. It is also larger than her other clay figures to which she applied colourful enamel paint to emphasise their roles in modern society.

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In a work such as this one and other representations of young female initiates performing the domba as well as women performing various daily tasks, Mabasa focuses the viewer’s attention on traditional Venda culture and beliefs. Small wooden sculptures of male and female figures as well as other important symbolic figures such as a python, crocodiles, lizards, leopards as well as a model hut are used as a part of the domba ceremony. It teaches the initiates about the importance of marriage, their roles as women in marriage and how to plan and deal with childbirth. To Mabasa the role of the woman in Venda society is clearly defined and it is taught to young girls at initiation school. This is the only form of schooling which Mabasa received as young girl. At the time she attended initiation school the period of training was already shortened from the initial six months because some girls attended public school. The three important initiation schools that girls had to attend before marriage were the vhusha which takes place at puberty teaching aspects of womanhood in seclusion from the outside world; the tshikanda reinforced the lessons learnt at the vhusha and the domba, a premarital school. At the initiation schools the initiates are instructed on what to expect and how to behave during each stage of development in their lives. They are also able to break with mistakes of the past and to invoke the support of the ancestors.


The domba dance being performed by a large group of initiates.

Although it has been shortened the domba is seen as the culmination of the initiation process. This ritual or ceremony is started with the blowing of a kudu horn. A sacred fire is kept alight at the king’s village for the duration of the domba. Initiates are then treated with special ritual medicines to prevent the influence of evil spirits. After this they are finally trained in all aspects of marriage as well as the values and customs of Venda culture. The domba is seen as an important national event for the Venda people. Besides depicting the traditional attire as in Mhukahli, Mabasa also depicted the domba dance that is an important part of the ceremony. This dance is performed by all the initiates around the sacred fire while the ngoma and mirumba drums are beaten by women. In single file the girls stand close to the person in front of them, holding onto their elbows. The row of girls forms a long chain and through their dance they move rhythmically around the domba fire. The dance symbolises a snake which is a sacred symbol associated with fertility.

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Noria Mabasa. Ngoma Lungundu I. 1999. Wild fig wood.

the drum that enabled the Singo to undertake their journey and occupy and hold land to the south of the Limpopo River. At times the power of the drum was so great that it would appear to play itself.” Although Mabasa did not make these sculptures for ritual purposes, she carved the complete shape of the traditional ritual drum, the ngoma, as part of the sculptures. Besides the legendary background of these large pot-shaped drums, they are potent symbols of the power and legitimacy of the chieftaincy. It symbolises the pool of creation with the chief interpreted as the ‘crocodile’ which is dominant in this pool. The drums remain symbolic of the authority of the chieftainship to this day and are still used as part of initiation ceremonies. As a result the drum has become a symbol of Venda identity.

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Ngoma Lungundu Mabasa has produced two works entitled Ngoma Lugundu which is the Magical Drum of Thunder, Drum of the Dead or Drum of Mwari.

Noria Mabasa. Ngoma Lungundu I. 1999. Wild fig wood.

Mabasa explained the legend as follows: “When the Singo people migrated south from Zimbabwe to what is now known as Venda, they carried this drum. The drum was enormous and had to be carried by many men. It was not allowed to touch the ground, as it was believed to be filled with medicine and magical powers which protected the people from their enemies. Human arms were used as drumsticks to beat on the human skin covering. According to tradition, as long as this drum was continually beaten during times of threat, it would help to defeat the enemy and protect the people. The drum struck such fear into the souls of the enemies that they fled in terror, fell to the ground in a swoon ‘as in death’ or actually died. If they stopped beating the drum, or allowed it to touch the ground, the Singo would be vanquished. It is said that it was the power of

In both the works the visual effect is that of movement and struggle. The placement of the figures which have to keep the drum from touching the ground, suggests the heavy load that they have to endure while crossing the Limpopo River. It is also possible that they could be overcome by the power of the drum. The work, Ngoma Lungundu I, consists of the drum held up by two large male figures. They are keeping the drum balanced between them by balancing it on their shoulders with a pole attached to the side of the drum. It appears as though they are only just able to keep the drum from the ground as they are both crouching, as if they are forced to move in this uncomfortable position. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

184 The figures are of lighter colour than the drum that is a solid red brown colour. It is a real drum that can be played, covered with an animal skin and presented with a drumstick, carved in the shape of a hand and arm, in reference to the legend. Mabasa also carved large breasts in relief style on the side of the drum. This powerful female symbol suits the fact that Mabasa created it. Although she respects and follows Venda traditional culture, her life story and accomplishments are important references to female power.

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Ngoma Lungundu II consists of a large group of people and represents the struggle and chaos experienced by the people crossing the river. The animated postures and facial expressions of the people in combination with the overall fluid feeling of the sculpture are expressive of this dramatic scene which represents the legend.

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The physical positions of each of the figures are expressive. Their torsos are turned as one man is looking in the opposite direction to the other, as if they are looking out for danger. Their faces have strongly defined features but do not show much emotion. In general the figures are naturalistic but simplified. Features such as the eyes, nose, mouth, ears and shapes of the face and head are carved in a generalised and expressive style. The representation of the overall topic is more important than the depiction of finer realistic details in Mabasa’s works. The texture of the wood has been re–worked to a smooth finely sanded surface and the patina of the wood has been changed from its natural roughness contributing to the sculptural feeling of Mabasa’s works. The whole sculpture seems to be carved from one log and has a fluid unified feeling because of this.

Noria Mabasa. Ngoma Lungundu II. 1995. Wood.

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Union Buildings Mabasa created this large work from a piece of a massive fig tree that was washed down the Luvuvhu River in 1999. It is possible that Mabasa was influenced by a brochure for a competition in 1999. It required a women’s monument for the Union Buildings, a complex of buildings in Pretoria which houses the executive arm of the government. It took her nine months to carve the work and five months to sand it down and it was therefore too late to enter the competition. In spite of this she took the work to the venue where the entries for the competition were supposed to be delivered and because it is so powerful it was bought by the South African government and placed in front of the Union Buildings anyway. In this large circular sculpture she represented a historical event that took place in 1956 when thousands of women marched against being forced to carry pass books. The dompas or pass book was an identification document that all Black people had to carry with them at all times and they were arrested if caught without it. It was one of the Apartheid government’s methods of controlling the

Noria Mabasa. Union Buildings. 1999. Wood and animal hide.


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movement of Black people in South Africa. The thousands of women who protested against it, travelled from various areas in South Africa to Pretoria where they gathered on the lawns in front of the Union Buildings. This march was one of the largest protest actions by women against Apartheid policies. The moment selected is when Prime Minister Strijdom fled after refusing to accept the thousands of letters of protest that the women had brought with them. Mabasa represented the mass of women symbolically through the fourteen women who are seen storming the building while they appear to be dancing and singing or shouting. They are also chasing a man who is fleeing from this group of overwhelming women. According to Mabasa the man is an employee of the government and represents the power and brutality of the repressive Apartheid state that was housed in the Union buildings at the time.

Noria Mabasa Union Buildings. 1999. Wood and animal hide.

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The fluid circular form of the group of figures and drums creates a feeling of movement. At the highest point of the sculpture two large ngoma drums form part of the swelling group of protesting women. The drums are representative of their beliefs and heritage and therefore they form the core of the group. The drums are symbols of their power as a group of women who are united in their struggle against the unjust treatment directed at their origin as Black people. The group of women is depicted as a unified mass as they are all linked to each other through the dominating shape of the piece of wood used for the sculpture.

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The people represented in this group are all depicted as simplified figures of people and not specific individuals. Mabasa shows a clear distinction between the White male government official and the women. He has smooth hair indicated with lines that are incised in the typical short hairstyle as well as the typical mustache worn by many of the White men in power during that time. Some of the women represented in the sculpture are wearing traditional Venda clothes, beadwork and hairstyles. Some of the women are represented waving their pass books at the fleeing government official. Mabasa sees this work as a celebration of women asserting their rights and it can also be interpreted as a reference to her personal emancipation as a woman who lived in repressive circumstances experiencing poverty and abuse during an earlier stage of her life.


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Works such as the illustrated works Flood and Carnage II were created as a result of information that Mabasa heard on the news. Discuss these two works by referring to the following: Medium and technique Style of sculptural representation Symbolic aspects Explain the references to traditional Venda culture and customs in these two works

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Noria Mabasa. Carnage II. 1988. Fig tree wood.

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Noria Mabasa. The Flood. 1994. Marula wood.

Noria Mabasa. The Flood. 1994. Marula wood.

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Mabasa’s first sculptural works were made from clay. Discuss the differences between the clay and wooden sculptures by referring to the Carnage II and Flood and the clay sculptures illustrated below.

Noria Mabasa. Clay pot. No date.


Noria Mabasa. Homestead III. No date. Clay.

Noria Mabasa. Man smoking. 1986. Enamel painted clay figure.

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CHAPTER

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Multimedia and New media – alternative contemporary and popular art forms in South Africa CONTENTS

p. 190

5.3 Overview of South African artists

p. 192

5.4 William Kentridge

p. 201

5.5 Willem Boshoff

p. 219

5.6 Jan van der Merwe

p. 231

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5.2 Influences

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5.1 Introduction p. 188


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Introduction

What is multi-media art? Multi-media works are often a combination of visual arts with elements from literature, drama, dance, film and music. Where traditional artworks work with sight, the other senses are now also included in visual arts such as hearing, smelling and touch.

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These works can sometimes move or develop over time to show a process. Rook Floro. Shadow. . 2012. Performance and sculpture – cast of liquid/plasticine. The artist is sitting on a chair with a painted cast shadow and a sculptural representation of his hidden desires in the form of a cast of himself.

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Artworks often make use of advanced technology such as electronics or computer technology. They include sound, video, animation and interactive media.

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Traditional genres such as opera and film are multi-disciplinary and embrace music, dance, drama, costumes, literature and visual arts but these art forms are not seen as ’multi-media’ art because a multi-media artwork is: - usually on a smaller scale than an opera or film - not committed to tradition - usually created by one person - created by someone with a formal education in visual arts - created to be exhibited in a gallery or museum where it is seen as a broadening of visual arts

The distinction between multi-media and mixed media is that mixed media refers to an artwork that combines different art media in one work e.g. paint, ink, pencil, etc. Although a multi-media work can also make use of mixed media and the two terms can overlap, a multi-media work refers instead to the variety of media used by contemporary artists which differs from the traditional/conventional media such as oil paintings and bronze sculptures. Multi-media or New media artists are therefore contemporary artists using a variety of media to communicate through the means of art. The aim is to touch the viewer in a way other than with conventional art.

Multi-media art developed from the contribution of Marcel Duchamp and his ready-mades. It can be classified under Conceptual art because of the use of alternative media and the emphasis placed on expressing and conveying ideas. Multi-media art often uses new media such as videos, digital media and other media not necessarily seen as art media – anything can be used such as bread, blood, etc.


Beili Liu. TThe mending project. 2011. Installation and performance with suspended Chinese scissors above the performer who is mending cloth.

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When you create or look at a multi–media or new media art work you have to consider a large variety of aspects which were not part of analysing or creating art works in traditional media.

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Consider the following questions in a discussion of the illustrated examples or your own multi–media or new media art work. • Do words play a role in the art work? Explain how and why. • Is the artist present in the art work? What is he / she doing as part of the art work? Is he / she making a conceptual gesture by being in the art work? • Are there ready made / discarded objects in the art work? Name the objects. Have the objects been changed / modified? Have the objects been arranged in a specific way to contribute to the meaning of the art work? Jeff Koons. . Balloon Dog. 1994. • Did the artist create a new idea / concept for the chosen Stainless steel. Exhibited at the objects / words? Explain how this was achieved. Chateau de Versailles in 2008. • Is the space or place in which the art work is exhibited important to the interpretation of the art work? Explain the reasons why, if they are important. • Is the art work permanent or ephemeral? How does this effect the meaning of the work? • Are there any traditional formal elements that are applicable to the art work? Discuss these elements and provide reasons for their importance. • Discuss the meaning of the title of the art work. Is the title of the work important to the interpretation of the work?

Jenny Holzer. Truisms. 1977-79. Projection on the Fleet Library, Rhode Island, USA – October 2010.

Jim Riswold. Make Believe Damien Hirst For the Love of God. 2007. Archival pigment print

Ana Mendieta 1. Earth Body. 1973. Documented performance. 2. Untitled (Silueta series). 1977. Photographic documentation of earth art installation. Tracey Emin. To meet my past. 2002. Mixed media installation comprised of a four poster bed, mattress and appliquéd linens and curtains.

Annette Messager. Remains II (Family II). 2000. Fabric, piece of plush toys, emptied plush toys, rope.


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Influences

Piero Manzoni. Artist’s Breath. 1960. Balloon tied to wooden base with inscribed plaque “Piero Manzoni – Artist’s breath”. Piero Manzoni is known for his ironic conceptual artworks in which he calls into question the nature of the art object by using unconventional materials in which the world’s obsession with permanence and his obsession with physicality is emphasised.

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Conceptual art emerged in the 1960’s and remains an influential movement. In this movement the conventions of craftsmanship, formal aspects and style are bypassed and a renewed emphasis is placed on content, as explained in chapter 7 of the Grade 11 Textbook. The movement originated was during a time of social upheaval and therefore the central aim of Conceptual art, that the idea is paramount, was easily taken up by artists who wanted to draw attention to diverse social issues. Conceptual art is based on the premise of the idea itself becoming the art work. The idea or proposal is suggested through a written text and thereby denies the tradition of the artist physically engaging with materials like paint or clay, to make an art product that can be bought and sold. Words are often accompanied by photographs or the vehicles of words themselves like books, newspapers, maps which are used to form Conceptual art pieces. Everyday and unusual materials are a reaction against the commercial use of art. Art cannot easily be bought anymore.

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Piero Manzoni. Artist’s Shit. 1961. 30 gram Sealed can with a label on each can, printed in Italian, English, French and German, identified the contents as ‘”Artist’s Shit”, contents 30gr net freshly preserved, produced and tinned in May 1961. The contents remained a disputed enigma but through this work, which consisted of 90 cans, Manzoni commented on consumerism in the art market as the tins were priced according to the value of gold in its weight.

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In recent years Conceptual art has continued to influence artists, but the development of the socalled “Pictures Generation” has changed from “what Art should be” to art that accepts any material basis of art and the language of visual culture. Since the 1980’s the works of many artists have still been driven by the concept or idea behind them. These artists would not call themselves Conceptual artists but they have generally been classified as NeoConceptual artists. Sherrie Levine, Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Richard Prince, Louise Lawler, Martin Creed and Simon Starling are a few of the artists who have been grouped under this title.

Installation art involves a space which has been utilised to create an artwork through the arrangement of objects. It may or may not be made specifically for the space. It could be in- or outdoors. Installation art could be permanent or temporary. It is usually documented through photography if it is temporary. Installation art invariably overlaps with other art forms such as conceptual, video or digital art, earth art and even traditional media such as painting and sculpture. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Barbara Kruger. Untitled (We don’t need another hero). 1987. Photographic silkscreen on vinyl. This work is a comment on the social construction of gender through the stereotyped roles ascribed to boys and girls / men and women. Kruger appropriated a Norman Rockwell image from a Saturday Evening Post newspaper and added the advertising style lettering to create the work. The words were also appropriated from the Tina Turner theme song for a Mad Max film set in a barbaric, post-nuclear holocaust future.

Doris Salcedo. 1600 Chairs stacked in gap between two buildings. 2003. Part of the Istanbul Biennale, Salcedo, a Columbian artist wanted to create a “topography of war”. The work is related to a specific event that she knows about but she prefers not to link it to the meaning of the work, making it more universal as a statement about absence, oppression and the gap between the disempowered and the powerful.

191 Land art or earth art is an artwork in which the landscape and the work are completely connected. The formal elements of many land artworks are important. Photography is also an essential tool for the artists as many land artworks are ephemeral and are documented through photographs. Many land artworks are planned for the site in which they are to be installed. Patrick Dougherty. Running in circles. 1996.Maple and willow saplings installed in Tickon sculpture park, Denmark.

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Performance art This art form is also related to Conceptual art. It was influenced by the Dadaists who strove to break all the traditional rules of aesthetics and performance art does not have any rules. The artist proclaims a performance to be art and consequently it is art. It cannot be traded as a commodity. It is similar to theatre but is conceptual in its choice of subject matter and therefore does not necessarily have a storyline. It is live and experimental. Body art is an offshoot of performance art as the artist uses his/her own body or directs volunteers to use their bodies as a central element of the artwork.

Marina Abramovic performing The Artist is Present at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. 14 March - 31 May 2010.

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Digital art is an art form in which the artist makes use of any digital media such as the internet, cell phones or computers.

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Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin. Listening Post. 2001-1. In this installation text fragments in real time are culled from thousands of unrestricted Internet chat rooms, bulletin boards and other public forums. The texts are read or sung by a voice synthesizer and simultaneously displayed across a suspended grid of more than two hundred small electronic screens.

Gillian Wearing. 60 minutes silence.1996. Video installation. In Sixty Minute Silence she assembled 26 British police officers to pose for a formal portrait. Although at first glance the life-size work resembles a backlit photograph, the viewer soon learns that it is a video with tension and strain building up over the hour they try to remain perfectly still. The power is reversed between the viewer and the viewed; as the authority normally given to the officers is stripped as they are held captive by the portrait photograph-like situation.

Video art is a term that is used to describe art that uses television and video as part of its creation and exhibition. The issues addressed by artists are related to Conceptual art. More recently it has become a form of digital art due to new technology in the form of computers, digital cameras and cell phones. See Chapter 7 of the grade 11 textbook for more information on all the above mentioned movements. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Overview of South African artists

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Kendell Geers (1968-) is an artist who creates works in a variety of media and does performances. He rose to international notoriety when he urinated on Duchamp’s work Fountain. In his works he uses and subverts familiar images and signs from art history and popular culture. He believes that: “To respect the viewers does not demand that I amuse them with beautiful asides. My understanding of respect begins with the assumption that the viewer is intelligent. I try to create works of art that are unsettling so that the viewers become aware of their own construction, ideologically and morally, so that they start thinking about the invention of morality that they embody.” Many of Geers’ works are reactions to the South African context and critical of the power and violence wielded through politics.

Kendall Geers. The Terrorist’s apprentice. 2002. Matchstick.

This labyrinth of fences and barbed wire has been installed in the Teutoburger Forest, a symbolic site where the Germanic community defeated Tiberius in 9 CE. It offers no relief and no escape and refers to the novel of the same title written by JM Coetzee in which the violent conflict of Apartheid South Africa is symbolically represented. The work is a reminder to the viewer that no one can escape their responsibility to question the status quo.

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This work consists of the single matchstick to be exhibited in a space on its own. Geers make a reference to a quote from Winnie Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, who said: “We have no guns – we only have stones, boxes of matches, petrol. Together, hand in hand, with our boxes of matches and our necklaces we will liberate this country.” This is an ironic statement made through the exhibition of a ‘safety match’ that can cause endless destruction.

Kendall Geers. Waiting for the barbarians. 2001. Installation view. Permanent installation in Germany.

Kendall Geers. Terrorealism. 2003. Installation view.

Kendall Geers. Akropolis Redux (The director’s Cut). 2004. Installation of barbed wire on metal shelves. In this reduced version of the Parthenon Geers used rolls of security fencing material patented in South Africa and exported to Greece. He uses this wire to replace the marble columns as a global cultural symbol.


This work was created for the space at the Migros museum. A cell, prison or temple was constructed to create an outer façade of bricks with broken pieces of glass protruding from its surface. On the inside of this room three neon tubes form the words BORDER, DANGER and TERROR. A short circuit causes the first letter in each word to go out, transforming the words into a new word constellation ORDER, ANGER and ERROR.

193 Clive van den Berg (1956-) is concerned with the definitions of masculinity in his works which include installations, sculptural installations, land art, video art and paintings. He challenges the stereotypes created through society’s narrow beliefs by combining personal and public images. Through his works he represents a celebration of love between men and so attempts to counter the prejudices resulting from the restrictive laws of Apartheid, homophobia and AIDS.

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In 1994, during the Johannesburg Biennale, van den Berg participated in the Mine Dump Project. Through this project he wanted to draw attention to the problematic remnants of mining and create public artworks. The idea of using the mine dumps formed part of the concept of his works as they have become a part of the landscape for most people while they are not recognised as a manifestation of the country’s history. The work he created would therefore include the idea of the memory of how Johannesburg originated. He created images, suggesting the unrecorded memory of mine workers, on the sides of the mine dumps using oxides, flags and whitewash. At night the images were set alight using local braziers, consisting of a drum perforated and filled with burning coals. These were placed along the outlines of the images. These images were seen by many people who commuted in and out of Johannesburg during the half hour that they burned. The idea of using fire could be seen as a transient medium but it could also be interpreted as ‘a way of branding, as an act of burning into memory’.

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Clive van den Berg. Mine Dump Project. 1994. Installation view.

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Another memorial is the installation Men Loving that he made for the Faultlines Project curated by Jane Taylor in 1996. This exhibition was installed at the Castle in Cape Town, the oldest building in the country. Van den Berg’s work consisted of an inclined battle field onto which he created the outlines of a double bed and a grave. At the head of the bed and grave he placed two cast heads and a pile of white stones, used to demarcate graves in the field. Scattered on the grass there lay an open suitcase with white stones next to it which look as though they fell out of the suitcase. The grass in the field kept growing and began to look forlorn after a few weeks. The following text accompanied the installation: “In 1735, two men were taken into the bay off Cape Town. When the ship was near Robben Island, they were made to ‘walk the plank’ while chained together. They had loved each other. On Friday, May 8 (1996), we adopted a new constitution which forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. Perhaps now loving will be easier.”

Clive van den Berg. Men Loving. 1996. Installation view.


194 Printmaking has been Fritha Langerman’s (1970-) field of specialisation which she has always combined with other media and objects in a number of her exhibitions. Throughout her career she has shown an interest in curatorship, monuments and memorialisation of South African history, scientific representation of the body and the display and order of information. The conceptual aspect of a body of works has always been emphasied. This is evident in a recent exhibition, Subtle Thresholds: The representational taxonomies of disease, which she has compiled over a period of two years. The exhibition is primarily concerned with the visual representation of disease. She used a large number of artefacts from the collections of the Iziko South African Museum, the University of Cape Town and the Wits Adler Museum as well as new art works by the artist.

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Fritha Langerman. Subtle Thresholds: The representational taxonomies of disease. 2009. Installation.

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Fritha Langerman. Installation view of Subtle Thresholds: The representational taxonomies of disease. 2009. List of objects: 16 quatrefoils and trefoils of Scanning Electron Microscope images of animal excrement, 10 chromed steel plates of bacteria and parasites, 1 carrier pigeon, 1 dispensing scale, 10 rusted steel plates of bacteria and parasites, 4 percussion hammers, 63 metres of concordance ruler, 5 bats, 24 coordinate plates, 2 ophthalmometers, 4 rat skeletons, 40 framed mythological index cards, 220m² of shadow paintings, 1 jackal pelt, 1 pharmaceutical prescription book, 2 rolls of bandage, 220m² of schematic grids, 25 chalk texts, 4 zebra hooves, 10 viral light boxes, 4 auriscopes, 512 healers’ hands, 1 pheasant, 22 wax moulding plates, 488 microbial test tubes, 1 parrot, 6 plague saint animals, 7 ophthalmoscopes, 7 rusted synonyms, 1 cockatoo, 2 medical cabinets, 6 autoclaves, 1 caracal pelt, 9 sterilisers, 40 metres ducting, 3 pneumothorax apparatus, 2 video projections, 3 coprolites, 1 marmot, 1 fox, 1 rabbit, 21 dental impression trays, 1 partridge, 1 foal, 4 hearing aids, 1 pig foetus, 5 snakes, 14 bottles, 7 retort stands, 2 pill makers, 1 snake bite kit, 50 small birds, 30 syringes, 14 cause of death reagent bottles, 25 dental moulds, 9 lion claws, 21 anaesthetic masks, 1 sheep skull, 20 surgical scissors, 50 ampoules, 2 UV lights, 3 trial lens cases, 10 stethoscopes, 1 zebra foetus, 40 syringes, 1 wax scabies model, 15 glass cupping devices, 2 mice, 1 baboon pelt, 2 oxygen masks, 3 monkey skulls, 22 glass slides and 5 pairs of antlers.

Fritha Langerman. Four of the six plague saint animals that where displayed bandaged. 2009.

Fritha Langerman. A fox and a rabbit with ventilator masks. 2009.


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The exhibition was situated in the Iziko South African Museum between the social history and natural history displays. Through this placement the exhibition aimed at creating a conceptual bridge between the zoological, human and microbial worlds. Langerman presented thousands of elements in this installation. She included Fritha Langerman. 512 Lasercut hands Fritha Langerman. Screen created derived from images of healing: 2500 from the negative shapes of the historic medical equipment, a 68 BC-2000 AD. 2009. healers’ hands. 2009. meter timeline that includes biblical concordance of disease with a running list of thousands of species, light boxes with viral images made from pharmacological lab plastics, sign plates with GPS co-ordinates of disease outbreaks, electron microscope images of animal faeces, steel silhouettes of bacteria and 512 cutout hands constructed of silhouettes of art historical and popular images of healer’s hands. By using these hands to shape ‘angelic wings’, that could also be interpreted as a schematic representation of a tree or a set of lungs, she evokes religious perceptions of disease. The influence of religion on the human interpretation of disease has associated disease and healing with damnation and salvation. In relation to this work she installed an altar-like grouping of objects. The negative form of the hands is used to ‘protect’ the six bandaged, taxidermied animals which represent surrogate plague saints, from the view of the spectator.

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Within this complex installation Langerman has created an intricate web of conceptual and visual cross-references. She has focused attention on the means through which images of disease are seen or not seen and understood or not understood by using a wide range of devices that heightened vision, including, scopes, light, reflection and projections. Fearful items are presented as objects of interest and beauty. She has attempted to break down the idea that species are completely different and separate from each other by connecting everything with the other through layering and the repetition of forms in the layout of images, texts and objects. The scientific aspect of the exhibition is countered by the aesthetic arrangement of it to draw attention to the conceptual connections between the idea of something and its appearance. Eventually one becomes aware of the small part that humans play within this complex biological system as presented in this installation.

Fritha Langerman. The rusted cut-outs are enlarged disease forms enlarged and populated with Silhouettes of demonic images.

Fritha Langerman. One of the 10 lightboxes that contain representations in pharmacological labware of 10 viral forms known to cause disease. 2009.

Fritha Langerman. Installation view of Subtle Thresholds: The representational taxonomies of disease. 2009.


196 Kay Hassan (1956-) has become known for his large scale collages created from recycled billboards and other materials collected from the city streets. He gradually began to include objects in combination with his expressive collages in which life in the township and the city is the main topic. People voting for the first time, gossiping, struggling to get food and hanging out at the shebeen are some of the scenes that the viewer is confronted with in a scale that is larger than life.

Kay Hassan. The Flight. 1995-6. Installation. Paper construction and bicycle.

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In some of his works the re–contextualisation of discarded objects is the primary objective. Like Duchamp he has found a new context and thought for the objects. The implications of the specific objects that he chose are still linked with the social and political background which Hassan experienced firsthand. The large installation Gloves represents the manual labour of many workers, even though the work also has visual appeal in terms of colours, texture and the arrangement of the gloves in this composition.

Kay Hassan. Gloves 1999. Gloves and shoes on wood.

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Hassan’s experiences of city life are best represented in installations where he used photography, video and acoustic materials in combination with collected objects such as bags and suitcases. Life on the street by day is represented as bright, lively and loud, while life on the streets by night is more gloomy and hushed. In the works Johannesburg by day and Johannesburg by night his daily observations are brought to life for the gallery visitor.

Kay Hassan. Johannesburg by day. 19992000. Installation view.

Kay Hassan. Shebeen 1997. Installation view.


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Robin Rhode. Stone Flag. 2004. Photographs of performance. In this work the sculptural flag made out of red clay bricks appear to be bending in the wind while it is wielded in celebration of the new South African democracy.

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Robin Rhode’s (1976-) works are combinations of performance, drawing, animation and sculpture. He physically interacts with each of the life size mural drawings which are then documented through photography or video to tell a story. His media, soap, charcoal, paint and chalk are simple and ephemeral. Youth culture in South African townships, socio–economic issues and colonialism are all part of his subject matter. By working on walls in the streets, his works take on a gritty aesthetic associated with graffiti and hip-hop culture. His works are also reminiscent of early silent films, stop-start animation, flip books and Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies of the 1880’s. His simple narratives are playful parodies on artistic gesture, daily entertainment, consumerist desire and petty crimes.

Robin Rhode. Car on bricks. 2008. Wall drawing and two piles of bricks.

Robin Rhode. Untitled (Yo Yo). 2005. Photographs of performance.


198 Minette Vari (1968-) has continuously been creating photographic and video works which comment on her position in society. In her works she reflects on her reactions towards specific aspects that she has identified as troubling or noteworthy to comment on. She uses her own body as the central figure but usually transforms it according to the statement that she is making in the work. Her use of video allows her to distort and transform recognisable forms.

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An early large scale projection, Oracle refers to the figure in Greek mythology who foretells the future. In this video Vari appears as a naked malformed creature who moves around in an animal-like way and gorges herself on what appears to be flesh but which are distorted fragments of news clips. The work references Goya’s painting Saturn devouring his children. By fulfilling the instruction of the oracle, Saturn proceeded to devour his son Chronos – Time – thereby symbolically devouring history. In this work the artist attempts to restore order by consuming ‘the news’. Her monstrous figure is a symbol for a post-colonial identity which has to deal with the ambiguous position of being a White female spectator and participant in South African history.

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The titles to her video works, for which she is now well Minette Vari. Oracle. 1999. Video known, are short uncomplicated one word descriptions which add an historical and sometimes mythological layer to the work. Many of her works are direct comments on South African society and the repercussions of its history and contemporary environment. In spite of this all her works can also be read in a universal sense.

The representation of media footage as pieces of flesh point to the violence and corruption included in it. The representation of her eating the ‘corpse’ of media footage points to contradictory attitudes of repulsion and desire for the violence contained in it.


Minette Vari. Oracle. 1999. Video

199 Strijdom van der Merwe (1961-)is a land artist who uses the materials at hand on the site that he is working in. He creates abstract sculptural forms mostly out of natural materials. In many of his works natural elements are re–worked into geometric forms which interact with and stand in contrast to the rest of the environment. The works change continually until they disappear and become part of the landscape again. In his works the fragility and transitory nature of beauty is acknowledged. His working process involves being alone within the space where he intends to create a work. This meditative attitude becomes part of his work which focus on formal elements such as colour, texture, shape and composition.

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The spectator of his works will become more aware of how these formal elements already exist within nature and that the artist’s skill lies in noticing them before anybody else. His land installations are documented through photographs which serve as a fragment of memory of the actual experience of the work.

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Strijdom van der Merwe. Clearing snow circles on the grass. 2002. Lithuania

Strijdom van der Merwe. LINES DRAWN WITH THE SAND FROM THE SITE. 2009. KARRO

Strijdom van der Merwe. Sawdust collected from forest and arranged in circles. 2008. Germany.

Strijdom van der Merwe. LINES CREATED BY DRAGGING FEET ACROSS THE SAND. NOUP, WEST COAST VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

200 Faith47 (1979-) is a self-taught artist from Cape Town who is internationally known for her graffiti or street artworks. She became a graffiti artist because of her interest in punk as well as any rebellious forms of music and skating. In her works she responds to social and existential issues. She scours the streets for sites where the surrounding space or already existing graffiti could contribute to her statement. Her works are easily recognisable as she creates smooth and graphic images that contrast with the surrounding grittiness of the urban environment. Many of the words and images that she inserts into the urban environment are metaphorical statements about humanity. The popular and direct messages of her images are a crucial part of a public art form like graffiti where the audience is anybody who passes by and who does not necessarily plan to look at an artwork.

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By doing graffiti paintings of rhinos that are constantly maimed for their horns in the place where the horns are traded for medicinal purposes Faith47 contrasted the image of the rhino with the dilapidated homes that are still left while the city is encrouching on their space. The nearly extinct communal homes are in the same precarious position as the rhino.

Faith47. The long wait. Johannesburg.


The figures of men waiting for employment was taken from the photographs of a friend of Faith47. The series of works are spread throughout Johannesburg.

Faith47. The taming of the beasts. 2012. Shanghai.

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William Kentridge (1955-)

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“I have been unable to escape Johannesburg. The four houses I have lived in, my school and my studio, have all been within three kilometers of each other. And in the end all my work is rooted in this rather desperate provincial city. I have never tried to make illustrations of Apartheid, but the drawings and films are certainly spawned by and feed off the brutalized society left in its wake. I am interested in a political art, that is to say an art of ambiguity, contradiction, uncompleted gestures and uncertain endings. An art (and a politics) in which optimism is kept in check and nihilism at bay. “

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William Kentridge was born in Johannesburg in 1955 to an affluent family with a history as prominent attorneys, who opposed Apartheid. His father defended victims of Apartheid in court. As a teenager he had access to an art education at a non-racial private art school, the Johannesburg Art Foundation founded by artist Bill Ainslie. After completing a BA degree in Politics and African studies at the University of Witwatersrand in 1976 he continued to study at the Johannesburg Art Foundation, specialising in printmaking and eventually teaching there. He began to exhibit at the Market Theatre Gallery but then decided to change direction by completing a course in mime and theatre in 1982. Following this he became active in film and theatre productions in Johannesburg as writer, actor, director and set designer. This variety of learning and working experiences set him up to begin his career as a visual artist who specialises in drawing but combines it with other media such as film.

Dumile Feni. Untitled.1976. Conté on black paper.

Influences and development of technique Kentridge describes Dumile Feni as “the key local artist” who influenced him. He was exposed to Feni’s large expressive charcoal drawings and small but intense ballpoint pen drawings at the Johannesburg Art Foundation where Bill Ainslie supported Black artists by providing materials, studio space and sometimes accommodation at his own home. Feni’s depictions of the living conditions of Black people under Apartheid made a strong impression on Kentridge who found the abstract and conceptual art generated under the influence of North American and European artists completely irrelevant in the South African context.

Besides the obvious references in his works to well known iconic Western artworks, the influence of artists who commented on political and social conditions by satirising and exposing upper-class society is also noticeable. Included here are artists such as William Hogarth, Goya, Daumier, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz and Käthe Kollwitz. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

202 He also drew inspiration from the style and presentation of Francis Bacon’s works seen in his early interest in the use of the triptych as a format. This related to his use of film as he could create stationary drawings that had to be taken in by the viewer by looking from one panel to the next. In this Kentridge saw a kind of dislocation of space where the artist could repeat a space or create a continuous space and then disrupt it through not placing the images in the expected relationship to the next panel. The metamorphosis of images through this pictorial effect correlate with the way he allows images to transform in his films.

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William Hogarth. Marriage A-laMode. 1745. Engraving and etching.

John Muafangejo. Our school 1980. 1980. Linocut.

George Grosz. Toads of property. 1921. Pen and ink drawing.

Daumier. Legislative belly. 1834. Lithograph. Käthe Kollwitz. Revolt (By the gates of a park). . 1897. Etching.


Goya. The sleep of reason. 1797-98. Etching with Aquatint.

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Otto Dix. Cartoon for Metropolis (Triptych). 1948.

Francis Bacon. Figure with meat. 1954. Oil on canvas.

Due to his restless nature he decided that his drawings are only one part of the visual story that he wanted to tell. He would film every part of the story as depicted through his drawings and put them together. As such he could relate a more ‘completed’ version of his ideas.

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General Characteristics of Kentridge’s works Kentridge cannot be classified as an artist in one specific medium as he is constantly experimenting with various media – drawing, printmaking, collage, sculpture, animations, live performance pieces, installations, film, theatre, opera, shadow plays and mechanical puppetry – to convey his ideas visually.

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The films, for which he is now world famous, owe their distinctive appearance to the artist’s home-made animation technique, which he describes as “stone-age filmmaking.” Based on the ‘low-tech’ technique of charcoal drawing, the mixture of drawing and home-made animation is an important part of his interest in content that develops out of the process of drawing. The symbolic images used by Kentridge often change into something else – a cat changes into a typewriter or bodies become part of a landscape.

The animations are painstakingly built by photographing each drawing which follows on from the previous one. As traces of previous drawings accumulate on the paper surface, every final drawing becomes a palimpsest containing the memories of a sequence. These sequential photographs produce a narrative of film images. The result is a projected charcoal drawing where a line unfolds mysteriously on the screen, with a will of its own, the artist’s hand unseen. Each of the final film-related drawings represents the last in a series of stages produced by successive marks and erasures.

Kentridge busy working on a collage of torn paper. During the process every change to an image is photographed and then put together to create a film with movement. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Kentridge working on a drawing.

Works in progress in Kentridge’s studio – from Weighing and wanting. 1997-1998.

Kentridge working on the video animation for I am not me, the horse is not mine in his Johannesburg studio. 2008.

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Drawing technique and style To Kentridge the act of drawing is the most important part of his artworks. He sees it as “a slow-motion version of thought”, a way of considering the meaning of life on earth.

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He works mainly with charcoal on paper. This constant use of charcoal results in monochromatic works with a very distinct expressive sensuous quality. The inclusion of one or two colours in some drawings draws attention to an object or image. The style of his drawings gives his films a strong handmade quality described as “defiantly grubby and purposefully primitive”.

Kentridge’s self-portrait drawings that are transformed for the film Medicine chest showing the technique of erasure that he uses to create animated films. 2000. Charcoal on paper.

Kentridge considers charcoal as an excellent medium to use for his animated films as the tonal values are easily transferred into the medium of film. Charcoal can, furthermore, be altered easily by erasing and drawing over previous drawings. The medium of drawing is seen as a quick and direct technique by where the potential for communication is improved.


205 When he begins to create a film he usually has one or two images as a starting point but not a pre–conceived script or storyboard. The process of creating a narrative is therefore based on immediate decisions that grow during and from his drawing process. A basic scene is drawn, photographed and, as previously described, hundreds of alterations are made to that frame or scene in order to create a sequence which depicts some form of movement. An 8 minute film results in around twenty to forty ‘finished’ drawings.

He feels that he is busy investigating the complicated internal changes within people that become visible as their reaction, or lack of response, to the changing circumstances in the country.

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The lack of colour in his drawings is meaningful and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Many of the artists who influenced Kentridge used this lack of colour to emphasise the comments they were making. There is also a reference to black and white cinema. His use of black and white is also interpreted as harsh, graphic and stripped in order to accentuate the grimness of the situation upon which he is commenting.

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Subject matter Kentridge uses a large variety of references and images derived from international and local press, historical events and documents, literature, films, opera, theater, art history, religion and his personal life experiences. The general idea of his subject matter is interpreted as a mirror of current events in South Africa. Although social and political commentary is clearly visible in his works, it is not the main intention of the artist.

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William Kentridge. Excerpt from the film Felix in Exile. 1994. This series of images shows the massacre of people resulting from Apartheid policy. Here one body is depicted as it is disintegrating and becoming part of the landscape thereby warning South African society about the dangers of covering up and forgetting their painful past and identity. Kentridge used red lines to outline the shape of the body and the beacon poles that surround the body. The red lines could refer to veins and seem to be all that is left after the body has been absorbed into the landscape.

William Kentridge. The Conservationists’s Ball. 1985. Charcoal and pastel on paper. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

206 In his descriptions of his working methods he underlines the fact that he is also responding to the physical experience that is part of drawing as well as the use of the medium of charcoal and the limited use of colour. The development of themes or topics in his works is therefore linked to the process of creating artworks. The human body is a central and dominating element in his artworks. He uses the effects of human figures moving in time to communicate ideas.

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Many of his works contain landscapes referring to the ever changing physical and social environment of South Africa. This places the events that unfold in his animations within a natural setting but ‘nature’ is clearly infringed on by ‘culture’ in the form of humans and everything that accompanies them. His bleak portrayals of the South African landscape can be seen as the opposite of traditional versions which emphasise the picturesque beauty of the country.

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The idea of continuous change is represented in scenes where he depicts the destruction of buildings, the movement of people, flooding, transformation or disappearance of figures by covering them with newspapers, submerging them in water or by them simply becoming part of the earth.

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William Kentridge. Drawing from film Weighing…and wanting. 1997. Charcoal on paper.

William Kentridge. The Boating Party. 1985. Charcoal and pastel on paper. This triptych was based on Renoir’s painting described by Kentridge as a scene that portrays “a sense of well-being in the world, a vision of a state of grace in an achieved world.” The South African version of this scene shows the underlying chaos and horrors that was an integral part of the South African society.

It also represents the ephemeral nature of memory and because of that the destruction of history. Significant structures, people and events are simply erased from scenes, like fading memories from a person’s thoughts. It can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the suppression of the knowledge of facts, ideas and memories. The visual effect is one of a disintegrating society.


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Within his poetic condemnations of the violence resulting from Apartheid, industrialisation and extreme capitalism Kentridge addresses a wide spectrum of issues. As an artist from a privileged White background with a Jewish ethnic heritage he has approached the topics of inequity, human suffering, abuses of power, sexuality, racism, the guilty conscience and redemption, from a personal point of view. The individual and private crises of the protagonists in some of his narratives are set against the background of the growing struggle of the masses of oppressed people in South Africa. The private is contrasted with the public and this is done through exposing bourgeois intimacy within the surrounding political violence. On the one hand it shows the viewer the persistence of personal events even within an extreme situation and on the other it exposes the lack of feeling and unwillingness to relinquish privilege by the minority group who are economically empowered and who also happen to be White.

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The narratives that Kentridge creates are fluid and the stories develop through symbolic shifts of emphasis. The layering of meanings and images are important to the films. He uses symbolic images to provide direction in a story and through that creates ideas within the viewer based on scenes that are not part of a logical world but are understandable within the South African context. His works have contributed to the process of forming a new South African identity.

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Concerning the social and consequent political interpretation of his works, Kentridge has the following answer: “The political process is one element of the films … Some people give a quite narrow political

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reading and say this corresponds to this moment in South Africa. But I think there are other people who do say that the films are about space between the political world and the personal, and the extent to which politics does or does not find its way into the private realm. Sometimes they seem to have to continue a social saga, but that is not how they started out, and it seems a dangerous way to try to lead them. I think it has more to do with changes in myself. Things that seemed more certain eight years ago seem less certain now. Politically, it has certainly become much more complex. South Africa is a whole different political place, certainly less interesting to the outside world, but more complicated for people inside.”

Renoir. The Luncheon of the Boating Party. 1881. Oil on canvas.

Examples of Kentridge’s works:

Drawings for projection Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris. 1989.

This animated film was created on the city’s 100th anniversary. It is the first in a series of nine short animated films created between 1989 and 2003. The central characters who feature in the works are Soho Eckstein, a productive but heartless wealthy industrialist, Felix Teitlebaum, an alter ego to Soho who is an unproductive contemplative artist and lover, Mrs Eckstein, wife of Soho, as well as large anonymous crowds of working class Black people.

William Kentridge. A frame from Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris showing Soho Eckstein. 1989. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

208 The title for this film and the names of the characters were derived from dreams that Kentridge documented. The idea for the film also developed from two dreams. It began as single images that grew into a narrative. The first was “the procession through the landscape” and the second “the fish in one hand”.

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The image of the ruthless but guiltladen Soho Eckstein was modeled on a photograph of his grandfather dressed in a dark pinstripe suit. Felix Teitlebaum, who is depicted nude, clearly resembles Kentridge himself and later in the series Soho also begins to show a resemblance to Kentridge. Because of this, the two characters become more complex as Kentridge comments on personal experiences through the two men who operate as alter egos in the series of films.

William Kentridge. A frame from Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris showing Felix Teitlebaum. 1989.

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Kentridge portrays his hometown, which he described as a “desperate provincial city” and as the “2nd Greatest City after Paris”. The locality is recognisable as a busy metropolis and is dramatically enhanced by the music of Duke Elllington.

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In the series of animated films Soho Eckstein’s greed, loneliness and disintegration are on display. In Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris his indifference towards the emotional needs of his wife and the workers in his mine are shown to be part of his callous temperament. He is portrayed as eating greedily from a table laden with food and drink. He crams the food into his large mouth and licks his lips blatantly. The workers begin to form an accusatory never ending long line but Soho ignores them and eventually throws chewed meat bones in their faces.

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The slow moving animation is punctuated with titles which lead the viewer into the story. Statements in capital letters such as Soho buys half of Johannesburg, Soho takes on the world and Soho feeds the poor are links between scenes that charaterise him. The name Eckstein means cornerstone in German and in stature he is built like someone who could be a cornerstone, but his lack of moral values and feeling make this an ironic surname. He is always seen frontally in the films and always dressed in his pinstripe suit.

William Kentridge. A frame from Johannesburg, 2nd Greatest City after Paris showing the nameless crowd of workers. 1989.


209 William Kentridge. Soho and Mrs Eckstein in pool from film Sobriety, Obesity and Growing Old. 1991. Charcoal and pastel on paper.

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The lack of inner or emotional life contrasts starkly with Felix Teitlebaum whose nude figure is always seen from the side or back and who overflows with feelings. He is introduced into the film with the caption Captive of the City written on a billboard towering above the chaos of a busy city scene. His character is sensitive to the feelings of others, such as Mrs Eckstein. His nudity adds to the idea that he is a vulnerable character who is exposed to the elements and has nothing to protect him against them.

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Through the opposition of the two characters, Soho and Felix, opposites are implied as part of the message, Civilisation versus Nature, Stained versus Pure and therefore Evil versus Good. Soho is depicted as someone who is involved in actions which influence the lives of other people physically while Felix is shown as an onlooker.

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Soho’s wife is a secondary figure whose name we never hear. As an abandoned wife she responds to the seduction of Felix Teitlebaum’s erotic attention for which luxuriant blue water is a metaphor. This emphasises the difference in character between Soho and Felix. Soho’s world consists of the large wastelands of Johannesburg which are quickly filled with the nameless crowds of Black mine workers. His actions within this environment are an analogy for his relationship with his wife as she is left by the wayside. In general he is a crude metaphor for the implementation and effects of colonialism and capitalism in South Africa.

William Kentridge. Selected frames from Sobriety, Obesity and Growing Old. 1991. Charcoal and pastel on paper.


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William Kentridge. Selected frames from Monument. 1990. Charcoal and pastel on paper.

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During the series of nine films with the following titles, Monument, Mine, Sobriety, Obesity and Growing Old, Felix in Exile, History of the Main Complaint, Weighing…and Wanting, Stereoscope and Tide Table, a story is woven around these two characters. Their experiences of life and the effects of the political and social climate in South Africa during and after the years of Apartheid on their interaction with people and the environment is the central topic. The central characters are opposites and very different from one another at the beginning of the series. They become similar in appearance later in the series. Through this series Kentridge has focused on depicting a distinctively South African experience and more specifically a White experience. He comments on the way some White people operated as greedy exploiters of Black people, how their personal lives could have suffered due to their greed and insensitivity and how they eventually begin to show signs of remorse.

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He also shows the effects of this system on people like Felix, who was not in charge, but was an observer of the exploitation. People like him observed the damage, showed empathy and felt the emotional effects of being implicated as beneficiaries of the Apartheid system but seemed to be ineffectual, voiceless and more involved in their personal problems than trying to participate in changing the situation.

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The consequences of the system of oppression on Black people are shown throughout the films and are set off against the growing sense of loss, guilt and remorse in both Soho and Felix. They represent the South African consciousness. In a universal context the films raise questions about people’s responsibility for what is happening around them.

William Kentridge. Selected frames from Tide Table. 2003. Charcoal and pastel on paper.


William Kentridge. Selected frames from Felix in Exile. 1994. Charcoal and pastel on paper.

William Kentridge. Selected frames from History of the Main Complaint. 1996. Charcoal and pastel on paper.

211 Shadow Procession The theme of Ubu, the character from a play, Ubu Roi, by the absurdist playwright Alfred Jarry, was integrated into the procession. Kentridge already had extensive knowledge of the character Ubu. As an aspiring actor Kentridge acted in a play titled Ubu Rex, an adaptation of the original in 1975. These experiences lead to his re– interpretation of the character in a variety of works. He created a series of etchings entitled Ubu Tells the Truth in 1996. After that he directed Jane Taylor’s adaptation Ubu and the Truth Commission in which the Jarry play was synthesised with the proceedings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that began in South Africa in 1995 as an attempt to create a forum for restorative justice after the crimes committed during the years of Apartheid.

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William Kentridge. Ubu Tells the Truth. 1996-7. Aquatint and drypoint etchings.

In the animated film Ubu Tells the Truth (1997) Kentridge used the stop-motion animation technique for which he was already known. Photographed line drawings, some in white on a black background, were combined with documentary film footage, photographs and collaged figures from torn paper.

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Throughout the film the image of an eye is used in different ways suggesting surveillance techniques, clandestine weaponry used by the Apartheid government in their fight against the uprising against it and the idea of eyewitness accounts of atrocities. The idea of the eye is connected with the evil purposes of the power hungry ruler, represented in the form of Ubu, depicted with a pointy head and rotund spiral belly. The film also recalls descriptions of bombings, torture and hangings that were given at the TRC.

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Photograph of a scene from the play Ubu and the Truth Commission by Jane Taylor, directed by William Kentridge.

William Kentridge. Selected frames from the film Ubu tells the truth. 1997. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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In Shadow Procession Kentridge used only silhouetted cutouts and torn paper figures with no drawings. After beginning with a slow shadowy procession it changes into a more clearly defined march in which a sequence of wounded and disabled figures, a structure resembling the gallows, a man hanging from gallows, a figure pulling a shower and people carrying their belongings, all move forward in a kind of chain gang. All of a sudden Ubu’s rotund figure, represented by a shadow puppet, rises from a hole or casket and he begins a dance which looks like someone ‘throwing his weight around’ and in the process he looks as if he is waving a pistol, represented by the shape of his hand. He is a fearsome menacing figure and this is emphasised by the chaotic loud noises of shouting and metal being banged together. After a brief interval of darkness the procession resumes on a more energetic level with traditional accordion music in the background and the sounds of people shouting as if spurring on the marchers.

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William Kentridge. Selected frames from the film Shadow Procession. 1999. Collage of torn paper.

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William Kentridge. Portage. 2000, Accordion-folded illustrated book with torn black paper on encyclopedia pages mounted on paper. Kentridge depicted the figures from Shadow Procession in this collage.

William Kentridge. Shadow Procession showed at Times Square, New York. 2008.

William Kentridge. The Bridge. 2001. Bronze and books. The figures in this sculptural installation are related to the figures in Shadow Procession.


213 By using shadows the figures Kentridge depicts are anonymous and generalised versions of people. Kentridge refers to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave in this film. In the allegory people live like prisoners chained to the wall of a cave facing a blank wall all the time. They see things happening through the shadows cast on the wall when people pass by the fire behind them. They believe that what they see is reality as this is all they can see. Plato explains that the philosopher is like a freed prisoner who has realised that the shadows do not represent reality and that he can see the true form of reality rather than the shadows perceived by the prisoners. In this interpretation of the Allegory of the Cave Kentridge depicts the dispossessed marchers as prisoners too but the implications of the scenery are that the people are walking away from something, trying to escape from the chaos. They seem to be seeking knowledge, symbolised in the representation of people with books. For Kentridge the allegory “sets the scene for the journey towards knowledge, or away from ideology or false consciousness, or from appearance to substance”.

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Male and female figures participate and some become extremely violent, beheading others. Some figures seem inhuman and are mixtures of animal-like bodies and sharp knife or scissorlike heads. The mood and pace of the procession changes as the music changes to a wailing version of “What a friend have we in Jesus”. People now carry flags and books, followed by people who look like soldiers returning from war with amputated legs, hobbling along. Some walk bowing under the weight of their burden and a group of men follows each other blindly by holding on to the shoulder of the one in front of him. Children are carried and a man comes past pushing a figure in a wheel barrow. Flags and spades are waved around as if in victory, followed by a dead man hanging on the gallows. People preaching from podiums and megaphones on wheels follow. Chairs and packages become larger and change into buildings. The last man seems to be dragging a whole city or the whole country along in this procession as his package blacks out the screen darkens.

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What will come (has already come)

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“I’m interested in machines that make you aware of the process of seeing and aware of what you do when you construct the world by looking. This is interesting in itself, but more as a broad-based metaphor for how we understand the world.” - William Kentridge

The title of this artwork is based on a Ghanaian proverb. This is a response to the Italian Fascist invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), the atrocities committed by the Europeans and the inability of the League of Nations to protect a member state against invasion. Kentridge also comments on the effects of human history, progress and all wars.

William Hogarth. Zoomorphosis (detail). ca. 1750. Etchings mounted on oak, mirrored cylinder and mahogany case.


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Installation view of Kentridge’s exhibition Seeing Double at the Marian Goodman Gallery in New York. 2008. The work What will come (has already come) was the central feature of this exhibition that included other works related to seeing something twice as the title of the exhibition suggests.

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Like the title the work itself emphasises the cyclical nature of history. Kentridge made a series of anamorphic drawings which only appear in a conventional manner when observed as a reflection in the steel cylinder in the middle of the disk on which the series of charcoal drawings are projected. The projected drawings on the disc appear distorted. The anamorphic technique Kentridge used to create the drawings dates back to the 16th century invention in which distorted images become readable ones when seen in the reflection of a mirror held at a right angle to the picture surface. The technique draws attention to seeing and refers to his fascination with machines and the variety of modes of seeing.

William Kentridge. What will come (has already come). 2007. Steel table, cylindrical steel mirror and 35mm animated film transferred to video, 8:40 min.


Viewing the work is disrupted through the visual effect of looking at distorted and conventional images simultaneously and is related to his commentary about the effects of war on society. The ‘real’ projected image is distorted while the ‘imagined’ image is the one reflected in the mirror. It is the viewer’s task to look at the images and to create an understanding of how meaning is constructed from both. Viewing this work in a darkened room with the images projected onto the spinning table and then reflected on the cylindrical core creates the impression of a crystal ball which is foretelling the future too late. Kentridge does not offer the viewer a definite plot but intersperses narrative and visual fragments. The images constantly recur and through the circular shape of the work become a never ending sequence of re– appearing horrors.

215 The projected drawings begin with the moon or a light reflecting on water, a mysterious shape stirs the water. Dots of light move in the darkened night sky and this creates the effect of the movement of the stars. It changes into a white background with the dotted lines moving in all directions which seem to represent the flights of Italian bombers towards their targets. These dotted lines change into a dark smudge that becomes a fly walking on something. The impression created by the inclusion of a fly is that of decomposition or contamination.

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The fly changes into a bomber aeroplane that flies past and changes into a spray of fireworks that becomes two profiles of a European man William Kentridge. What will come (has already come). 2007. Steel table, cylindrical steel mirror and 35mm animated film which creates the impression of a two-sided transferred to video, 8:40 min. Janus face. This changes into a horse and a buck that rise and fall like carousel animals. A Black woman appears to be lying in an open landscape with poles that could be fences or markers of territory. A dove flies over the landscape and becomes the only visible figure. The landscape becomes a small settlement which is dominated by a huge figure consisting of a round body with legs of electrical pylons that walks right through it. The legs disappear and the huge body becomes a dark moon drifting above the small town.

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The image of a merry-go-round is taken further with the fighter aeroplane changing into a bird that could be a dove or an eagle. The bird changes into the aeroplane and a tank alternately. A series of creatures like a wolf, a rhinoceros, a man carrying baggage, a bespectacled middle-aged White man and nude woman lying down flips past. They transform into more simplified shapes like a gun, a rhinoceros and a bird which look like the merrygo-round figures again. A small town is bombed with large missiles creating total destruction. A male body disintegrates and becomes whole alternately.

William Kentridge. What will come (has already come).2007. Steel table, cylindrical steel mirror and 35mm animated film transferred to video, 8:40 min.

William Kentridge. What will come (has already come). 2007. Steel table, cylindrical steel mirror and 35mm animated film transferred to video, 8:40 min.


216 It changes into a camel and a wolf-like figure. Then a procession of people walking with their belongings moves past. The large fly appears again. The ravaged landscape is bombed again until there is nothing left. A gas mask with an elephantine breathing hose marches about officiously and dances a horrifying little dance as if circling a maypole. The scene disappears into a grey space that becomes a white space and this creates the impression of complete emptiness.

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This work demands close interaction from the viewer as we need to come close in order to see what is offered. Kentridge confronts the viewer with the constantly transforming multitude of images related to past events.

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By doing this he is stating his theory about the truth which it seems is impossible to contain or simplify.


As in his other animated films that are clearly handmade, this work draws attention to an older technology which predates the digital era. None of his drawings has the clean cut polished image of current animated films. The idea of three-dimensional cinema is represented in a simple analogue way as anamorphic drawings were part of artists’ tactics to ‘entertain’ viewers as a method of surprise and refer to a fantasy world of limitless forms and visions.

This entertaining method is part of Kentridge’s strategy to make the viewer think about the relativity of visual perception. He combines the subject matter of colonialism, fascism and tyranny with a sophisticated play of projecting drawings, the reflection of the projected images and the visual effects of transformation.


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“On the one hand it’s the pleasure of the optical illusion if you think you recognize what you’re seeing but it’s something completely different. But it’s also about chaos, which we somehow force into a pattern of coherence in terms of how we have to make sense of the world. There’s a kind of narrative drive – not a will to recognize – that we are stuck with and saved by.” William Kentridge

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William Kentridge’s comment on the concept of optical illusion tells us something about his intention in regard to his animated films, Shadow Procession, What will come (has already come) and the works pictured below.

William Kentridge. Double vision. 2007. Set of 8 stereoscopic cards, colophon wood box and stereoscope.

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William Kentridge. Phenakistoscope. 2000. Four-colour lithograph on pages from Bacon’s Popular Atlas of the World (1951) attached to two gramophone records, machine metal shafts, gear mechanisms and a wooden handle.

William Kentridge. Double Canna. 2004. Two drawings with charcoal and coloured pencil on paper, mirrors and tripod.

William Kentridge. Black Box / Chambre Noire. 2005. Model Theater with drawings, mechanical puppets and 35mm animated film transferred to video.

Do research about the mechanisms of the optical effects and subject matter which Kentridge used in the four works above and discuss the following: • • •

Describe the mechanism used in each artwork. Discuss the optical effects that each of the works creates for the viewer. Discuss the connection between the subject matter and Kentridge’s investigation of the nature of perception in each of the works.


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The American artist Kara Walker creates cut-paper silhouette installations, videos and performances. The paper-cut technique dates back to the 16th century when it was a popular form of portraiture in the De Medici court in France. It has never been considered as serious art as it was seen as a decorative form of craft. In the work Slavery! Slavery! illustrated below Walker depicts a 360° view of scenes that refer to the atrocities connected with the years of slavery. The imagery is shocking and portrays blatant racial stereotypes committing deplorable deeds. There are three major compositional scenes which can be identified in this panoramic scene: around the fountain, under the crescent moon and around the slave quarters. The more than thirty figures act out the relationships between slaves and slave masters where abuse and subjugation dominate their liaisons. Like Kentridge, Walker comments on historical events from a current perspective.

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Kara Walker. Slavery! Slavery! 1997. Cut paper and adhesive on wall. The scene under the crescent moon is in the centre of this image.

Kara Walker. Slavery! Slavery! 1997. Cut paper and adhesive on wall. The scene around the fountain is the main focus of this image.

Kara Walker. Slavery! Slavery! 1997. Cut paper and adhesive on wall. The scene around the slave courters dominates this image.

• Discuss Walker’s use of silhouette cut-out figures to depict Black and White people. • Compare Kentridge’s work Shadow Procession, in which he also used silhouetted figures, with the Walker’s work Slavery! Slavery!


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Willem Boshoff (1951-)

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“I have a head full of uncertainty. I don’t know where I am with anything – but I think that is a kind of certainty in itself. I spend eight hours a day on the computer, having an orgy with language. I hate books and I love books. Books can be prisons. Once something is written, it’s written, and it can become dogma. But a book can contain wonderful things – things you will only see if you take it off the shelf and open it. A book is conceptual until you open it. In art, those things are in your face. I work with the Idea of knowledge in a package: how we keep knowledge, package it, store it – through books, the computer, oral tradition; how we process it and manipulate it through art and how we share it, or publish it.” shock to his parents. Before completing his degree he abandoned his studies for a while to become a lay preacher, taking the word of Jesus to the streets and giving away all his worldly possessions. In 1974 he graduated with a National Art Teachers Diploma and proceeded to teach at Jeppe Boys High and after that at Parktown Boys High. In 1977 he accepted a lectureship at the Technikon Witwatersrand (now University of Johannesburg) where he lectured until 1995. Boshoff lives and works in Johannesburg and has been a full time practising artist since 1996. His interest in writing, text, language and concepts are crucial to his art which deals with social injustice as a central theme.

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Willem Boshoff was born to a working class family in 1951 and grew up in the conservative predominantly Afrikaans-speaking community of Vanderbijlpark. As a young boy he helped his father who was a master woodworker, in his workshop. It was here that he inherited his love of wood. After completing school where he was inspired by his art teacher to become a sculptor, he was forced to do two years of compulsory military training in the South African Defence Force followed by regular military camps. This experience proved very traumatic for Boshoff. He refused to carry a rifle and rejected all forms of violence and war which resulted in rejection by some of his fellow Afrikaners. On completion of his military service his decision to study at the Johannesburg College of Art, now incorporated into the RAU (Rand Afrikaans University, was a

Willem Boshoff. Bangboek. 1977-1981. Ink, paper, masonite. Boshoff wrote down his subversive thoughts about the enforced military service which he was doing during that time. He created a secret code in order not to be caught out and jailed for writing down thoughts that undermined the Apartheid government. The title can be translated as ‘the book that is afraid’ and is a wordplay on the Afrikaans term ‘scaredy pants’ used to mock someone who is scared. After his military service was completed he used it as part of his exhibition for his degree in Fine Art.


220 Influences Boshoff ’s life experiences are important in his concept and production of art. His experience of working with wood with his father, shaped his knowledge and attitude to working with this medium. Although he does have sculptural works which he carved from wood, he also created works that are clearly influenced by his experiences of assisting with furniture making. The idea of fitting pieces of rectangular wood together within a whole structure is a technical aspect of furniture making that is evident in some of his works. Willem Boshoff. Close-ups of As school boy he was not encouraged to do art by his family Bangboek. or the community tin which he grew up but he was influenced by his high school art teacher to become a sculptor. He made an effort to collect information about art which he kept in scrap books, thereby teaching himself more about sculpture. One can already recognise Boshoff ’s later ventures in collecting information which is crucial to his art production.

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His experiences with relation to the authoritarian system of the South African Defence Force drove him to begin creating a kind of diary or manifesto about his subversive thoughts. His reactions to aspects of society can therefore be described as a key element in his subject matter.

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As an artist he is categorised as a Neo-Conceptualist. This label connects him with Conceptual artists such as Joseph Beuys and Hans Haacke [see Chapter 7 of the Grade 11 text book]. Both these artists demonstrated their theories that artists have social responsibilities Hans Haacke. Collateral. 1991. Shopping cart with silkscreened metal buttons. and that pedagogical, ecological, socio-political and spiritual agendas are crucial to their works. This philosophical attitude towards art and its influence in society is clearly visible in Boshoff ’s practice as an artist who incorporates his capacities as activist (someone who tries to have an effect on society by inducing social, political, economic or environmental change), anarchist (someone who opposes the state, authority or hierarchical organisation within human relations), druid (ancient druids were members of a priestly class in Britain, Ireland and France, but the modern version of druidism is a person who follows a form of spirituality which promotes harmony and worship of nature and respect for all beings, including the environment) and encyclopaedist (someone who compiles encyclopedias – collections of summaries of information about all branches of knowledge which is usually arranged in alphabetical order). The result is that his works are formed by moral, artistic and scientific intent. Boshoff has also had a lifelong interest in Arte Povera. This interest relates to his stance as activist and the conceptual nature of his artworks. Literally translated from Italian, Arte Povera means “poor art” and was instigated by artists in Italy at the end of the 1960’s who took on a radical stance by questioning and attacking the values of institutions such as the government, industry and culture. They Michelangelo Pistoletto. Venus of the rags. 1976, 1974. Marble and textiles.


221 abandoned conventional art forms and began making art works from discarded objects. Their attitude of changing society was encompassed in their attempts to create revolutionary art which is free from convention, power structures and the influence of money in the form of the art market. Although Boshoff does not implement their goals to the extreme, many of his works contain elements of this revolt against conventional art and the influence of the capitalist society.

Jean Tinguely. Mengele – danse macabre.1986. Scrap iron, harvesters made by Mengele (Augsburg), hippopotamus skull, electric motor.

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His interest in the works of the artist Jean Tinguely corresponds with his interest in Arte Povera as well as the criticism of power structures in Western society which was also part of Tinguely’s agenda in his art production. His sculptural machines, classified as Kinetic art [see Chapter 6 of the Grade 11 text book], were created with the intention of satirising the mindless overproduction of goods within an advanced industrial society.

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Willem Boshoff. KykAfrikaans. 1979-2003. Typed page in book. KykAfrikaans is Boshoff’s extensive collection of works in this form of ‘visual literature’.

General Characteristics of Boshoff ’s works Boshoff is a conceptual artist who is fascinated by words. His works communicate ideas to the viewer. His interest in words concerns their meanings in different languages and contexts which he demonstrates visually through his artworks. Words are analysed in order to reveal their etymology which means that he delves into the history and origin of words and how their form and meaning has changed over time. The work 32 000 Darling little nuisances is Boshoff’s response to the refusal of five British monarchs to apologise for the atrocities committed during the Anglo-Boer war. The portraits are deliberately colourful, large and well-labeled to do them proud. The names of 1 142 children who died senselessly at the Bethulie concentration camp are printed in strips of transparent film and placed upside down and back-to-front so that they cannot be read. African words for ‘baby’ and ‘child’ are used for the unrecorded black children who also died there. The title 32 000 Darling little nuisances refers to the 32 000 children who died in the concentration camps and in a well-known statement made by Queen Victoria (in Kings and Queens, a booklet from Buckingham Palace). She is said to have been robustly practical about the tiresomeness of small children and her own words “Children are such darling little things but they can be a terrible nuisance”, has been adapted for the title.

Willem Boshoff. 32 000 Darling little nuisances. 2003. 1. Structure suspended overhead: ± 2000 names printed on strips of transparent acetate and pinned onto 7 sheets of Polystyrene. 2. Wall mountings: 5 enlarged images of kings and queens, mounted onto light plastic base boards. 3.Floor covering: 7 sheets of plastic mirror.


222 In terms of words, his works are explorations of the complexities of language rather than explanations of it. Instead of reassuring the viewers, the works become attempts to confuse or disconcert them. This is achieved by using difficult words and terms, cryptic coding, slippages of translation and historically marginalised languages. He

undermines assumptions and stereotypes in order to achieve his intention, which is to make the viewer think for him or herself. Some of his works require the viewer to read the work as well as to read about it in order to understand it. The viewer of his works can also be described as a reader as Boshoff can be described as a writer.

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Willem Boshoff. Kring van kennis (Circle of knowledge). 2001. Engraved granite stones.

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The University of Johannesburg commissioned Boshoff to create this public artwork to celebrate the new millennium. The granite memorial stones are engraved with text in concentric circles, from each of the eleven official languages of South Africa. The inscriptions are “things that are worth learning” and the stones are all about 1 meter in diameter and knee high. The 11 stones are arranged in a circular format with two or three stones arranged closer to each other to encourage discussion.

stand out in the two-dimensional wall pieces. The size of his works is also significant as some are life size and others are made to be handled with ones hands.

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Boshoff ’s works are sculptures and installations. Many of his sculptural works are made of wood and more recently he has created sculptural works from stone. The installations consists of printed text which has been arranged in a specific manner, assemblages that include natural materials such as sand, manure and stones or commercial objects such as brushes, toys, jigsaw puzzles and a variety of discarded objects. Some of the works are threedimensional and some are two-dimensional. He also uses the effect of relief by including areas that

Although Boshoff creates most of his works with his own hands he has created works which required the assistance of artisans. He has created a number of works which are labour intensive projects and have been created over a long period as they are based on systematic documentation.

Willem Boshoff. Liberté Égalité. 2004. Two manipulated puzzles depicting an identical city-scape: New York, shortly before September 2001.

Willem Boshoff. Black Christmas. 2002. Wood, broken plastic toys, glue. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

223 Examples of Willem Boshoff’s works Table book (Tafelboek) 1976-9 This intricate work looks like a low table and consists of a myriad blocks of wood offcuts that were carefully fitted and glued together over a period of four years. Boshoff considered this and other sculptures created at the same time as a research project. In these works assembled from pieces of wood such as twigs, splinters, blocks and dowels or processed wood such as paper or cardboard, he dealt with the idea of ‘the book’ and also referred to the idea of ‘The Book’ as the Bible, the Word of God.

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Part of the background of Tafelboek (Table book) was situated in Boshoff ’s environment at the time he created it. He lived a reclusive life in a small subterranean apartment in Hillbrow, Johannesburg like a monk in a cloister. Here he created the piece to fit to the measurements of the space available to him. It fitted snugly through the door and it could be used as a table when inside the room. When it was unfolded it filled the whole room. The smooth table-like exterior hides a complex interior which is revealed when the eight hinged flaps that are supported by a central wooden skeleton are systematically unfolded. Each of the flaps consists of countless smaller parts.

Willem Boshoff. Tafelboek (Table book). 1976-9. Rectangular pieces of discarded wood.

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The shape of work has been compared to many things and is a fertile source of interpretation. When it is in its closed state it has the obvious shape of a piece of furniture, a table, but it can also be interpreted as a coffin containing a skeleton, which is symbolically represented by the complicated structure inside it. These two interpretations have been connected to the Christian references that Boshoff favoured at that stage of his life. The table could be interpreted as a communion table with its symbolic meaning as part of Christian rituals and the idea of the coffin refers to the death of Christ.


When unfolded it seems like an archaic machine such as a printing press or a loom. The general shape of the unfolded work has also been compared to a densely built-up city like Hillbrow. The complicated structure is like a maze which does not have a beginning or end. The endless horizontal and vertical crosses of interlocking wooden blocks suggests that it represents numerous crucifixes or in a more lighthearted vein, a jungle gym. Willem Boshoff. Tafelboek (Table book). 1976-9. Rectangular pieces of discarded wood. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

224 These interpretations are part of the visual impact of the work but part of the title alludes to this artwork, which looks like a piece of furniture, as a book. With this in mind the work becomes even more complicated as it can now be seen as a device for storing information. The smooth exterior conceals, stores or incarcerates the information inside it. Like a book the work has to be opened to be ‘read’ and to free the knowledge that is locked inside it. The process of opening up the work is similar to that of opening a book. Similarly when reading a book one has to start at the beginning and read until the end to make sense of it. This work can fall apart if not opened in the correct sequence.

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Boshoff ’s reference to books in this work therefore makes the viewer think about books and how they work. The idea that a book is read page for page points to the fragmented representation of knowledge in the format of the book. This is

represented in the separate pieces of wood that are linked by Boshoff in the process of making the work, like the author of a book linking ideas or the events of a story. By using the medium of wood he also refers to the unprocessed origin of paper. The medium of wood is also connected to Boshoff ’s personal symbolism which is linked to the broader Christian story. Woodwork is a humble but important activity that was Joseph, Jesus’ father’s and Boshoff ’s father’s occupation. Christ was crucified on a cross made of wood. Through all these references Boshoff ’s work becomes heavy with meaning. His relationship with his work as a craftsman that gives the object a unique touch which is in itself a sign of the magical relationship between the craftsman and the handcrafted object.

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Kasboek (Cupboard Book) works on similar principles as Table Book. This sculpture in the shape of a cupboard was made from thousands of wooden shards. The smooth exterior created by interlocking shards of wood conceals a forest of splinters on the inside. The measurements of the piece are derived from the measurements of his own body. Standing in front of the work with his arms stretched out, as if crucified, he would fit into it, from top to bottom and across. The opened work is a reminder of the crucifix and also similar to the triptych altarpieces created for churches in the Middle Ages.

Willem Boshoff. Kasboek (Cupboard Book). 1981. Splintered wood.


225 Like Table Book this work is a book masquerading as a piece of furniture. The reference to fragmented wood which alludes to the microscopic fibres of paper is clearer in Cupboard Book than in Table Book. Boshoff created the splinters by smashing pieces of wood with an axe. Compared with the idea of using the structured offcuts seen in Table Book, the process of creation is violent and more chaotic. The final fitting together of the shards which create the smooth exterior would also be a time consuming process as in the creation of Table Book while the interior is also an intricate creation, but not as organised. The protruding splinters seem dangerous and could be an image of devastation.

Willem Boshoff. Kasboek (Cupboard Book). 1981. Splintered wood.

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Blind Alphabet The origin of this work is part of a task that Boshoff set himself when he felt that he was perceived as intellectually inadequate because of his Afrikaans accent. While teaching at an English school he decided to compile lists of perplexing English words and use them during conversations in the staff room as a kind of language game that would show off his intellectual ability and show English speakers that they also do not know everything about their own language. He began to compile a dictionary of these difficult words.

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Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. 1990 ongoing. Wood steel aluminium (36 wooden forms from the letter B).

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Boshoff ’s intention with the creation of Blind Alphabet was to provide an experience for blind people in which they could ‘see’ an artwork and learn something from it. The effect of this intention was that blind people were placed in a privileged position of power in relation to the artwork while sighted people were placed in a disadvantaged position and confronted with the situation of being illiterate.

The first phase of the work – the first three letters of the alphabet - was completed in February 1994. The Blind Alphabet ABC consists of 338 wooden sculptures which were placed in caskets with steel mesh sides. The lid of each casket has a sheet of aliminium embossed with text in Braille, a tactile writing system used by the blind or visually impaired. The text consists of a difficult term in English, its meaning and derivation. Each of the words are related to form, structure or texture. The beautifully crafted wooden sculptures represent the word or an explanation of it. Opening exhibition of Blind Alphabet.

Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. 1990 ongoing. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

226 The privileged position of blind people is established by the fact that only they can read Braille. Therefore they are allowed to touch the lid and after reading, remove it to pick up the explanatory sculptures. Sighted people are restricted to the ever-present rule of galleries and museums of DO NOT TOUCH. They are only allowed to observe. Their only chance of seeing the artwork completely is by being escorted by a blind viewer who can guide them through the work by explaining the text and showing them the sculptures. Without a blind viewer the sighted viewer would only see the rows of metal caskets with the sculptures vaguely visible through the steel mesh.

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Blind Alphabet draws attention to the process of ‘seeing’ and ‘reading’ through the sense of touch as experienced by a blind person. For Boshoff this aspect draws attention to the difference in experiences as the sighted viewer looks at something from a distance which is illusionary and superficial in comparison to the use of touch as a more intimate sensory experience.

Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. Bipectinate –anything that has two margins that are distinctly toothed or spiked like a comb. 1990 .Wood.

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In general this work is an amalgamation of themes seen in his early sculptures. The work includes ‘readable’ sculptures, it is like a dictionary as it conceals and reveals its contents. The idea of using caskets is similar to the cupboards as they can be opened and closed.

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The idea of empowering the blind is taken seriously by the artist whose intention is not to appear patronising and therefore the terms and explanations require intense concentration as they are written in a complex technical language, filled with foreign derivations and difficult concepts. Being blind does not give you a ticket to coast through the exhibition easily.

Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. Echinoid. 2007. Wood.

Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. Decacantous. 2007. Wood. Willem Boshoff. Blind Alphabet. Dauciform. 2007. Wood. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

227 Abamfusa Lawula/The Purple Shall Govern Boshoff created this work for an exhibition entitled Purple and Green which was to be held at the Pretoria Art Museum in 1997. His initial idea was to do something with a huge security fence but he was directed to do a text based work. In response to the title of the exhibition he was inspired by a book which he owned, The Purple Shall Govern. In it there was a photograph of a protest march in Cape Town with the following caption:

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“Purple rain … On 2 September 1989 a protest march in Burg Street, Cape Town, was broken up by police using purple dye sprayed from a Casspir. One lone resister jumped on the roof of the Casspir, grabbing the nozzle attached to the hose, and turned the jet of purple water onto the police. Soon after that graffiti appeared on walls in the city and even on the inside of the police van, which read: THE PURPLE SHALL GOVERN.”

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On 2 September 1982 this incident of unrest during the state of emergency in South Africa, was photographed by photographers who hid away, as no photographs of unrest situations were allowed to be taken. The riot police sprayed protesters with purple dye from a water canon in Cape Town, Burg Street.

The cover of the book, similar to the one owned by Boshoff, displaying the graffiti that followed the protest on September 2, 1982.

Boshoff began to do research on the slogans shouted/sung by protesters during the Apartheid years and found that they were not documented anywhere. There was more than one reason for this. The Apartheid government banned any printed or written material which was considered revolutionary and would jail people found with anything like this in their possession. The other reasons are linked to the latter and to each other. In keeping with the tradition of most Black African cultures in southern Africa who did not document information in written form it was passed on orally. People memorised the ‘subversive’ songs and slogans which therefore existed in their heads. This meant that they could not be arrested as there was no physical evidence of them.


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Boshoff began to ask people about the slogans and gradually collected and documented them. As his collection grew, the process went faster as people could remember more slogans with the others as a frame of reference. Eventually he collected 49 slogans in various indigenous languages from South Africa.


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The effect was created by printing the words of the slogans in large 10 pica sized capital letters which resemble Ndebele decorative mural patterns when seen from a distance. The slogans were places in horizontal rows and could be read easily from a distance. As part of the large rectangle of slogans Boshoff created vertical relief lines to emphasise the idea of the reverberating sounds of the slogans.

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As in the slogans which displayed the displeasure and mistrust of the people in the struggle he wanted the work to invoke a sense of intimidation and menace. The rhythmic vibrations of the assertive power of African languages when chanted en masse created the effect of thunder filling the air and therefore Boshoff wanted to create a visual effect of reverberation. This idea connects to the visual poetry that he created in KykAfrikaans where the works are optophonetic, meaning that you can see them as well as listen to them. The idea was that the sound component should be imagined in the process of looking.

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In darker thin grey lines, between the large capital letters, he included the English translation underneath every slogan so that one has to read ‘between the lines’ understand them. This created a situation similar to Apartheid as people who are versed in the indigenous languages could look at the work from a distance and they could read and understand. In general White people cannot understand these languages and this forces them to walk up close to the work to read the English translation closeup. This overturning of a position of power placed the White people who are educationally privileged because of Apartheid history and the fact that textbooks for universities are printed in English, in a disadvantaged position as they have to go and scrutinise the work to be able to understand it.

Willem Boshoff. Abamfusa Lawula (The Purple shall Govern).1997. Printed text on paper, masonite, wood


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5.3


Discuss Boshoff ’s combination of unusual media and text in the following two artworks. Refer to the following in your discussion: • Arrangement of objects / media within surrounding space • Integration of text with media • Titles of the works • Interpretation / meaning of the works

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Willem Boshoff. Writing in the sand. 2000.

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10x40kg bags of sand, stencils, sieve and buckets. In this work Boshoff used words and definitions from a dictionary of –ologies and –isms which lists obscure fields of learning, such as pognology (the study of beards). The head words are given in English and the definitions in South Africa’s 9 newly recognized official languages.

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Willem Boshoff. Cheap Labour. 2004. Seven well-used shovels.

Willem Boshoff. Cheap Labour. 2004. Seven well-used shovels.

Willem Boshoff. Writing in the sand. 2000. Boshoff, busy installing the work and Boshoff erasing the work.


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Jan van der Merwe (1958-)

“At present I work with artifacts of our time and attempt to transform them into archaeological remnants…The tin cans are ordinarily used for preservation. The fragile rusted tins in these works become metaphors for waste, loss and consumerism. Their use may be seen as an attempt to “preserve” something transient and vulnerable.”

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Jan van der Merwe was born in 1958, in Virginia, Free State and grew up in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal where he matriculated in 1975. He started his career as an employee of the South African Railways in Ladysmith before he became an art student. After completing his studies, he worked as a graphic and display artist as part of his compulsory military service in the South African Defense Force. Later he also worked as a prop maker and décor painter at PACT and as a heraldist at the Bureau of Heraldry. His work experience led to an awareness of power structures and the vulnerability of ordinary people. After obtaining a masters degree in Fine Art at the Pretoria Technikon in 1999 he has exhibited extensively. He lives and works in Pretoria and is a senior lecturer in Fine Art at the Department of Fine and Applied Art, Tshwane University of Technology.

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Influences Van der Merwe grew up in a family where creativity was encouraged and he enjoyed drawing as a young boy. Further artistic inspiration came from the stories his grandmother told of how they drew patterns with the hoof of a buck in the dung floor of their home, his mother’s embroidery work and his father who made objects such as an interesting post boxes and painted in his spare time. The sight of an Indian sign writer busy creating an advertising board was fascinating to the young Van der Merwe who could not wait to see its progress. A book on Picasso in the library’s small collection of art books and a black and white television documentary on the Impressionists seen in 1976 finally influenced him to follow an art career. Van der Merwe’s work as a military graphic and display artist involved setting up exhibitions for the SADF at shows. Together with his stint as a prop maker and décor painter at PACT, his experience in the SADF was influential in his development from two-dimensional painting, his main subject during his studies at art school, to three-dimensional environments as seen in the installations which he began creating for his final exhibition of his Masters degree.

Jan van der Merwe. Survival kit. 1998. Mixed media. This is one of Van der Merwe’s early works created while he was studying.


232 While studying at the art school of the Pretoria Technikon (now TUT) Van der Merwe and his fellow students were influenced by the dominant impact of Conceptual art from Europe and America. Their training consisted of a balanced acquisition of technical art skills and the development of conceptual skills. Van der Merwe was intrigued by the melancholic atmosphere of Giorgio de Chirico’s work. This influence is evident in the atmosphere of desolation which is experienced in Van der Merwe’s installations.

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Giorgio de Chirico. enigma of a day (II). 1914. Oil on canvas.

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The deliberate choice of specific materials had strong associations with his past. Conceptual installations and performance artworks also influenced Van der Merwe choices in terms of materials and the personal symbolic values and concept related to them.

Joseph Beuys. Felt suit. 1970.

Another influence is from the work of the artist Antoni Tàpies who created abstract works, including non artistic materials such as clay, marble dust, waste paper, string and rags. He is also known for his aesthetic or meditative emptiness derived from his interest in Buddhism. His references to spirituality found favour with Van der Merwe.

Antoni Tàpies. Composition with clothing and rope. 1975. Mixed media.


233 Anselm Kiefer’s combination of conceptual references to German history and spirituality together with his layered use of unconventional media such as straw, ash, clay, lead and shellac affected Van der Merwe’s approach to his work.

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Anselm Kiefer. The Hierarchy of the Angels. 2000. Oil, emulsion, shellac, and linen clothes on canvas.

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The works of Belgian artists Panamarenko and Jan Fabre whose unusual approach to subject matter and the conceptual use of materials, have also been cited by Van der Merwe as artists whose work interests him.

Jan Fabre. Umbraculum. 2001. Wing cases of buprestids, wheelchairs, walking sticks, human bones on wire, machines.

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According to Van der Merwe local artists such as Christo Coetzee influenced him because of his experimental use of materials. The influences of Coetzee are most visible in Van der Merwe’s earlier student works. To Van der Merwe, Walter Battiss’ energetic approach to life and the promotion of art in the Pretoria region were inspirational. Willem Boshoff also influenced Van der Merwe through his conceptual approach to art. He also identifies with the honest expression of spirituality in the art of Jackson Hlungwane and with the critique of the abuse of power in the work of Robert Hodgins.

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Panamarenko. Pepto Bismo. 2002. Bronze.

Christo Coetzee. Diana as Eva. Oil, canvas and doublesided painter Perspex.

Christo Coetzee. Diana as Eva. Oil, canvas and double-sided painter Perspex.


234 Stylistic Characteristics Jan van der Merwe is known for his installations in which he incorporates discarded objects such as rusted tins. In some of the installations he uses images and video in combination with the objects covered in rusted tin. In general he recreates everyday environments with a selection of objects. He does not include any depictions of people within these environments but there is always evidence of human activity that has been left behind. Van der Merwe describes his installations as film or theatre sets without actors.

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This group of objects was exhibited together in an exhibition entitled “Final Inspection”. Through these objects Van der Merwe created a memorial of his personal involvement in the tragic conflict in the 70’s and 80’s, between the South African Apartheid government and the freedom fighters in Angola, supported by Cuba. By recreating his personal history Van der Merwe is confronting the memories of what he experienced during his military service. The impersonal, masculine front of the army is given a domesticated, feminine appearance through the choice of objects which signify his experiences.

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Jan van der Merwe. Soldier’s bed. 1998. Rusted metal.

Jan van der Merwe. Chair and jacket. 1998. Rusted metal.

Jan van der Merwe. Ironing board. 1998. Rusted metal.

Jan van der Merwe. Clothes horse. 1998. Rusted metal.

Van der Merwe’s concept for creating each installation is usually derived from personal sources such as memories or everyday experiences. He describes his works as monuments, some of which are dedicated to his mother and grandmother.

When his works are exhibited in the public space of a gallery they take on broader meanings that are not as personal as their origins. His works are also seen as applicable to the peculiarities of South African society and history. In the international arena they become even more anonymous and are then interpreted as a reference to the memory of the numbers of unknown people who are not considered important enough to commemorate publicly.


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In this installation Van der Merwe comments on the damage done to men, women and children during times of war, famine and epidemics. The use of tins, which usually preserve food, is now a symbol of the vulnerability of people due to the deprivation caused by social and political circumstances.

Jan van der Merwe. Eclipse. 2002. Mixed media and rusted metal.

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His choices of objects and environments create a situation of contrast between the private and the public as part of the experience of his works. The installations take up a significant amount of space which the viewer needs to walk around. For the onlooker it is like intruding into someone’s living environment while they are absent. The viewer’s attention is immediately drawn to every object which provides evidence of the story that is being told. Some of the smaller details within an installation therefore require closer inspection.

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To Van der Merwe each work is representative of a moment of reflection and depicts a poetic moment in time. In the experience of his works the spectator has to enter a space consisting of known objects placed in normal everyday combinations but the fact that everything is covered in the texture and colour of rust transforms reality to the “poetic moment” which requires reflection. The inclusion of video or images in some of the installations is an added layer of reality which enhances the experience of the “poetic moment”.

Jan van der Merwe. Sunday Suit. 2003. Rusted metal and found objects. A man’s jacket and a pair of trousers hang on a clothes stand. On the chair is a basin, towel and soap and a man’s shirt and tie hang on the coat hanger on a screen. In the basin is a small TV monitor with the image of a razor continuously being rinsed in water. The work refers to the suit as a symbol of power but also exposes the private, vulnerable moment before confronting the world out there.


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Van der Merwe’s emphasis of the experience of space within the installation is an important issue. The absence of the inhabitants of the space draws attention to the onlooker’s position within the installation. In a large installation such as The End which Van der Merwe considers one of his most important works to date, this feeling of loneliness is very prominent. The installation consists of a recreated movie theatre in which 108 movie theatre chairs were arranged in rows. On the seats of the chairs objects represent aspects of the audience could be anybody. By leading the onlooker of this work to walk through the rows to look at the objects ‘left behind’ by people the experience of viewing becomes like a pilgrimage. The labyrinthine path tells a story. Individual chairs and objects on them take on the idea of film frames which have been frozen in time.

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Jan van der Merwe. The End. 2006. Rusted metal and discarded objects. Installation views from the front and back of the exhibition space.

Jan van der Merwe. The End. 2006. Rusted metal and discarded objects. Installation views from the front and back of the exhibition space.


237 The use of discarded tins in a transformed rusted state is a central part of the metaphorical suggestions of his installations. The concept of rust represents decay and the passing of time. The corrosion process of rust draws attention to the process of transformation which occurs through time. It is also representative of the fragility of the experiences of people. Van der Merwe describes the significance of rust as a chemical process that allows him to transform the contemporary into an archeological time. Archeology is the scientific study of ancient cultures by examining their material remains that are usually dug up from the ground. By adding the effect of rust to contemporary objects he transforms the environments into historical moments. Van der Merwe’s working process is also significant. He collects tins from everybody. Friends, family and a nearby pizza restaurant provide an endless supply of tins. He describes himself as a compulsive collector who takes all objects discarded by others to his studio where they could be transformed into part of his installations.

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The tins that he collects are sometimes already rusted, but if new and shiny, he transforms them by initiating the rust process with a mixture of water and vinegar. He covers the large solid objects such as furniture with the rusted tins by nailing them on with small nails. Clothing is created in a process similar to sewing where he attaches each piece of tin to the next with thin wire and the final finish is created by adding bitumen – a black sticky substance which is an ingredient of tar – and sand to create smooth transitions from one part to the next. The process of creating these objects is time consuming and requires patience.

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By covering objects with rusted tins the objects not only look as if they have been dug up from below ground, but are also preserved through this process. Similar to the way a body is mummified, the object is covered with a layer that will keep it preserved. This aspect represents a duality in the meaning of the works as each installation is representative of an archeological moment, in other words, of the historical past but it has almost been frozen in time through this preservation process.

Jan van der Merwe. Unknown. 2005. Rusted metal. This installation consists of 200 rusted metal envelopes with stamps, but no addressee. The envelopes are suspended to form a wall.

By using the rusted tin Van der Merwe is also referring to the fragile inner part of the tin as opposed to the unaffected, preserved shiny exterior of tin. The continuous process of life and death and the spiritual association with aspects of our daily lives are illustrated by Van der Merwe in each of his works. Looking at and experiencing his works is similar to visiting to a cemetery or monument where memories of the past are relived and the idea of a time gone by with the associated loss of relatives or acquaintances becomes part of the onlooker’s frame of mind.


238 By using the dominant effect of objects covered in rust in contrast with contemporary electronic technology such as televisions and computers, he creates a tension between the old and the new. The rust can be interpreted as representative of old memories which are in the process of transforming while the technological objects and imagery represent the present. The short films which are shown as part of some of his installations are usually repetitive actions that are a metaphor for the endless cycle of things which happen over and over. By using current technology to represent the present in such a way he connects it with the past, thereby showing the bond of present, past and future. The effect of watching the contained repetitive actions in film as part of the installations is described by Van der Merwe as a spiritual act of meditation.

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Jan van der Merwe. Artifacts. 1999. Rusted metal and found objects.

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Examples of Jan van der Merwe’s works

Waiting (Wag) This installation consists of an old bedstead with a wedding dress laid out on it and a wardrobe created out of barbed wire with dresses inside it. The old style of the bedstead and clothing evoke references to South African history. The openended narrative of this work leads the viewer to the idea that a fiancée has been left waiting for the return of her future husband who is presumably deceased. The work is seen as a representation of a specific historical event but can also be interpreted as a universal phenomenon. By using barbed wire to represent the outlines of the wardrobe Van der Merwe created a metaphor for the concentration camps where women and children were incarcerated by the British during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). This reference can be taken further to symbolise the suffering of women and children trapped within situations of poverty or social upheaval in today’s world.


Jan van der Merwe. Waiting. 2000. Rusted tin and found objects.

239 The story seems to be eternal, depicting a never ending process of waiting. By representing everything in rusted tin the idea of waiting is depicted as a process that leads to decay. All the objects there are physically tangible, as if preserved for eternity, but are deteriorating and seem fragile. Transience is played off against permanence. Instead of representing the excitement of the oncoming wedding, this installation freezes that day of excitement for eternity and the bedroom where the young bride would have dressed herself is covered in rust evoking a feeling of melancholic pity. The metaphor of this eternal cycle seems to be a warning, reminding viewers of the atrocities of the past which are perpetuated currently and will be in the future.

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The title of the work contributes to the unending vicious circle. The Afrikaans title “wag” means “to wait” but it also means “guard”. By using this double meaning the idea of absence is evoked as the image of a fiancée waiting for her betrothed is part of the work due to the neatly laid out wedding dress and the image of a soldier who is a guard is also insinuated through the historical reference. Neither of the two characters in this story is physically present. The only permanent aspect of the work seems to be the endless waiting.

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Jan van der Merwe. Waiting. 2000. Rusted tin and found objects.

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Confessional (Biegbak) Van der Merwe has recreated another very familiar domestic environment in this installation. The confined space of the scullery in a corner of the kitchen with the sink, dishes, dishcloths, oven gloves and an apron should be recognisable to everybody. In this scene the dishes have been washed but inside the sink where the dish water would have been, a television monitor shows a film of hands scrubbing a cooking vessel perpetually. Above the sink a projected image shows a rainy courtyard through a window.

All the elements in this work lead the viewer to the idea of the perpetual cycle of life. It is seen in the daily chore of washing up, the result of eating every day and the idea of the cycles of nature represented by the rainy courtyard. The use of rust as the medium that has covered all the objects enforces this idea of the continuous cycle that repeats itself throughout time. The rust is a sign of time that has passed and the effects of degradation which it has on earthly objects.

Jan van der Merwe. Confessional. 2003. Rusted metal, found objects, TV monitor and video machine and data projector.


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The scene encountered by the onlooker is a personal space, even though familiar, it is someone else’s kitchen sink and dishes which have been washed. The occupant of this space is absent.

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By using the television monitor and projected imagery Van der Merwe contrasts the permanence of the kitchen environment and the daily chores which are acted out there with time passing, represented in the moving imagery. The brown colour of the deteriorating rusted objects contrasts strongly with the cool colours of the image on the TV screen and projected image. The rusted objects are roughly textured and seem to have been dug up from the earth while the technological images are moving and have a smooth, fluid texture.



241 The title of the work determines the intimacy of the space even further. To confess is a personal process which requires introspection and an admission of a mistake. This environment and the repetitive chores performed there lend themselves to reflection which leads to the act of confession. The imagined posture of the person scrubbing dishes adds to the idea of confession which is an act of submission to the truth. By standing doing the dishes one has to look down in front of you, into the basin. The bent head symbolises the act of submission. It can also be seen as part of the act of introspection, the TV image equated with your soul. The image of washing the dishes is a process of cleansing which refers to the process of cleansing the conscience which occurs when confessing. After the confession has been made the person usually feels that they can start anew. According to Van der Merwe, referring to the significance of the installation, “each generation cleans up” and tries to “start afresh”. The cleaning or purifying ritual can also have religious connotations.

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This intimate “walled-in” and “curtained-off ” space creates a shrine-like presence and the images in the sink and on the wall lend a nostalgic atmosphere to the mundane – the ritual of cleansing and the repetitive cycles in nature (the rain outside). Van der Merwe’s grandmother was the inspiration for this work as she performed her daily domestic tasks that are repetitive and could be soul destroying, but he recalls her praying at the kitchen sink. The repetitive rituals of the home are equated with the comforting rituals of religion.

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The Archeology of time: Baggage Arrival In this installation Van der Merwe has recreated an aspect of a contemporary environment. The conveyor belt with baggage awaiting collection at the airport is the subject matter of this work. A variety of shapes and sizes of luggage are transported on the circular route of the conveyor belt. On a wall in the centre of the conveyor belt a television monitor shows the route of the baggage as it disappears behind the wall.

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All the pieces of luggage were recreated with Van der Merwe’s signature technique of patching rusted pieces of tin together. The life-size conveyor belt also consists of large flat sheets of rusted metal. The flaps through which the luggage enters and disappears are also made of a flexible metallic material. Next to the conveyor belt a lone trolley with luggage, a jacket folded over the handle bar and a collection of medals that hang from the side of the handle bar, stands abandoned. There is nobody to collect the luggage. It appears and re-appears endlessly. When looking at spectators of this work, they seem to take in the position of the passengers who are supposed to collect the baggage but they also stand and look, as if their baggage is nowhere to be found.

Jan van der Merwe. Baggage Arrival. 2001. Rusted metal and mixed media.


242 We are once again confronted with the idea of time passing. This installation makes it even more evident through the effect of the movement of the conveyor belt and the visual presentation of the part that is not visible to the spectator who stands in front of the work, on the television monitor. To Van der Merwe this continuous cycle represents the idea “that our history moves on and yet is always with us.”


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The variety of shapes and sizes of baggage is suggestive of its owners and its contents. An onlooker of this work would definitely think about the possible identities of the owners. The baggage seems to hide or protect the absent identities of its owners. Each piece of luggage has its own character and the patched texture of its surface alludes to the layers of clothes and personal belongings that are assumed to be contained within it.

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Privacy is represented by the contained form of the baggage which is exposed and displayed in the public arena of the arrivals terminal of an airport. Van der Merwe’s installation makes the viewer aware of this experience by representing the baggage without its owners. Absence and presence are opposing aspects which form an important part of the experience of this work. This also points to the never-ending cycle of events in history that always ‘return’ and are therefore never ‘history’.

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The idea of using a section of an airport as subject matter relates to Van der Merwe’s other works as it is a transient space. The experience of time is emphasised by the fact that air travel passengers have usually changed locations in a very short space of time. This installation was first exhibited three weeks before the September 11 disaster in America. The precarious nature of modern life is therefore highlighted as the absence of people becomes shockingly meaningful as a global statement.




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5.4.1 The following artists used banal everyday objects in their artworks. • How did the artists transform the objects? Discuss the media used and the visual effect of the changes made to the objects. • How does the title of each work and the transformation of the objects contribute to the meaning of the artworks?

Jasper Johns. Painted bronze. 1960. Oil on bronze.

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Andy Warhol. Campbell’s Soup Cans. 1962. Polymer paint on canvas.

Joseph Beuys. Homogenous infiltration for piano. 1966. Piano covered with felt and leather.

Anselm Kiefer. Women of antiquity. 2002. Painted bronze, lead, glass, iron, ash and iron.

Jan Fabre. The wall of ascending angels. 1993. Jewel beetles on iron wire.

Jan van der Merwe. Jacket and tie. 2010. Rusted metal installation.


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5.4.2 • •

The following are considered important elements of Jan van der Merwe’s installations: Time, Absence, Silence, Fragility and Transience. Find the definition of each of these words. Write them down. Explain the significance of the words by analysing the following two installations.

The installation, It’s cold outside, contains a number of references to opposites such as inside/ outside, private/public and hot/cold. The work is described as a monument to ordinary people and more specifically to women who are vulnerable to the ravages of a society where political and social changes dominate daily living.

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In front of a barely open curtain, on a section of tiled floor are placed a chair with a woman’s slip hanging over the back and seat, a small electric heater and a stand with an open vanity case. A suitcase lies on the floor. Behind the curtain, invisible to the viewer, a fan blows air, causing the effect of a cold breeze moving over the scene through the gauze curtain. In the lid of the case a small video monitor shows a close up image of lipstick being applied to lips. The short animation is looped and repeats constantly. The screen acts as a mirror in the lid of the case.

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Jan van der Merwe. It’s cold outside. 2004. Installation: discarded objects, rusted metal, TV monitor, DVD player.

Jan van der Merwe. detail of It’s cold outside. 2004. Installation: discarded objects, rusted metal, TV monitor, DVD player.

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Killing time is intended to comment on the passtime of many power hungry burocrats who use their power to play games by planning wars from behind a desk. The growing pile of ‘paper jets’ is a comment on the effects of those games. The jets are monuments to lost chances and seem to result in feelings of failure which lead to a compulsive increase of the attempts to gain control. Jan van der Merwe. Killing Time/Tydverdryf. Installation: discarded material, rusted metal, TV and DVD player.

Jan van der Merwe. Killing Time/Tydverdryf. Detail of Installation: discarded material, rusted metal, TV and DVD player.


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CHAPTER

6

Post-democratic identity in South Africa

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CONTENTS p. 246

6.2 Identity in international art

p. 247

6.3 Identity in post-1994 democratic South Africa

p. 254

6.4 Identity in post-1994 South African art

p. 255

6.5 Churchill Madikida

p. 266

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6.1 What is identity?

6.6 Conrad Botes p. 273 p. 280

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6.7 Hasan and Husain Essop


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What is identity? “Know thyself.”– Thales, Ancient Greek philosopher

Identity has to do with the question of ‘who am I?’ According to some sociologists identity can be classified in the following ways: • Individual identity: The unique sense of personhood and individuality held by each person in their own right. • Social identity: The collective sense of belonging to a group and identifying oneself as having something in common with other group members. • Cultural identity: The sense of belonging to a distinct ethnic, cultural or sub-cultural group.

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Identity can thus be seen as personal or behavioural characteristics which make a person recognisable as a member of a group or as an individual. Identity is always related to something/someone else and involves how we are similar or how we are different. Identity, therefore, refers to individuality but also to sameness (identical) with others. The British Pop artist, Peter Blake, shows his passion for all things American in this work with his blue jeans, Converse boots, Elvis Presley fan magazine and badges.

Peter Blake, Self-portrait with Badges, 1961.

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Individual identity is formed by family, history, social and economic factors. The individual has some control in constructing his/her own identity, in that he/she can decide his/her identity, for instance by belonging to a sub-culture or identifying with sports teams or music genres.

Glossary

ETHNIC refers to a group sharing cultural characteristics such as religion, language, traditions, food, etc.


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WHO ARE YOU? Use the pointers below to make an extensive mind map showing your identity. • Family, friends • Ethnicity • Language • Beliefs • History • Possessions • Creations • Choices • Values • Objects • Appearance • Interests • Hobbies • Habits • Spaces

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Which of these factors are the most important in forming your personal identity? Have a class discussion to indicate how identity takes on many variations.

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Identity in international art

Since the 1960s and 1970s the issue of expressing identity in art started to play an increasingly important role in contemporary art. The idea that art can address universal truths perceived by all humanity, is replaced by artwork exploring personal or subjective feelings and ideas. There has been an emphasis on artists expressing different identities relating to personal, gender, racial, spiritual, class and political issues. Part of identity is formed by one’s birth like gender, ethnicity, race, socio-economical class, etc. These factors become a part of a person which cannot be changed. However, one can change how one looks at them. This is what contemporary artists do and by doing this, they can change the viewer’s perceptions about issues and stereotypes relating to these issues. One can thus talk about global art which encompasses all cultures.

Glossary

Contemporary art is usually seen as the art from the 1970’s to today. It is cuttingedge and non-traditional.


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Andy Warhol, Elvis, 1963. Silkscreen.

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Richard Hamilton, Just what is it that makes today’s home so different, so appealing, 1956. Collage.

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Pop Art was an art movement which had its origins in England in the 1950s and made its way to the United States during the 1960s. The English pop artist, Richard Hamilton, referred to the double life an artist leads where by day he studies the classical nude and by night he relaxes watching an American cowboy film. The Pop artist wanted to make his everyday life and environment a part of his art. Everyday popular culture was used in Pop Art such as films, television, fashions, girlie magazines, billboards, and consumer goods. For the most part, twentieth century artists felt alienated from popular culture and saw popular culture as the opposite of “good taste”. With Pop Art, popular culture becomes the direct source for the artwork. The Pop artist accepts the things created by technology and the mass media as inspiration and part of his/her identity. The immediate environment of consumer goods, pop stars etc. is celebrated. The Pop artist’s approach to popular culture or mass media is not satirical or in any way antagonistic. They do not comment on it, except to say that THEY PRTRAY their environment in their art.

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Neo Expressionism was the international painting movement of the 1980s with artists such as Julian Schnabel, Georg Baselitz and Anselm Kiefer. In their work they tried to obtain meaning through contact with self, history and tradition.


Anselm Kiefer, Nigredo, 1984. Oil, acrylic, emulsion, shellac, and straw on photograph, mounted on canvas, with woodcut

249 warmth in the winter.” Straw could be a symbol of hope, also of fragility, impermanence and combustibility. He writes the word, Nigredo (black), in the top left corner of the painting. Nigredo refers to alchemy, the process from the Medieval times which was believed to turn regular matter into gold. Nigredo is the first step of the alchemy process in which burning takes place and is then followed by the presence of light. Kiefer believed that Germany’s participation in World War II and the Holocaust left permanent scars on the souls of the German people and on the soul of all humanity. Kiefer says that though Germany has suffered conflict and war, it still has the power to rise up and become something beautiful and brilliant. These images suggest destruction but also new growth, intimating that there is healing and redemption for Germans who feel guilty about their past. For Kiefer the landscape carries the memory of human actions/suffering.

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In Germany the return to expressionism was part of a more general shift in society towards addressing the country’s troubled modern history. Anselm Kiefer was born the year that World War II ended in Germany. Much of his art reflects themes and reminders of the dark tragic times of Nazism that preceded his birth. In the 1970s he began to work on a series of intense, burnt German landscapes. Nigredo is photographic at its base, with different materials and artistic procedures added on top of it. The massive canvas shows a German landscape. The landscape is black and charred. It is not a beautiful landscape but one that is torn apart and devastated, recalling the years of war that left Germany in ruins agriculturally, socially, politically and economically. While it does not make specific reference to the Holocaust it does allude to it by the blackness and ruined image of the landscape. Kiefer captures that destruction in this piece. The thickly encrusted surface includes the use of straw. Kiefer “thinks of straw as a kind of manure that is a form of energy that provides

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Trade (Gifts for Trading Land With White People), 1992.Oil and mixed media on canvas

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (b. 1940) is a Native American Artist who combines her Native American past with the modern world around her to focus on her identity. In 1992 America celebrated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of North America and the consequent “benefits” of White civilisation in America. During this colonialisation, Native Americans lost most of their land and many still live on reserves. Smith protests this history in this mixed media work. The canvas is a mixture of a collage with Native American newspaper clippings and oil paint loosely brushed onto to them. Smith’s collage of newspaper clippings, images from the history of Indian conquest, and old photographs appear alongside the prosaic, sometimes bleak facts of daily life in the reservations. It has large patches of reds, orange, and green in juxtapositions. The large strokes give it the appearance of a VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

250 thick texture. The colours are placed in the negative spaces and in the centre is a painted canoe. Above the canvas, she hangs a clothesline which has various objects hanging from it. Some of these objects are Native American artifacts such as belts and beaded jewelry mixed with sports memorabilia which have Native American names such as Washington Redskins and Atlanta Braves. An array of cheap toys, souvenirs, and sports memorabilia speak of the commodification of Native American identity within popular culture. The painting ironically offers these objects to White people in exchange for the return of stolen lands.

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In the last two decades there has been a surge of Chinese artists who have made their mark on the contemporary art scene. China has changed in the last twenty years as the country has become more open internationally. For many years in the twentieth century, communist Chinese art under Mao was filled with propaganda images. Contemporary artists such as Cai Guo Quing and Ai Weiwei have created fascinating contemporary art which embraces both traditional Chinese identity and global concerns.

Cai Guo-Qiang, Head On, life-sized replicas of 99 wolves and glass wall, 2006.

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Cai Guo-Qiang (1957 - ) is a contemporary Chinese-born artist who now resides in New York.

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Head On is an installation consisting of ninetynine life-sized replicas of wolves and a Plexiglas wall. It took Cai half a year to make the wolves in his hometown, Quanzhou, China where a local workshop was commissioned to make the lifelike wolves. They are actually clothed in Cai Guo-Qiang creating the gunpowder Vortex, 2006. painted sheepskins and stuffed with hay. Their realistic faces are made of plastic with marbles to create lifelike eyes. Their ears are laid back, their mouths are open with bared teeth and tongues which hang out as they run towards something with great deliberation only to crash into the glass wall and consequently fall to the ground. The wolves are packed closely together to create the illusion of an arch of movement as some are suspended above the heads of the viewers. This beautiful arch of wolves contrasts with those who have crashed into the wall and lie on the ground with twisted and broken bodies. Cai Guo-Qiang uses the wolves to represent the human world. A lone wolf is a symbol of bravery and courage, while a pack of wolves represents unity. Humans are easily blinded by collective actions and ideologies. They follow the pack like the wolves only to crash ‘head on’. This is a recurrent theme in history where people blindly support political systems and ideologies, without really considering the consequences of their actions. The work is both beautiful and tragic at the same time.


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The invention of gunpowder is attributed to the Chinese. The use of gunpowder in fireworks is part of traditional Chinese culture and Cai grew up in a setting where explosions were common. This ancient Chinese invention is used by Cai to create contemporary works which remind one of historical Chinese ink drawings. The huge drawing, Cai Guo-Qiang, Vortex, Gunpowder on paper, 2006, 400 x 900 cm. Vortex, was created by exploding various grades of gunpowder on paper on which images of wolves had been previously stenciled. The drawing shows the burnt and smoky charcoal-stained traces left behind after the explosion. The work was thus created both by planning and chance. The creation of these works is usually done in public. Cai has channeled his Chinese heritage and memories in the gunpowder drawings. He says that he began working with gunpowder to foster spontaneity and confront the suppressive, controlled artistic tradition and social climate in China.

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Ai Weiwei (1957 - ) is a Chinese contemporary artist who works in a variety of media. He is highly and openly critical of the Chinese government’s position on democracy and human rights. In 2011 he was arrested by the Chinese government without any official charges being filed. This led to an international outcry for his release. After two months he was released after his detention on charges of tax evasion by the Chinese government.

Ai Weiwei, Sunflower Seeds, 2010. Installation of over 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds.

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Ai Weiwei holding some of his sunflower seeds

Sunflower Seeds was an installation which consisted of over 100 million porcelain sunflower seed replicas spread over the floor in the vast Turbine Hall of The Tate Modern in London to create a seemingly infinite landscape. The seeds created a sensory experience that could be touched, walked on and listened to as the seeds shift underfoot. Later the installation was cordoned off over health and safety fears because of theu ceramic dust. Although the seeds seem identical, each porcelain seed had been individually handcrafted and painted by skilled artisans in the city of Jingdezhen, which is famed for its production of Chinese Imperial porcelain. So although they seem to be industrially produced, they are the effort of hundreds of skilled hands.

Sunflower seeds in the Tate Turbine Hall, 2010


252 “This is one of the most common natural products in China. It even grows in the wild. I grew up in the harsh conditions of the Gobi desert, where my family had been sent as a punishment for being political dissidents during the Cultural Revolution. Even there, we always had sunflowers. There are two reasons why I used them in this piece. First, a political reason: Chairman Mao used to be depicted as the sun, and the mass of people as sunflowers always turning to the sun to show their revolutionary loyalty. Also, sunflower seeds are simply very common — they’re shared during conversations, holidays, before the movies, at weddings. Every household has some. So they have something to do with my memories. At the same time, the individual pieces for this piece were made by different hands of different people over a very long period of time.”

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The work is open to a variety of interpretations. Porcelain is almost synonymous with China and they used to export huge quantities of porcelain articles to the west. Today the whole world is exposed to the ‘Made in China’ phenomenon, whereby cheaply produced Chinese goods have taken over. Ai Weiwei comments on the price the Chinese people have to pay for creating the mass-produced goods and putting up with the exploitation by the government in creating these objects. The inherent message is a comment on mass consumption, Chinese industry, famine and collective work.

Zhang Huan, Family Tree, 2000. Photographs.

Zhang Huan (1965 - ) is a Chinese artist based in Shanghai and New York. “I invited 3 calligraphers to write texts on my face from early morning until night. I told them what they should write and always to keep a serious attitude when writing the texts even when my face turns dark. My face followed the daylight till it slowly darkened. I cannot tell who I am. My identity has disappeared.” Family Tree consists of sequential photographs of Zhang Huan’s face. The calligraphers were instructed by Huan to write about his personal stories, ancestral history and thoughts. A person’s face is part of his/her identity but by writing about his identity on his face, he wipes out his own history


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as it cannot be read at the end in the black face. According to Huan “I always feel that some mysterious fate surrounds human life which you can do nothing about, you can do nothing to control it, it just happened. More culture is slowly smothering us and turning our faces black. It is impossible to take away your inborn blood and personality.”

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Sadegh Tirafkan, The Loss of our Identity, 2007. Photomontage.

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Sadegh Tirafkan (1965 - ) is an Iranian contemporary artist who lives in Tehran, Iran. He fought in the eight year long Iran - Iraq war in the 1980s as a Basiji or conscripted soldier. His work focuses on Iranian traditions and religious rituals, using his understanding of Iranian culture to explore his own Iranian identity. Using still photographs as a starting point, he then employs different media such as video installation and collage. The Loss of Our Identity explores the effects of an increased presence of Western sensibilities and influences on the youth of present-day Iran. In the work a young man in a white T-shirt with headphones that speak of western culture is depicted. His eyes are, however, hidden under the superimposed “curtain” created from the reproduction of a battle scene illustrated in an ancient Persian lithographed book. The image questions the deterioration of traditional Iranian culture in the increasingly strong onslaught of western culture. Tirafkan says that his “goal is to demonstrate that all people regardless of gender, culture and religion are indeed looking for inner peace and sanctity.” Perhaps his art represents a poetic way of exorcising demons of the past and present.


254 Kehinde Wiley (1977 - ) is an American painter who creates highly naturalistic paintings of contemporary African and African-American men. Le Roi a la Chasse is based on the Anthony van Dyck portrait of King Charles I of England. By using this reference he addresses the image and status of the young African-American man in contemporary culture. The figure speaks of the hip hop culture. He is heroic and in charge of his identity and destiny.

Kehinde Wiley, Le Roi a la Chasse, 2006. Oil on canvas

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Identity in post-1994 democratic South Africa

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“The fact that we are so ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse should then be a central plank of a unique South African identity. South Africa’s democracy is based on a compromise between diverse political groups and acceptance of our differences. The fact that South Africa has a multiple identity should be the basis of its shared South African-ness. South Africa is a melting pot of people with their roots in Africa, the East and also the West.” – William Gumede

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In 1994 South Africa became a democratic country with voting rights for all. National symbols were changed to construct a new South African identity and a new heritage for the democratic nation of South Africans. These included a new national anthem, flag, new heritage sites and a coat of arms. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world with four broad racial groupings, 11 official languages, a huge gap between rich and poor and growing communities of migrants and immigrants. Since the end of Apartheid there has been a growing sense of nationhood in this race-conscious country. Generally these different people see themselves as primarily South African and not as members of a specific ethnic group. The legacy of Apartheid has however ‘spoilt’ cultural and ethnic identities. This has created stereotypical identities of amaZulus and Afrikaners, Coloureds and other groups. A common South African identity will have to be built as a mosaic of the best elements of the diverse past and present, histories and cultures. This does not mean that one must commit identity or cultural suicide.


One can still be Afrikaner, umZulu or Indian as part of the broader South African identity. However, there should not be only one way of practising Afrikaner-ness or ubuZulu-ness. Others may practise their identity differently and others may even opt out of wanting to be viewed as Afrikaner or AmaZulu, even if they were born in those cultures. They must be respected for that. Most importantly, we must practise our Afrikanerness or ubuZulu-ness in such a way that it does not conflict with the democratic values set out in the constitution. Human dignity and respect and empathy for others remain the basic requirements of all cultures.

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Identity in post-1994 South African art

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The end of Apartheid gave freedom of expression to both individuals and groups. This has generated a process of intense internal reflection in trying to understand the past and build a future. This has also been the case for South African artists in all fields. Many South African artists work around the broad theme of identity which includes issues of language, ethnicity, race, history, globalisation and urbanisation in the new South Africa. There is also often a strong obsession with autobiography where artists question and reflect on their heritage, family identity, gender and class. In this process, identity is reflected on and re-defined. Artworks take on many forms from traditional paintings and sculptures to new media, photography and video. Meaning is often embodied in the medium of the work itself.

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Beezy Bailey, Fallen angel, 2006. Oil and enamel on canvas.

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The visual arts have made decisive contributions to the process of integration and emancipation in South africa. In the diversity and complexity of contemporary South African art, the efforts towards a new national identity based on mutual respect for the other can be intensly experienced.

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The legacy of race classification under Apartheid led to many post-Apartheid works which explore identity in the new South Africa and in so doing reclaim identity.

Beezy Bailey, Fallen angel, 2006. Painted bronze.

Beezy Bailey (1962 - ) has frequently investigated his identity as a White male in South Africa in a playful, but hard-hitting way. In 1991 he was frustrated by increasing affirmative action in the art world and created a Black, female alter-ego, whom he named Joyce Ntobe. He then submitted two works for a triennial exhibition, one under his signature (rejected) and the other as Joyce Ntobe (accepted). The work by Joyce Ntobe was acquired for the South African National Gallery’s (SANG) permanent collection. Bailey later revealed the truth and caused a media scandal. In the Fallen Angel-works he explores the “new” identity of White males in democratic South Africa, using the fallen angel as a metaphor. As he says the fallen angel speaks of “the demise of the White male in South Africa who thought he was higher than the Almighty” but who has “now fallen from grace” and “is forced to search his soul”. Typical of Bailey is the humour and quirkiness with which he portrays these angels. The angels seem feminine and comical with their stiletto heels and waif-like bodies. They look like insects with their stick-like legs as they stand on their heads and view the world from a different angle.


256 Brett Murray (1961 - ) has been called the ‘dark prince of South African pop art”. He uses easily recognisable media images with a subversive twist and often deals with the identity of a White male in South Africa. In his work, Murray often addresses the clash of cultures in South Africa and says that ‘with my work I hope to critically entertain. Through satirical and tragic reflections on South Africa, I hope to shift people’s perspectives and change people’s minds, indulgent, arrogant and pretentious as this might sound’. This work formed part of his White like Me exhibition in 2002. He used an old American cartoon as his source for this large scale metal cut-out. The text says ‘Next week it’s ancestor worship in phonetic isiXhosa’. Although at first hand it seems funny because of the figures, he hits hard at reminding one of how far apart White and Black cultures still are in South Africa.

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Brett Murray, Phonetic Xhosa, 2002. Painted metal.

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Thembinkosi Goniwe, Untitled, 2000. Billboard as part of the Returning the Gaze Project, Cape town.

Thembinkosi Goniwe’s (1971 - ) work deals with the “unspoken racial constructs that are visible and implicit in our ‘Post-Colonial’ and Post-Apartheid era”. ‘Returning the Gaze’ was a public art project that took place during the Cape Town One City Festival in September 2000. Goniwe’s billboard featured his own face and that of fellow artist Malcolm Payne, plastered with Band-Aid strips, at an intersection in Rondebosch. The Band-Aid strips are the misnomer of the so-called ‘flesh’ colour. The pink adhesive bandages point out that society is still white-orientated and that it is impossible to buy a brown bandage. Goniwe is looking directly at the camera, while Payne’s gaze is averted. The works make a clear statement of the deep wounds left by Apartheid. Goniwe said that “we need to rupture White privilege and open up a two-way dialogue. We must all speak to and against each other.”


Johannes Phokela (1966 - ) was born in Soweto and studied art in London. Phokela has always avoided being typecast and says that “I remember arriving in London and being questioned about African art. No one ever stops a European artist and asks him to define European art.” He works in the Western tradition of painting and says “my Black peers were also debating what I was doing. Painting White naked ladies isn’t African art. They felt like I was betraying my culture. African art did not end with the [wooden] mask; we have to move beyond that.” As the Old ones Sing, so the Young Ones Pipe is based on the work of the Flemish artist, Jacob Jordaens (1593 – 1678).

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Johannes Phokela, As the Old ones Sing, so the Young Ones Pipe, 1998. Oil on canvas.

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Phokela has made some changes in his interpretation of this work. He has put the decapitated head of an African man in the bird cage. There is also an African mask in the niche in the top left. An obese man in the centre is singing, presumably to the son who will pipe. Phokela has also introduced three white rectangles over the scene. These frames disrupt his beautiful painted portraits and isolate sections of the work. The work tells how greedy individuals have passed their legacy to the willing youth. Phokela has been strongly influenced by the art of the Dutch Golden Age which was the time when the Dutch built their wealth through colonialising many parts of the world, including South Africa. The Dutch East India Company sent Jan van Riebeeck to the Cape and introduced White settlement to South Africa. The colonialisers are merry and having fun, with their spoils taken from Africa (the head and mask). Phokela gives a unique perspective to this history.

Berni Searle, About to forget, 2005. Three-channel video projection.

In Berni Searle’s (1964- ) video, ‘About to Forget’ she addresses her personal identity in an innovative way. Searle based the work on images from family photographs belonging to her mother who was rejected by her grandmother when she married a non-Muslim. A bundle of black-andwhite photographs was the remaining connection with her fractured past. Searle’s family, like many other Coloured families, was divided by

religious differences, racial classification and reclassification. She used these photographs as the basis to cut out silhouettes in red crépe paper which she placed against white paper which was immersed in hot water. The three minute video shows how these images bleed into the water. As water begins to flow across the forms, the colour starts to bleed in swirling mists that powerfully evoke both beauty and violence. Paradoxically, VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

258 the fragile crépe figures retain their shape while the colour bleeds out into the environment. The figures take on a noble, almost monumental stature, although they are all the while threatened by the elements. In the video one hears the swirling of the water as the plug is pulled and also the menacing drip of the tap as the process unfolds and the colour leaches from the figures. The process is repeated on a continuous loop of the video. Berni Searle, Along the Way, 2005. Archival pigment ink on cotton rag paper.

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Berni Searle, Along the Way (traces), 2005. Archival

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The work is a metaphoric and poetic reflection on a fractured past while leaves an indelible mark behind, onto which future generations can project their own interpretations. The moment in which one is “about to forget” is also the moment at which one remembers. The process of forgetting entwines both the presence and absence of memory, and, in between, a series of gradually fading after-images of people and events that linger in the mind. The photographs on exhibition complement the video. Along the Way shows two stages of the process in a bold version and a lighter version (traces), which again echoes the process of memory and forgetting. The keyhole effect in Along the Way shifts the viewer into the role of an intruder or of looking in on some other secret world.

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Anton Kannemeyer (1967 - ) who goes under the pseudonym of Joe Dog, founded the satirical comic magazine, Bitterkomix, in 1992 together with Conrad Botes. Bitterkomix is an attack on Afrikaner mainstream culture in explicit comics. According to Kannemeyer “the Afrikaners are an interesting bunch. On the one hand you have a large conservative group, on the other you have those (like us) who have rejected Afrikaner culture and traditions.” On the cover of Bitterkomix 7 he depicted a young girl sticking out her tongue at a series of icons that represents solid Afrikaner values. The baby, church, school shoe, springbok head and cup of tea represent the alternative Afrikaner’s opposition to home, family and church. According to Kannemeyer his work in Bitterkomix was part of a campaign of revenge against the hated authority figures of his youth who wanted to indoctrinate, punish and belittle him.

Anton Kannemeyer, N is for Nightmare, 2008. Black ink and acrylic.

Nothing is sacred in Bitterkomix. Taboo subjects such as sex, religion and politics are dealt with in a hard-hitting satirical way. Bitterkomix received a lot of Afrikaner hate mail.


259 The comic style is also seen in his fine artwork and he continues to satirise and criticise Afrikaner culture and South African society in general. With his confrontational images and humour he exposes prejudices in South African society. The Alphabet of Democracy series is an ongoing series where Kannemeyer chronicles the absurdities of life in democratic South Africa. He is not afraid to tackle many issues that politicians and journalists would rather avoid. N is for Nightmare shows a typical suburban home portrayed in a typical comic style with black outlines filled in with flat colour. Two circles contain the stereotypical images of Black people similar to those in the Tintin comic books such as in Tintin in the Congo. In one there are two warriors and in the other there is the head of a White man on a plate.

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Kannemeyer addresses the fear of many White people of being attacked in their homes, but also how White people often stereotype Black people. J is for Jack Russell shows a dog sleeping on a blanket with which its master’s murdered body has been covered. On closer inspection one sees the blood splattered blanket. It is a touching image referring to the many farm murders in South Africa. R is for Rainbow shows how Eugene Terre’blanche, the murdered leader of the right-wing AWB, responded to Nelson Mandela’s statement in his inaugural speech in 1994 that all South Africans, Black and White, would be able to walk tall as part of the rainbow nation. Terre’blanche said “there is no black in the rainbow.” Black politicians are not protected from his sarcasm either as the alphabet also targets the absurdity of some of their statements.

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Joe Dog, Cover Bitterkomix 7, 1997.

For Kannemeyer there are no holy cows and he shows the absurdity and moral ambiguity of our democracy.

Anton Kannemeyer, J is for Jack Russell, 2005. Lithographic print

Anton Kannemeyer, R is for Rainbow Nation, 2008. Black ink and acrylic. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

260 Claudette Schreuders (1973 - ). Some of the most popular curios from Africa are small sculptures, known as ‘colon’ figures. These small wooden figures reflect the colonial period and are often dressed in pith helmets and tropical uniforms. Schreuders addresses her own identity as a White African by interpreting these ‘colon’ figures from a colonialist’s view.

“ I think what I’m interested in is telling stories. It’s portraiture, but it’s a vehicle for telling a particular story, or the way in which society makes people who they are, or the group against the individual. As soon as you make a figure, it has an identity.”

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Schreuders hand-carves these figures from Jacaranda wood, a pale cream wood with a beautiful grain. She exaggerates the face, hands and feet of the figures as in the colon sculptures. The fore-shortened body gives solidity to the figure. In two works, she explores the experience of growing up as a white person in South Africa. To depict skin she leaves the wood uncovered on the areas representing flesh and paints on clothing detail. The red sunburnt skin makes a direct reference to skin colour but in a restrained and poetic way. Their stocky bodies, solid stance and staring eyes create quiet and introspective narrative works. The area of woodcarving is a contested one for a young, White, Afrikaans woman, but the subtractive process of carving offers a certain lack of control that she enjoys.

Claudette Schreuders, The Owner of Two Swimsuits, 2000. Jacaranda wood and enamel paint.

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Claudette Schreuders, Burnt by the Sun, 2002. Jacaranda wood and enamel paint.

Senzeni Marasela, (1977 - ) uses photography, photocopy transfers, silk-screening and handcraft to explore collective and personal memory. She is concerned with altering the profile of Black women artists in this country and feels they need a contemporary language with which to speak about traditional content and to move away from the association with ‘craft’. In the photography series, Theodorah comes to Johannesburg, she enacts her mother’s move to the city from the rural eastern Cape in the 1960s. Her mother came to Johannesburg as a migrant worker but found the experience traumatic which resulted in many problems for her. She refused to go to the city of Johannesburg staying in Vosloorust instead. Senzani says “I grew up with a schizophrenic mother. This experience informs my work. It has been a journey of trying to patch together my memories of her. Many rely on her medical reports, her bouts of insanity and her constant absence in my childhood. Her


Senzeni Marasela, Theodora comes to Johannesburg series, 2003 to present, Colour photographs

261 condition also affected my sisters and brother. We had such enormous difficulty in speaking about her that we almost excluded her from our conversations. We have learned that the many difficulties that she encountered were the result of our shared past. Insecurity about my identity and that of a girl child without a solid mother figure makes up Senzeni Marasela. It is from this position that I respond to the rest of the world.” In this series, Marasela wears an old dress belonging to her mother and is photographed in different locations throughout modern Johannesburg. By doing so Marasela is not only coming to terms with her own identity but gives a dignity to the memory of her mother.

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Langwa Matwa (1970 - ) was driven by the desire to learn more about the scarification on his face and investigates his AmaZulu family history and the purpose of these marks. He has used animal skin as his medium to investigate the issue of identity. He combines the traditional value and meaning of goat hide in his isiZulu culture with a contemporary approach to art. He removed the hair from the hide to convert it Langa Magwa, Amabhabhathane, 2000. Installation view into crude parchment. His, Amabhabhathane (Butter-flies) consists of nine butterflies made of cowhide, metal, glass, coloured foil and wood. These are strange creatures indeed. Although they are constructed from heavy material, they seem light as they float on the wall over smaller skins, each branded with an oversize fingerprint. The surfaces of the skins which are spotted and speckled. In New Identity (Barcode), two painted portraits show him and a young boy whose eyes are obstructed by a barcode. Magwa explores his identity as an artist combining his isiZulu roots with contemporary issues and art making.

Langa Magwa, New Identity (Barcode), 1998. Cow hide

Langa Magwa, Amabhabhathane (detail), 2000.


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Wim Botha (1974 - ) grew up in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, which influenced the themes and media used in his work. He created carved trophy heads from government gazettes, prison and other documents. In Commune: Suspension of Disbelief, Botha carved a crucified Christ from Bibles. The Bibles contain the eleven official languages of South Africa and are the kind of Bibles found in hotel rooms. He positioned the red sides in such a way that they become the wounds of Christ (stigmata). The form and content are joined in this work as Christ, the key figure in the Bible is sculpted from Bibles. The Word (Bible) is made flesh (the figure of Christ). The figure of Christ hangs from the ceiling within a surveillance environment of CCTV cameras. The work exposes the power of religion in convincing its followers willingly to accept irrationalities in the name of faith, while the CCTV cameras capture all of this as a spectacle and make it part of popular culture. Although many viewers were eager to read it as a statement bolstering their Christian faith, it actually exposes the power of a belief system to entrap.

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Wim Botha, Commune: Suspension of disbelief, 2001. Carved Bibles and biblical text, surveillance equipment, vinyl screens, installation view

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The Mieliepap Pietà is a life-size mirrored replica of Michelangelo’s original, modeled in maize meal and epoxy resin. Like Michelangelo’s ‘original’, Botha’s Pieta revolves around sorrow and loss in depicting it as a human tragedy. If one follows the gaze of the youthful Madonna to the powerless body of a nubile Christ, her eyes are clearly not focused only on his wounds. Maize meal is the staple food of the South African lower working class and by using this as his medium Botha infuses this idea of a staple food with religion. She becomes an African Madonna. Wim Botha, Mieliepap Pieta, 2004.Maize meal, epoxy resin, Mirrored replica: Dimensions corresponds to Michelangelo’s Pieta

“Paper, inexpensive as it is, gains value and power as a carrier of information. Likewise, Botha’s use of a dietary staple to represent a religious icon in the Mieliepap Maria acts as a metaphor for the spiritual sustenance that faith offers.” – Kathryn Smith, M&G, April 6, 2001 VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

263 External features such as clothes are ways to point to and reflect on the nature of individuality within broader cultural practice.

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Mustafa Maluka (1976 - ) grew up in Bishop Lavis on the Cape Flats where there were strong influences of urban street culture, graffiti and hip hop. These influences are reflected in large-scale portraits. Don’t Stand me down is a large portrait head that is life-like and fills the canvas. The most noticeable aspect of this work is the almost abrasive colouring. The typical ‘hoodie-top’ is in luscious pinks. The background is in browns, Naples yellow and turquoise. The bright red lips are the focal point. He also makes extensive use of pattern – in the background there is swirling pattern while on the pink garment there is a more subtle pattern. Maluka creates a strong contemporary feeling with his interpretation of the urban youth. The point of departure for his portrait is usually a photograph from magazines. Maluka then proceeds to create characters and to give them personalities. His figures are glamorous, sexy, cool and sultry.

Mustafa Maluka, These are not my People, 2006. Oil and acrylic on canvas.

Mustafa Maluka, Don’t Stand me down, 2006. Oil and acrylic on canvas.


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Nontsikelelo Veleko (1977 - ) is an award-winning photographer exploring Black identity, urbanisation, fashion and gender. She expresses the way in which people use clothing and other markers to identify themselves and how people interpret others based on appearances. “Veleko is part of a new generation of young artists who question boundaries not long defined by a post-Apartheid culture; they use portraiture to examine both public and personal identities. Working predominantly in photography, Veleko directs her camera towards individuals in the public domain and sometimes towards herself. She incorporates fashion, design and elements of popular culture to articulate the vibrant, hybrid metropolitan experiences evident in cities such as Johannesburg” (Tumelo Mosaka.) Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder is an ongoing series of work which depicts street fashion as worn by youths on the margins of society. Her strongest concern is with Black urban identity and Black self-assertion and pride. Fashion creates their identity. There is a pride in their unusual fashion and style that reflects the urban Black youth of South Africa.

Nontsikelelo Veleko, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder: Nonkululeko, 2006. Pigment print on rag paper.

Nontsikelelo Veleko, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder: Kepi in Newtown, 2006. Pigment print on rag paper.

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Andrew Putter (1965 - ) in his photography series, African Hospitality, makes use of the past to construct images of how South Africans might live together in the future. Many Europeans were shipwrecked along the ‘Wild Coast’ in the 1600s and 1700s. Most fled or perished, but a handful were taken in by local AmaXhosa-speaking communities. Some of these European castaways formed deep ties with their African hosts, learning the language, marrying into the community and dying as Africans. ‘Bessie’, for example, was a six-year-old British girl who washed up on the Mpondoland coast in the early 1700s, married a chief and became a great AmaXhosa queen. Putter used these real characters as the basis for creating his fictional versions of them. He chose the models and did extensive research on the choices of hairstyles, fabrics, flowers and plants. Many of the adornments (both African and European) which appear on the models were sourced from important collections. The series takes its name from a painting entitled African Hospitality, painted in 1790 by George Morland showing castaways

Nontsikelelo Veleko, Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder: Vuyelwa, 2006. Pigment print on rag paper.


Andrew Putter, Lydia Logie, 2009. Archival pigment ink on cotton rag paper

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from the Grosvenor (an English ship wrecked on the Wild Coast in 1782) being rescued by the native Mpondo. These works show that one culture need not thrive at the expense of another but that new forms can emerge through the mixture of dissimilar cultures. Putter gives a unique and powerful reflection of colonial history and on Whites asserting their connection to Africa.

Andrew Putter Joao the Portuguese, 2009. Archival pigment ink on cotton rag paper

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Andrew Putter, Bessie, 2009. Archival pigment ink on cotton rag paper

Roelof van Wyk (1969 - ) in his series of Young Afrikaners chose his subjects, all of them known to him personally, for their often extraordinary lives which demonstrate a multi-layered and richly varied Afrikaner identity. Yolandi Vi$$er is the singer and rapper of the internationally acclaimed group, Die Antwoord. Stefan Krynauw is an actor and artist. The models are naked and their heads and shoulders are set against a black background.

Roelof van Wyk, Stefan Krynauw, 2012. Photograph.

They break the stereotype of Afrikaners as conservative khaki-clad ‘boere’. These ‘young’ Afrikaners are skinny, hip and creative. Van Wyk says that “these are Young Afrikaners who are exploring what it means to be Africans, to be White Africans, born in, and belonging to, Africa, sometimes through 12 generations of births and burials. This is a contested identity in a racialised and politicised world; so it’s time to raise your hand and speak up and say: ‘I am an African.’ “ Roelof van Wyk, Yolandi Vi$$er, 2009. Photograph. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

266 Zwelethu Mthetwa (1960 - ) In South Africa the divide between rich and poor is massive. We are all used to photographs depicting the plight of the poor. Mthetwa in his on-going series of photographs of people in squatter camps, gives a new slant to this subject. He gives dignity and self-respect to the Black families living under difficult circumstances in squatter camps near Cape Town. These people take pleasure in decorating their small spaces to make the interior as comfortable and pleasing as possible. Zwelethu Mthetwa, Untitled, 2002. Lambda print.

Churchhill Madikida (1973 - )

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They use the overruns of printers (posters, labels, etc.) to paper their walls for insulation and beauty. In this work, this is not a stolen moment, it is a collaboration between the photographer and sitter who chooses how to sit and gazes with full seriousness at the camera. For a person accustomed to no rights, the existence of Mthetwa’s photographs is part of the healing process to restore dignity.

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“My art is autobiographical and deals with my AmaXhosa and South African heritage as a form of positive identity and self-imagery, but it is also directed to the public at large so that people may learn about my culture. I reject some people’s confinement through censorship that restricts our choices of representation. Through my art I aim to make societies understand themselves, risk self-examination, address issues, attitudes, and behaviours, and finally I aim to make those societies challenge themselves to be open to change”.

Madikida’s life reads like a story book. Churchill Madikida was born on 25 March 1973, to a poor family in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape. His mother is Coloured and his father is Black. His father abandoned him and his two stepfathers also did not accept him. According to him “I am just in between, I’m not Coloured, I’m not Black. My community in Butterworth didn’t accept me as Black. They used to call me all these different names. I became very closed. Drawing became one of the ways I communicated my feelings.” After matric he worked as a cleaner, a tea-boy and a salesman for a clothing shop. When he


was retrenched by the shop, he joined a gang of car thieves and was continually in and out of jail. During one such stint in jail he came across an advertisement for the Visual Arts and Craft Academy in Germiston. . “I cut it out of the newspaper and kept it safely hidden because that advert gave me a vision. I knew I could draw, and if I went, I knew I would succeed.” Funds were however a problem. Madikida approached his estranged family but due to his reckless lifestyle they were reluctant to sponsor him. His mother finally relented and raised money by selling a plot of land in Umtata. At the age of twenty-four

267 he enrolled at the Academy in 1997. He had nowhere to stay and spent a week and a half living at Park Station, before securing lodgings. Madikida graduated from the Academy at the top of his class. He went on to complete a BA and MA degree at the University of the Witwatersrand. Madikida is an acclaimed artist who has exhibited locally and abroad and was the Standard Bank Young Artist for Visual Art 2006.

Bruce Nauman, Self portrait as a Fountain, 1966 – 7. Photograph

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Churchill Madikida, Lullaby for Saluka, 2002. C-prints. Stills from video.

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Influences: The use of the human body is a central image in Madikida’s work. This investigation relates to the international conceptual Body Art where the human body, often of the artist, but not necessarily, is the media of expression. The activities are done privately or in public and communication takes place through photos and other forms of documentation. Often Body Art deals with the body in extreme masochistic and painful situations such as in the work of Chris Burden, Orlan or Gina Pane. Portrait of the artist as a Fountain by Bruce Nauman is a photo documentation of the artist sprouting water from his mouth as a living fountain.

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Stylistic characteristics Churchill Madikida is a conceptual artist who makes use of a range of contemporary media such as video, photography and installations. The investigation of identity is central to his work which often can be described as autobiographical. He explores his own personal identity but also his identity as umXhosa and how traditional AmaXhosa beliefs relate to contemporary life. As such his works address South African identity and also global identity.

“I grew up being taught a very narrow, one-sided version of our South African history, an inaccurate, boring Apartheid myth that excluded my ancestors. With my art I choose to reclaim the past, to explore my history and to work as a storyteller telling about our past, present, and future. Through visual representations, I connect the past to the present. It is my way of knowing what I know, a way to uncover how, where, and why I learned it, and a way to unlearn it. I think that in a society that preaches democracy and multiculturalism, it is important to have an art that expresses and illustrates diverse perspectives, even if it means producing controversial visual images that some people might not like.” Through his work he aspires to build a South African society which acknowledges the importance of its own heritage and culture as well as those of other groups.


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Churchill Madikida, Liminal States, 2003, installation view, Johannesburg Art Gallery

Liminal States was the small solo show that generated considerable interest in Madikida. Liminal states refers to phases in life where change takes place, for example, during initiation. The installation aspect of this exhibition comprised an awkward ensemble of objects, including a hospital bed, felt blankets, animal skulls and drips. The beds are discarded metal hospital beds. In the wall constructed behind one of the beds there are two facial casts of grimacing men whose bodies have been replaced by rolled blankets. Human forms are concealed under the blankets and if they are exposed, they are also constructed from blankets. The heads and hands are exposed or covered in blankets. The hospital blankets are red and white. Madikida gives a material form to the trauma often experienced by young initiates. The white refers to the spiritual realm and purity, as well as to the whitened of bodies during initiation. The red could signify many things such as the pain and trauma, blood seeping through cut skin, but could also represent a fiery, sexual glow.

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One of the issues that Madikida investigates in his work is initiation and circumcision in AmaXhosa culture. Initiation is the tradition in many African societies where a child is accepted into adulthood. The boys and girls must attend separate schools, away from the community where they are taught the laws and values of their societies. The Churchill Madikida, Liminal States, initiation ritual is crucial to the AmaXhosa people and the absence of 2003, installation view, Johannesburg Art Gallery this practice is unthinkable. Every year a number of male initiates ‘go under the spear’ (circumcised) and some die while some are maimed for life because of infections. Madikida meditates on the meaning of these practices in contemporary life. He says that the love and respect for his culture is immense but he also feels morally compelled and obliged to take a stand against what he feels is an unnecessary sacrifice of young lives. This investigation into ritual traditions, particularly male circumcision, is shared by some other Black artists such as Thembinkosi Goniwe and Colbert Mashile.

Churchill Madikida, Virus , 2004, video still printed with pigment ink on fibre paper VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

Virus is a video work which portrays a man hunched over in a foetal position. He is in the middle of an HIV cell. As the video progresses his image morphs and disintegrates until there is nothing left but abstractions. The soundtrack is a song sung by Madikida’s late sister which nostalgically remarks on a place lost but remembered and yearned for. When the video is complete and it loops back to the start. The optical effects are captivating and the video is beautiful to look at with its rich reds and decorative patterns but this is misleading. The work shows the endless mutations of the AIDS virus and how it alters the body of its human host. At the end, the projection becomes a huge pulsing wall of sick neon dots reflecting the disturbing pace of the spread of both the virus in a human body, and the disease across the population.

269 In this installation Madikida used objects from the Johannesburg Hospital to create a hospice-type installation and a further exploration into the theme of HIV/AIDS on which he has focused for a number of years. Included are a bed, overbed table, bedside locker, wheelchair, chair, and drip stand to portray a section of a hospice. The colour red is used for its association with love (lovemaking) or danger. The mattress, used for patients to prevent bed sores, resembles condoms, used or not used during lovemaking. The mask on the bed which is a self-portrait of Madikida shows anguish and personal torment for his sister who died of AIDS. Art is used to intensify awareness about HIV/AIDS and to break the silence about this devastating disease.

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Examples of Churchill Madikida’s work Madikida investigates his AmaXhosa identity in this work which suggests a circumcised initiate eating or regurgitating maize porridge. Struggles of the heart is a video work that starts with sound and a click of the tongue. The white covered face of the artist appears to fill the screen and huge amounts of porridge (“pap”) are forced into his mouth. After a few minutes the process is reversed and the porridge stretches out of his mouth. As he slurps the paste, nearly choking, more of it comes leaping into the frame from below and into his mouth. His eyes are pressed tightly closed in concentration and the mouth is wrinkled, possibly in Churchill Madikida, Status II, 2006. a grin. This consumption and regurgitation of the pap is a metaphor for Installation with mixed media and found objects. the initiation and circumcision of young males in the isiXhosa tradition. Madikida’s face is painted white in these images. In many parts of Africa the colour white refers to the spiritual realm and purity. During initiation boys whiten their bodies. Mielie porridge or ‘pap’ is the staple food of many Black people. It symbolizes cultural tradition in this work. In this video Madikida shows how the tradition of initiation is force-feed into him and how he rejects it. He therefore questions his identity as a umXhosa man. It also reflects on the artist’s personal revulsion of some of the public use and consumption of stereotypical images of traditional cultural practices. To some degree it also reflects his repugnance towards some aspects within the practice of these rituals. The body of the work refers to the ongoing debate about identity and culture in the new South Africa. The work is about the consequences, both physical and spiritual, of accepting or rejecting specific traditions. The porridge is a metaphor for these traditions.

Churchill Madikida, Struggles of the heart, 2003. C-prints stills from video.


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Churchill Madikida,Status, 2005. Coffins, curtains, candles, crosses, ribbons and flowers. Installation

‘Art played a critical role in the fight against Apartheid and it can play an even bigger role in the war against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This work is about my personal journey but reflects on millions of other people’s experiences’. Madikida’s sister lived with HIV for more than nine years and passed in 2005. He was very close to his sister and her death made him aware of the despair and suffering that this virus causes to millions of people. In this installation there are three coffins. One of them contained an adultsized figure made of lights. There is a child’s coffin with its lid barely ajar. The third is shown with its lid shut and a plaster cast face peering out through a glass window. This coffin was dedicated to his sister while the child’s coffin speaks of all the infants and children who have died because of the virus. The one with the lights is dedicated


to anyone who is infected with the virus. The installation resembled a shrine. Scattered across the floor are burning candles, rose petals and red ribbons. Two heavy curtains, of marooncoloured velvet, enclosed the installation, further emphasising the solemn atmosphere. Visitors could light candles as a gesture of mourning as well as hope for the future. The title, Status, is the expression used by most people to classify one’s character based on ancestry, intellect, income, where one lives, what one drives, etc. The word has, however, acquired a new significance in denoting whether one is HIV positive or not. As

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Churchill Madikida, Status (detail), 2005.18 Plaster masks cast from people with HIV/VIGS

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such the title points out that this deadly virus does not care about class but transcends all boundaries such as gender, class, race and sexuality. The installation is haunting in the way it confronts the viewer with the devastation of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. In a way it is difficult to explain how an installation that borders on kitsch with lights, gold coffins, dried flower crosses and candles can be so sad. It could be that most people who visited this installation knew someone who had died of AIDS. It is also a fitting memorial to Madikida’s sister.

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As part of his Status exhibition there was a series of 18 smooth white plaster casts taken of the faces of people, many now deceased, with HIV/AIDS. As they are mounted directly onto a wall, they become frighteningly powerful death masks. One of them is Madikida’s sister who was an activist for the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). Madikida started the work for this show during the frequent visits he made to the hospice where his sister spent her last days. Madikida describes this work as a “celebration and memorialisation of life; it is about continuity rather than death. This work is about bringing the reality of the people behind the numbers closer to the viewer.” The masks with their closed eyes and deathly pallor comprise a haunting personalisation of a disease that is often met with denial in South Africa.

Churchill Madikida, Status (detail), 2005.18 Plaster masks cast from people with HIV/VIGS


272 Madikida. The work further consists of two large projection screens and six small video monitors on which constantly interweaving testimonies from Madikida himself and various other family members loop. There was minimal editing with the subjects speaking directly to the cameras. On each screen a different loop is played. The first encounter is with Joseph, the artist’s biological father. Commentary from Madikida’s brothers, sisters and mother giving their own accounts follow on subsequent screens. Madikida confronts his new extended family from behind the camera, interrogating them.

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Madikida grew up without his biological father and believed that he was dead until the age of 32 when he learnt that his father was still alive. His first meeting with his father is the focus of his work in Like Father, like Son? The work consists of a recreated lounge area, complete with worn furniture and a small TV on which sections of the video are repeated. The objects include a lounge suite with crocheted overlays, a carpet and a wooden cabinet. This lounge is filled with mugs, cushions and t-shirts with family members’ faces printed on them. These are a cynical twist on the idea of the nuclear family idyll which was denied

Churchill Madikida, Like Father Like Son? 2006, Installation

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The inclusion of Madikida himself on the final television screen provides some degree of closure to this search for self-acceptance and identification as he thanks and accepts his family. The work is, in a sense, a virtual family tree, presenting a real-life view of the interactions and tensions of the relationships between family members. This work is a deeply personal exploration of his own issue of identity, yet at the same time considering the notions of masculinity and racial identification. It explores Madikida’s conflicting isiXhosa and so-called Coloured heritage, as well as social problems concerning absent fathers. This highlighted these issues in contemporary South Africa.

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Group Portrait South Africa was a compilation of life histories, photographs and objects of nine South African families collected for an exhibition in Amsterdam in 2002 to 2003. The presentation traces the evolution of each family from the nineteenth century to the present focusing on one or two representatives per generation. The family photographs and objects are visual remnants of the past. A number of prominent South African artists were asked, not so much to record reality as to evoke an ambience, an emotion or some part of a story, in a style of their choice. • Look carefully at the artworks created for some of the families on this page and discuss what the works tell you about the particular family. • At the exhibition, these artworks were shown together with photos and objects belonging to the families. If your family was chosen for such a project, which three objects would you choose to exhibit? Give reasons for your choices.


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The Mthethwa family Langa Magwa, AbakwA Mthethwa, 2001 – 2. Goat and python skin on a metal frame

The Juggernath Family Andrew Verster, Untitled (2002) Oil on canvas

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The Rathebe family Sam Nhlengethwa, Dolly Rathebe (2002) Paint and textile on paper

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The Steyn family Claudette Schreuders, Bust of Tibbie Steyn (2001) Jacaranda wood and paint

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Paul Faber, ed. Group Portrait South Africa: Nine Family Histories. Cape Town: Kwela Books, 2003

Conrad Botes (1969 - ) Conrad Botes was born in 1969 in Ladismith, Western Cape. He has an MA Fine Arts from the University of Stellenbosch (1997) and a Diploma in Second Phase Illustration from the Koninklijke Akademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag, Netherlands (1994). In 2004 Botes won the Absa l’Atelier award and in 2009 he was the festival artist at Aardklop in Potchefstroom and has since exhibited in several group exhibitions both locally and abroad.

“I love to think of my work as a post mortem of the society and culture from which I have emerged.”


274 INFLUENCES Neo-Pop art is not a movement as such, but refers to the renewed interest of artists since the 1980s in the Pop Art of Andy Warhol and his contempories. Artists working in this format include Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami. Neo-Pop Art often criticises and evaluates Western Culture, values, relationships and interactions. Their work is often humorous, provocative and controversial. Takashi Murakami, Tan Tan Bo, 2001. Acrylic on canvas

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Norman Catherine was one of the first South African artists to be influenced by Pop Art, graffiti and comic strips. His work shows a graphic flatness and sharpness that can also be seen in Botes’ work. The acidic humour and satire are also something they share.

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Jeff Koons, Rabbit, 1986. Stainless steel

Norman Catherine, Piscivorous, 2002. Oilstick on paper

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Bitterkomix was the adult comic book started by Conrad Botes (Konradski) and Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog) while still at university. “With the comics, we’re dealing very specifically with a South African audience who know what we’re referring to. Originally we wrote them in Afrikaans, so many of the references are to things in Afrikaans culture.” Bittercomix is a dark and biting critique of the conservative, Afrikaner cultural mainstream in which both artists were raised. The content has shifted over the years as South Africa has changed. It continues to combine eroticism, violence and the absurd to question stereotypes around gender, sexuality, race and domesticity.

Konradski (Conrad Botes) Cover Bitterkomix 4, 1994.

Stylistic characteristics

“The paintings I make are much more personal. I can explain them if I have to - but I’d much rather not. People can formulate their own ideas about the work. I do them in a certain way that I enjoy so much and I hope other people will enjoy them too.” In his artwork, Botes works in painting, printmaking and sculpture. He trained as a graphic designer. This training, together with his work in Bitterkomix, plays an important role in his artworks.

One of the characteristics of his style is the use of a sharp, graphic line filled with flat colour. The colour is bold and often glaring. One of his strong points is his use of composition. Botes often uses repetition of shapes, images, etc. in his work. The work is also often divided into a grid to contain different scenes in each block. The use of the grid comes from his extensive work in comics. His style is direct and clear with the emphasis on the images. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Conrad Botes, DIS (PIT),. Oil on glass

Botes often uses reverse glass painting where he paints in front and behind a piece of glass. He was influenced in exploring this technique by the popularity of the technique in Senegal. Works done in this technique seem flat and artificial. They do not have texture and often do not look like paintings. Botes talks about this technique as ‘anti-painting’ as it is lowbrow, primitive and naive. In a way this creates a similar look to comics with the black lines on glass and colour in reverse. Botes’ work can be seen as a type of Post-Pop Art in that he combines different recognisable images from popular culture, the history of art and society in general to comment on South African society, politics and religion. He often combines the humorous with disturbing subject matter to create biting satires.

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“Growing up in an Afrikaans family under Apartheid shaped me in a very distinct way. Religion and racist ideology, along with all forms of patriarchy (school, family, church, and army) merged into one. When I became a young adult I could reject all of this of course and follow my own convictions”. He talks about his work as a postmortem of the society and culture in which he grew up. As a White Afrikaans boy coming of age in the late 1970s and 80s, his imagination is embedded with the evils of Apartheid, its obsession with power and repression, the violence and anarchy of the times and the moralising role of the Dutch Reformed Church. He makes these themes his own by using a comic aesthetic and dark humour to reflect on the continuing contradictions in society.

Conrad Botes, Autobiographer (detail), 2007. Enamel on jelutong.

Conrad Botes, Pietà, 2006. Installation including 15 roundels, oil-based paint on glass


276 His work is a subversive critique of the Christian Afrikaner Nationalist identity with which he grew up. He attacks the patriarchal forms of authority which secured the Apartheid government. Botes uses his own identity as an Afrikaner to attack the Afrikaner institutions, values and morals he does not agree with. His attack is from the inside and rips apart the sense of control. His touch is deadly, yet light and funny. In the Autobiographer he shows a painted wooden sculpture of a man with his head slightly bowed and staring down. According to Botes the figure is “using his body as a surface to write things down and to record the contents of his head, the things he is obsessed with”. In a way this work summarises Botes’ approach where the pen is held like a sword.

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His work also comments on the loss of power and identity experienced by Afrikaners under the new ANC government. In this way he makes visible the ‘new’ identity of Afrikaners as in author J.M. Coetzee’s formulation of “No longer European/Not yet African”. Botes’ biting satire is directed at South African society, politics and religion. His work deals with power and its abuses. There are no sacred cows for Botes and he deals with them directly and with humour. His protest art lies in his attack on false values, racial conflict and cultural traditions.

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In this series of self-portraits, Botes overlays the image of his face with his characteristic scrawl of anarchic figures running amok. But Botes describes these figures as representations of the ideology and hatred that inevitably contaminate the human condition. They can be seen “like shrapnel under the skin”.

Conrad Botes, The Temptation to Exist I, 2011. Acrylic on canvas.

Conrad Botes, The Temptation to Exist II, 2011. Acrylic on canvas.

Botes uses Post-Pop’s preference for ‘sugary infantilism’ (a seemingly childlike style) to reflect on contemporary society and issues of race, religion, violence and sex. He is a master of using and mixing images. His iconography is a complex one. In his work flowers are often wounds and birds are omens of doom. Detached hands refer to creativity.

Conrad Botes, Secret language


“Botes allows us to see, feel and fear the ill that lurks in humanity – and laugh nervously at what we are shown. He’s a deft prankster, a harsh critic and a fearless artist who nevertheless shows compassion. Without humour, there is only the horror. With laughter, there is hope.” – Jaroslav Kalac , CONTEMPO, June/July 2006

277 Examples of Conrad Botes’ work

Conrad Botes, Everything is Beautiful, 2002. Oil on glass.

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Botes has used a grid to create four squares. In three of the squares the same portrait of a woman appears, although the colouring differs in each. This recalls the work of the pop artist, Andy Warhol, with his multiple views of figures. In the top left square the woman is surrounded by clouds and has a heart-like wound on her face. In the top right hand square there are four circles superimposed on her. In one circle a famous Goya etching is recreated with Mickey Mouse and Goofy replacing the corpses. A man slouching on a couch and a portrait of a man with blood on his neck are depicted in two other circles.

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Also in this panel is a man holding his head and standing in a pool of blood. At the bottom left, there are African statues superimposed on the woman. Central in this square is a rendition of Michealangelo’s Pieta. In this scene Christ is a Black man. The bottom right square shows three men in suits. They are, however, upside down. Superimposed on them are three sketchy faces. The work was done on glass which resulted in the flat look of the work. Botes creates a unity in the work by repeating images and colours. As always, Botes does not give an explanation of the work. The title seems to be ironic, because everything is not beautiful in this work with its injured and dead people. The work therefore refers to violence in society and also to religion. The three upside down White men could refer to the Afrikaner male in the new South Africa – they who have lost the position of power. The circular work is a reverse glass painting which results in the flat appearance. The shapes are simplified to basic line drawings with the only form indicated by massed lines in some of the images and the use of perspective in the drawing of the building at the bottom of the work. Shapes are also overlapped, creating a shallow sense of space. The colour in this work seems unplanned, arbitrary and quite sweet in its pastel codes. There is no real focal point and the viewer’s eye continuously scans the work. The floating images are contained in a circular format and although disparate and differing in scale there is a sense of order.

Conrad Botes, Terrible things are about to happen. 2003 Reverse glass painting


278 is a crude line drawing of a naked woman that he repeats. She holds her left breast and is crying. The other female image is a portrait of a woman with her eyes closed. As with the man, in one variation her breast is red and a bead of paint is running over her hand. The most shocking image is that of one of the females on the right where there is a line drawing of a female with her legs spread wide apart over her face. The women in this work seem to have been assaulted, molested and even raped. There is rawness in this work with browns, reds, oranges and pinks vibrating in intensity. The forensic theater or rather inquest on this work is about the crisis of male identity or hysteria. The work expresses rage, anger, hurt and loss of selfcontrol. These same feelings are experienced by the viewer. According to Botes the work shows a collapsed value system.

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The images are borrowed from different sources such as magazines, comics and the history of art. The simple naïve style makes for easy consumption by the general public. The main upper image is Botes’ personal rendition of the Pieta sculpture by Michelangelo with a figure having the head of a devil draped across Mary’s knees. The lower section has a larger scale female head overlaid over a line drawing of a building/factory. Other images include a mermaid, military figure, army figures with guns and a white snake over the Pieta image. There is no one definite interpretation of this work and many viewers might be shocked at first glance by his disrespectful use of religious symbols. The combination of religious symbols with images of violence (the soldiers) and the authority figure relates to how religion is often used to justify a political system. Botes has often attacked the moralising role of the Dutch Reformed Church in his upbringing. In Apartheid South Africa the system of racial segregation was proclaimed as based on Christian values. The title can also help with the interpretation of the work. Terrible things are about to happen relates to how, when things are used in the ‘wrong’ way they could lead to the ‘terrible things’ (symbolised by the snake?). The mermaid is shedding a tear and the baby is shown with a knife. The viewer needs to take time to look at the images and their relationships to form an opinion.

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The other male image is a naked caveman with a whip. A skull and cross bones watermark is printed over the image as a sign of death. There

Conrad Botes, Forensic Theatre: Male Hysteria, 2004.

Weeping Zombies consists of a grid of nine paintings on glass. The work addresses White male identity in PostApartheid South Africa. Botes describes his subjects as ‘people who are nonexistent or dead, people who felt that they can’t leave, they are just stuck in a non-place, soaked in their own tears.’ In the paintings the blood-coloured tears seem to have been embedded in the flesh of the weepers, like ritualistic scarifications.

Weeping Zombies, 2007. 9 Reverse glass paintings, enamel on glass. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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The ‘Zombie’ conveys the impoverished dream-like reality of modern life, where most people’s daily experience resembles the blurring of a soap opera and a horror movie. The consumer in contemporary society is already a zombie, like the walking dead, living in the shadows and chasing illusions of happiness through greedy and mindless consumption but remaining dissatisfied. Botes’ imagery serves as allegories of how some dark force has seemingly taken over the minds of contemporary people and left them lost, wandering in malls and trawling the internet for distraction from their intense dissatisfaction with life.

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The Stolen shadow is an installation of a blackboard with childlike drawings, a desk and a jackal-masked figure. The installation creates a sort of surreal classroom stripped of its usual optimism where pupils seem presumably to be indoctrinated into conventional ways of thinking and behaving. (Jeanette Blignaut Art Consultancy) Complete the following concerning this work:

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Why is it described as a sort of surreal classroom? What could be the meaning of the jackal mask? Describe the objects on the table. Botes often uses detached hands as a symbol of creativity. Do you think the hand symbolises this or what other interpretation would you give to it? • Why do you think classrooms are usually filled with optimism? • What do you think Botes wants to say about indoctrination? • Any other ideas about possible meanings and interpretations of this piece.

Conrad Botes, The Stolen Shadow, 2009. Mixed-media installation VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Hasan and Husain Essop (1985 - ) As twin brothers we share an identity, a personality and a family. This unique bond that we share enables us to confront and address similarities and differences within a personal and a global context and open up debate around religious, cultural and social correspondences and conflicts.

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Hasan and Husain Essop are twin brothers who were born in 1985 in Cape Town. They grew up in the working class suburb of Rylands Estate, in the area known as the Cape Flats where drug use and gang wars are widespread. They come from a devout Muslim family. While at school they had to attend an after-hours Muslim school or madrasa. “We had history instilled in us, the way to read the Koran, all those things that every Muslim needs to be a good person.” After school they both studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Arts, University of Cape Town. Husain majored in photography and Hasan in printmaking. They each graduated with BA Fine Arts in 2006 and later also a Diploma in Art from the University of Cape Town. Since 2007 the Essop twins have collaborated to create their artworks. They have exhibited their work with great acclaim both internationally and in South Africa.

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Islam is the religion of about a fifth of the world’s population. The Qur’an is the word of Allah as revealed to the prophet Muhammad. Followers of Islam are called Muslim, meaning ‘one who submits to Allah’. In South Africa the majority of Muslims are of Malay or Indian descent. The Essop twins deal extensively with their Muslim identity and want to show people “what Muslims are really about – we are friendly people, we don’t judge, we pray, we are humble.”

Amrit and Rabinra Singh, Liverpool 800: The Changing Face of Liverpool, 2007. Poster colour and gouache on mount board


The Habibia Mosque in Rylands Estate, the biggest mosque in Cape Town.

Art collaborations between siblings Amrit Singh and Rabindra Singh are twins of Indian descent living in Britain. They often work together on their paintings. The twins use the traditional Indian miniature style to comment on contemporary social and political events. Their work reflects their dual identity of being both Indian and British. Jake and Dinos Chapman are two English brothers who work as a collaborative duo, the Chapman Brothers. They came to attention with their sculptures of mutated children which speak of gene tampering, nuclear spills or cloning experiments gone horribly awry, such as in DNA Zygotic, 1997.

281 Stylistic characteristics The Essop brothers have been working collaboratively since graduation to produce their digitally composed photographs. Hasan and Husain Essop decided only to use themselves as subjects in their photographs. Their works feature a profusion of twin clones who are engaged in various pursuits. By only using themselves as representations, they create personal, rather than objective experiences. Hasan and Husain Essop, Passing By, 2008, Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper

roles with his brother. If the action requires both protagonists to be in a shot, they will get a third person to push the shutter button. The ‘stitching’ together of the separate shots is achieved seamlessly and their finished work does not readily reveal its fabricated nature. According to them the layering is the tricky part and is timeconsuming. Their photographs are usually printed on cotton paper which gives a smooth, warm and velvety matt effect.

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In Passing By they used various images of themselves to create the final work. The young twins seem carefree as they somersault all over the scene. It also shows the double life young Muslims often lead. Traditional culture is represented by the white Muslim robes which contrast with hip street wear and funky graffiti.

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The Essop brothers use colour photography as their medium of choice to express their ideas. They would first decide on the concept and then would set out to capture the scene. The final image is the result of carefully posed scenes which are digitally manipulated with Photoshop to create the final collage. According to them, Husain with his training in photography handles setting-up the camera on a tripod and doing test shots. Hasan will typically pose first, later switching

The technique for them is not as important as the content and message of the work.

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Their images are often busy and energetic and are saturated in colour. There is a strong theatrical feeling to their work and it often seems like a still from a movie.

Hasan and Husain Essop, Five Pillars, 2008. Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper


282 Five Pillars portrays the Five Pillars of Faith of Islam (faith, prayer, fasting, alms-giving and pilgrimage). It would appear that the character in the middle of the picture is a suicide bomber preparing for a deadly mission which shows a stereotypical view of Muslims held by many in the west.

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In Islam the depiction of the human figure is considered haraam or forbidden. The twins talk about growing up in their parents’ home where there are no pictures on the walls and that it is strange that they became artists. In Islam it’s controversial to use the figure, including the eyes, and one should have permission from other people to use their bodies as models. For this reason the Essop twins decided to use themselves as figures in their work. By using themselves, any criticism on these grounds is aimed towards them and they can take ownership of it. They also speak of often not using eye contact in their work and that they try to disguise their identity.

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Hasan and Husain Essop, Off to the North pole, Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper.

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Hasan and Husein Essop investigate their own identity and question their heritage of being Muslim, being Indian and being South African. The twins seek their place in a multiracial and religiously diverse society. T\their earlier work was especially rooted in the experience of living in Cape Town and emphasises their experiences as young Muslims males. They grew up in Rylands which was the scene of numerous clashes between activists and police during the Apartheid years. In their earlier work there is a feeling of rebellion and exuberance. They often showed scenes which play up to stereotypes of young men who are irresponsible, with a not very ‘promising future’ ahead of them. Their work portrayed the twins doing various Muslim and nonMuslim activities such as washing, praying, playing or attending a dogfight. This split identity between being a good Muslim, and also enjoying contemporary popular culture gives honesty to their work.


“We all suffer an inner struggle. You have this split personality within yourself because of the different lifestyles we’re exposed to. We were raised by traditional parents, but the moment one leaves the home you step into a world full of peer pressure. You grow up with this inner tension. You have your Islamic garb when you’re going to pray. But when you take that off, you have your Diesel top underneath, which you feel more comfortable with.” – Husain Essop

283 The twins seek their place in a multiracial and religiously diverse society. Their work raises questions about identity, religion, mortality and immortality in a South African context. There are not a lot of Muslim artists in South Africa and through their work they give a unique insight into being a Muslim living in contemporary South Africa. They both admire Salvador Dali and they sometimes look at the photographs as dreams, a memory or dream they have experienced and which they try to recreate: “Our work is quite surreal, in the sense that in some photographs it is impossible for it to be reality. It’s fake – there are five of us.” Although their photographs seem to be like a spontaneous documentation, they are staged with great care.

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This photo depicts the night before Eid in the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It shows how food is cooked during the night for the feast that breaks the fast. The Essop twins increasingly address the global theme about being Muslim in the 21st century. A lot of extremist Muslims believe that Islam should not form any relationship with modern society. The Essop’s believe that modern society and Islam can co-exist.

Hasan and Husain Essop, The Night Before Eid Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper

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In the West there is often a stereotypical view about Muslims, especially after the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. Muslims are often viewed as ‘terrorists’, extremists and militant in the West. This stereotype is confronted by the Essop brothers in their work. They tell how in Germany many Germans had an extremist view of Islam and that people commented after seeing their work that they did not know there were all these other sides to Islam. As such they challenge the stereotypes around Islam and increase Hasan and Husain Essop, Missile Crisis, Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper understanding of the problems of isolation and segregation young Muslims face as they strive to balance their traditional culture and an increasingly westernised and secular society. The brothers are not afraid to tackle charged and contentious subjects in their work. Some of these would include images of Muslims with missiles, animal slaughter, the veil, Nazi concentration camps, mosques and “weapons of mass destruction”. Their photographs expose the dangers of categorising people in terms of their defined cultural and physical characteristics and provide a suggestion that people explore their own identity and find new ways to integrate and belong. By using their own images in their work they make their work personal and do not talk on behalf of other people. As they say, it is their struggle to reconcile the east (Islam) and the west. A further play on identity is that they are twins and are already a double. But they also clone themselves in their work and often show a profusion of twins. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Examples of Hasan and Husain Essop’s work

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El Cordero (Lamb) formed a part of their exhibition called Halaal Art. The Essop brothers tell of their experience at the Havana Biennale in Cuba where after they have experienced the culture, religion and history of this foreign country, they decided to prepare a feast as ‘a last supper’ that would be the climax of their journey. In this photograph they show the proper manner in which an animal should be slaughtered in order to be consumed. This was done in the Halaal manner. This feast becomes symbolic of showing gratitude as well as parting with the gift of food. It also comments on the respect for diversity and Hasan and Husain Essop, El Cordero (Lamb), 2009 Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper respecting differences. “It was about the way we were living, the challenges we faced as Muslims in a country that didn’t have Islam. It started with finding meat, a lamb and sacrificing it Halaal; making something that’s impure, pure for your body to eat.”

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This photograph refers to illegal dogfighting in Cape Town with two pit bull dogs being braced to fight one another. The scene takes place in a typical suburban setting. The seven figures in the photograph are all of the Essop twins in different positions. Two of the figures are waving fluffy toys dressed in the American flag. This is like waving a red flag to a bull and the dogs are taught to have a go at the cuddly teddy bears. According to the brothers the dogs are like soldiers being trained to hate the West. On the other hand, the West wants to train people to hate the East using media such as CNN and the BBC. The conflict between the West and East seems unresolved and both sides do not realise that they have a lot more in common than they think.

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Hasan and Husain Essop, Pit Bull Training, 2007. Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper

Hasan and Husain Essop, Fast Food, 2008, Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper

Fast Food shows the brothers on the beach in Cape Town. They are in different positions of prayer. They are also breaking the fast during Ramadan with McDonald’s fast food. There is a growing trend among young Muslims in Cape Town to go for a scenic, beachfront setting to break their fast, rather than doing so at home or in a community locale, as is traditional. This work deals with the conflict between tradition and contemporary life. Muslims are famous for their cooking and McDonald’s fast food seems a poor substitute for traditional dishes. Pop culture is taking over like fast foods. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Hasan and Husain Essop, Thornton Road, 2008 Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper

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The setting for this photograph is Thornton Road, a street in a suburb with a large Muslim population. This is also the site of an Apartheid-era atrocity which took place in 1985 and which became known as “the Trojan Horse” incident where police hidden in a vehicle opened fire on unarmed children and youths, several of whom were killed. (See Manfred Zylla’s Death Trap in Chapter 3) In the photograph the multiple copies of Hasan and Husein Essop are either at prayer, donning combat kit or draped in the distinctive black-andwhite scarf, or keffiyeh, associated with Palestine. They are sipping on that global beverage, Coca-Cola, under a huge Coke banner, a brand seen by some to be synonymous with western materialism or imperialism (“Coca-Colanisation”). Some of the characters look like zombies, gulping Coca-Cola, while others are actively militarised and rebelling against it. This is not just about Islam versus the West, the brothers say, but also about the contradictions with which Muslims live. Are these Western or Eastern disciples? The Essops are searching for their own identity in the context of an icon of Western consumerism (Coco–Cola).

Hasan and Husain Essop, Oudste kerk, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2011. Light Jet C-print on Fuji Crystal Archive paper


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Shirin Neshat, Rebellious silence, 1994. Gelatin silver print.

Shirin Neshat, Faceless, 1994. Gelatin silver print.

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Shirin Neshat, Speechless, 1996. Gelatin silver print.

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Shirin Neshat was born in Iran and studied in America. She did not return to Iran until 1990 and found the country totally transformed into an Islamic republic. In her Women of Allah (1993–97) photo series she uses black and white photos of faces, feet and hands against which a weapon sometimes has been juxtaposed. On the pieces of flesh left exposed she has overwritten text in Farsi from women writers. For western writers the text is not legible and looks like ornamental calligraphy, but in Iran where the texts could be read, the pictures were not allowed to be shown.

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Discuss the following in her work: • The expression of identity • The use of the veil • The juxtaposition of the figures with guns • The mood of the photos • The Essop brothers are adamant that they wish to pursue an art career harmonious with their religious beliefs. How does their attitude differ from that of Neshat in her work?


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CHAPTER

7

Gender issues

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CONTENTS 7.1 Introduction p. 288

p. 290

7.3 Overview of South African female artists

p. 296

7.4 Artists expressing gay concerns

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7.5 Penelope Siopis

p. 303

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7.2 Overview of International female artists

7.6 Lisa Brice p. 313

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7.7 Mary Sibande p. 318


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Introduction

“We’ve begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters.” - Gloria Steinem, American feminist WHAT IS GENDER?

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Gender is not only a biological division of the sexes but also a cultural and social classification of masculinity and femininity. It distinguishes between males and females and the masculine and feminine attributes they possess. Gender has to do with a person’s identity with regards to being female or male. This awareness begins in infancy and is reinforced during adolescence. Gender presentations in art are the outcome of the cultural process of defining sexual and social identity.

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Historically, most societies followed a patriarchal system with men as dominant and superior to women. This thinking still prevails in many countries and societies. Gender refers to both sexes (male and female) but the idea of gender studies was brought to the fore by the movement for women’s emancipation and the feminist movement during the twentieth century. Women strived to attain the same rights and privileges which men have historically enjoyed. This in turn led to a broader investigation of gender issues with the establishment of men’s and gay studies. Issues and questions relating to homosexuality, heterosexuality, masculinity and femininity are studied in cultural and historical context. There is interplay between sexuality, gender, race, class, ethnicity and economics.

Gender stereotypes are simplistic generalisations about the gender attributes, differences, and roles of individuals and/or groups. Stereotypes can be positive or negative but they rarely communicate accurate information about others. The male stereotype is to be a financial provider. He has to be assertive, competitive, and career-focused and keep his emotions in check. The female stereotype is to marry and have children. She must be loving, caring, beautiful and be sexy. These types of stereotypes can be harmful as they suppress individual expression and creativity as well as hindering the individual’s personal and professional growth. Children learn gender stereotypes from adults. As with gender roles, socialising agents—parents, teachers, peers, religious leaders, and the media—pass along gender stereotypes from one generation to the next. Many of these beliefs are so ingrained in peoples’ consciousness that many think that gender roles are natural and do not question them.


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7.1


What are little boys made of? What are little boys made of? Slugs and snails And puppy-dogs’ tails, That’s what little boys are made of.

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What are little girls made of? What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice And everything nice, That’s what little girls are made of.

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This is a popular nursery rhyme dating from the early nineteenth century

• What do you think of the nursery rhyme above? Does

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it speak of gender stereotypes? Explain your answer. • The two collages show toys typically aimed at boys and girls. Divide your page into two columns and use the headings – boys and girls. List the toys under each and write next to each what gender stereotypes it reinforces. • The media bombards us with messages about what it means to be men and women today. Take any magazine and cut out images such as advertisements that you feel give a stereotypical view of the role/image of males and females. Make a collage of these images and write down the messages of each image. Some gender issues to debate in class include the following:

• • • • • • • • • •

Historical gender stereotypes Gender inequality in the workplace Gender stereotyping in the media Gender violence e.g. domestic violence, child abuse Gender inequality in different societies Abortion Child marriages, arranged marriages Body image Prostitution Homosexuality and lesbianism


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Overview of International female artists

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In past centuries art was seen as the preoccupation of men and only a hobby for women. With the emancipation of women, female artists have progressively come to the fore. At the beginning of the 20th century, women artists were already reaping the benefits that other women had fought for in the 19th century. They were able to study at the same academies as men, apply for scholarships, participate in life classes, enter competitions and win prizes. They could present their work at international exhibitions and sell it in galleries; they received commissions and played an active role in the art scene. But in reality this equality of opportunity lacked substance. Internationally, some women artists made their mark in the early twentieth century such as Hannah Höch (Dada), Meret Oppenheim (Surrealism) and others but often as a part of a predominantly male group. There are, however, examples of women artists such as Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe who carved a unique place in the history of art.

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Frida Kahlo, The Broken Column, 1944. Oil on canvas

The Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo’s (1907 – 1954) personal life and history is directly portrayed in her art. At the age of 18 she was involved in a road accident when the bus she was travellingon collided with a tram. Her work bears harrowing witness to her own physical and mental suffering. There is also a cruelty in her paintings – depicting her birth, operations and abortions with a dreamlike coarseness. Almost like a visual diary, she paints the history of her physical, emotional and spiritual life. Frida Kahlo became a cult figure and a feminist heroine, admired for her refusal to let great physical suffering crush her spirit or interfere with her art or left-wing political activities. As a result, her paintings were self-portraits of an intimate nature, they are often seen as depictions of femininity, feminism and other gender-related topics. Before Frida Kahlo, Western art was unused to such implicit images of childbirth or miscarriage. (See Visual Arts Grade 11 textbook for a more detailed discussion)


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Georgia O’Keeffe (1887 –1986) first came to the attention of the New York art community in 1916, several decades before women had gained access to art training in America’s colleges and universities and before any of its women artists were well known or highly celebrated. Within a decade, she had distinguished herself as one of America’s most important modern artists, a position she maintained throughout her life. This was in part because of her involvement with Alfred Stieglitz, the photographer. As a result, O’Keeffe carved out a significant place for women painters in an area that had been exclusive to and is still dominated by men. She had become one of America’s most celebrated cultural icons well before her death at age 98 in 1986. There is a lot of implied sexuality in her work e.g. the close-up images of flowers visually suggest the female vulva.

Georgia O’Keeffe,Black iris, 1926. Oil on canvas

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Feminist art was a part of the feminist movement of the late-60s and especially the 1970’s, where women artists protested for equal gender rights, often using militant tactics to express their ideas. Feminist art has been one of the most powerful forces within the contemporary art world in developed countries since the 1970s. This development has not been free of controversy. Some critics felt that defining ‘art of women’ as a separate category made it a lesser art expression and that there should not be such a distinction.

The Guerilla Girls are an anonymous group of feminists devoted to fighting against gender and racial inequality in the art world. They formed in 1985 in response to the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition “An International survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture” where of 169 artists, only 17 were women. They expressed their ideas in posters that listed the hard facts of sexism and racism in the art world. The members wear gorilla masks to keep their anonymity. They also used humour to show that feminists can be funny. The Guerilla Girls’ goals were for greater representation of female artists and people of colour in the art world. Their highly focused approach was extremely successful and they helped to bring about a new and noteworthy acceptance of women artists in the 1990s.

"We wear gorilla masks to keep the focus on the issues rather than our personalities"

Feminist art can be defined as art created by a female artist making a deliberate statement about what it means to be a woman. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Miriam Shapiro,All Purpose Fan, 1979. Acrylic and fabric on paper.


293 Feminist art is characterized by:

• A strong sense of exploration of female concerns such as the focus on what happens to the female

body. Many women artists concentrate on exploring gender, sexuality and identity. They also investigate women’s historic and present roles in society. The concentration on the female body led to new ways of studying it– as an active force in itself. This is one of the taboo subjects that is usually seen as an ‘impure’ condition. • There was also a strong identification with so-called women’s craft techniques such as sewing, embroidery, patchwork, etc,; to create art works like the work of Miriam Shapiro. • Feminist art in opposition to the so-called traditional male-dominant art (paint on canvas, etc.) turned to new media such as environmental work, video, installations, performances, etc. Many of the conceptual artworks are of a fleeting nature and only live on in documentation such as photos and videos. Judy Chicago, The dinner party, 1979.

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This installation is surely the most celebrated feminist art work. The Dinner Party consists of 39 table settings at a triangular table for women who played important rolls in art and history. Each place setting celebrates one of these women. The plates are decorated with variants of a butterfly or vagina motif, in celebration of women’s sexuality. Although the wortk was totally conceptualused by Chicago, it was a co-operative enterprise, designed to make use of skills that are traditionally viewed as female, such as stitchery and china painting. (See Visual Arts Grade 11 textbook for a more detailed discussion).

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Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1979.

Barbara Kruger (1945 - ) is an American conceptual artist who uses a mixture of discarded photographs and typography in her work. She develops her work on a computer and then sometimes transfers these images to billboard-sized images. By placing text such as ‘your body is a battleground’ on an image sourced from mainstream magazines, she forces the viewer to ask questions about feminism and consumerism. This debates how women are traditionally portrayed in popular media.

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your body is a battleground), 1989. Collage.


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Kiki Smith (1954 - ) is an American sculptor and printmaker whose central theme is the female figure in sculpture, often in shocking portrayals such as in the display of body fluids. In Train the shock element is menstruation portrayed as a tail of red beads. She questions the idea of female purity and reveals that which is usually concealed and shows the vulnerability of the woman. In Blood pool she addresses vulnerability and powerlessness in the figure with the vertebrae protruding from the flesh. Kiki Smith, Blood pool, 1992. Wax, gauze and pigment. The life-size figure is in a fetal position and creates an uncomfortable sense in the viewer – it feels as if the viewer is intruding into the space and mind of the figure. Smith always works with casts of live models. In this work she works in wax which, with the addition of colour pigments, evokes the texture and colour of flesh. This is not the classical portrayal of a woman as harmonious and self-contained but speaks of health and disease, birth and death. It also evokes victimisation of the female figure by exposing inner biological workings (the spine) as a metaphor for hidden social issues.

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Cindy Sherman (1954 - ) is an American photographer best known for her conceptual portraits investigating female identity. Sherman has been working as her own model for more than 30 years and has captured herself in a range of guises and personas which are, in turn amusing and disturbing, distasteful and affecting. To create her photographs, she assumes the multiple roles of photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser, stylist, and wardrobe mistress. With an arsenal of wigs, costumes, makeup, prosthetics, and props, Sherman has deftly altered her physique and surroundings to create a myriad of intriguing tableaux and characters, from screen siren, figures from historical paintings, to clown and aging socialite.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled film still # 2, 1977. Gelatin silver print.


Cindy Sherman, Untitled film still # 193, 1989. Colour photograph.

Cindy Sherman, Untitled film still # 412, 2003. Colour photograph.

295 Untitled film still # 2, forms part of a series of 70 black-and-white photographs where Sherman, in various disguises draws inspiration from a series of pictures that feature the artist in stereotypical female roles inspired by 1950s and 1960s Hollywood, film noir, as well as European art-house film world. In this photograph we see a woman through an open door looking at herself in a bathroom mirror as we in turn look at her.

Jenny Saville, Propped, 1992.

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Jenny Saville (1970 - ) Saville is an English figurative painter famous for her grotesque, fleshy, monumental portraits of women, often based on herself. The application of paint recalls bruises and pain on a nearly geographical rendering of flesh. In Propped she portrays herself in a very unflattering view. She places the emphasis on the body and presents the viewer with a very unusual foreshortened view of the female form. She shows small feet and head and large distorted thighs. The shoes are the only item of clothing worn and give a feminine touch to the piece. Her hands clutch at the flesh on her bulky thighs. Her work attacks the idea of conventional beauty where thin is synonymous with beauty. The flirty and seductive poses of the women in her workis interesting. The beauty of this piece lies in the expressive painterly nature of the work giving her a Venus of Willendorf, mother earth feel.

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Tracey Emin (1963 - ) Emin, a contemporary English artist, is known for revealing her private life in her art. Her art is a merciless exploration of her own biography that is so direct as to seem exhibitionist. Tracy Emin has become a ‘living artwork’, achieving celebrity status just for being herself. A closer look at Emin’s art reveals a poetic, precise, authentic world which makes one consider your own life and problems. Her works operate like souvenirs and memoirs of her life.

Tracey Emin, I do not expect to be a mother, 2002,Fabric appliqué.

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Emin frequently works with fabric in the form of appliqués — material (often cut out into lettering) sewn onto other material. She collects fabric from curtains, bed sheets and linen and has done so for most of her life. She keeps these materials which hold emotional significance, for later use in her work.

Emin takes an extreme stand which uses personal details from her own life as subject matter. The inside walls of a small blue tent were covered with cut-out letters spelling the names of all those who shared Tracey’s bed during that time period.

Tracey Emin, Everyone I have ever slept with, 1963 – 1995, 1995. Tent with appliqué.

In 1999, Emin was short listed for the prestigious Turner Prize in Britain for this work. There was considerable media furor about this, particularly as the sheets of the bed were stained yellow and the floor surrounding it had items from her room such as condoms, empty cigarette packets, a pair of panties with menstrual stains and other detritus including a pair of slippers. The bed was presented as it had been when she had stayed in it for several days feeling suicidal because of relationship difficulties. Emin shares her personal space with the art viewing public and reveals her imperfection and insecurities. Tracey Emin, My bed, 1998. Mattress, linen, pillows, objects. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Overview of South African female artists

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Female artists in South Africa initially subjected their creativity to the thematic and formal traditions established in academic institutions dominated by male hierarchies. Increasingly they have also investigated gender issues – including topics such as sexuality, the position of women, exploitation of women, violence against women and narrated their own stories. In South Africa gender issues are also a complex issue stemming from our unique history and diversity. The South African constitution states clearly that it is against the law to discriminate according to gender social and cultural male or female roles (for example, where a woman is denied a certain job just because she is a woman) sex: physical differences between men and women (for example, a woman is discriminated against because she is pregnant). The artists discussed below are some of the strongly committed women, whose works speak of diverse cultural, personal and gender perspectives related to her respective identities. Each continues to develop new imagery central to their changing position.

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Jane Alexander (1959 - ) Alexander’s work is discussed in Chapter 3 for her political and social commentary. She has also created works that deal strongly with gender issues. Her themes of violence and victim/aggressor are still visible but with empathy through the eyes of a woman.

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Stripped (Oh’ yes Girl) is based on two prostitutes who worked near the home of the artist. Alexander describes one as the “Happy sex worker” and the other as the “Unhappy sex worker”. This work deals with suffering and female mutilation. It is filled with ambiguities. The character is at the same time seducer (look at the long nails) and victim and she is an object of fascination and abuse. It is very beautiful but also very terrible.

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A metal armature holds her up under her armpits as she is unable to support herself. The support is similar to those sold with early renditions of the Barbie doll. A doll is a manufactured object, something that is played with and then discarded. Is this the experience of women too? The experience of mutilation and suffering is very strong in this piece. The hanging position, serene face, hands with the palms turned upwards and crossed feet remind one of the crucified figure of Christ. The head is detached and sewn onto her body like that of a doll. A collar of lace – an image that is both feminine and religious, masks the ‘scar’ of stitches. Her head is detachable, as if she is able to forget what happens to the rest of her body. The head fits like a sculptural chest over the collarbone from which the nearly Roman Catholic-like lacework grows. It emphasises the religious nature of the work. It seems as if the lace was painfully stitch on her with visible, carefully worked stitches. It could also refer to the attempt of a ‘broken’ woman still to appear feminine. This feeling of mutilation is also seen in the rendering of the hair.


Jane Alexander, Stripped (“Oh Yes” Girl), 1995. Plaster, lace, twine, calico, hair, oil paint, synthetic nails, steel support

297 The hair has been implanted into prepared holes in her head (again like a doll) but the job has not been completed as there are empty holes over her scalp. The plaster cast sections of the body have been imperfectly joined to reveal the method of construction used in creating the figure. The flesh has been left unworked in places so that the tattered bandage shows through. At the knees, the stomach and along the spine there is deep scarring. She is ghostly white. The stitching on the inside of her arms, at the back of her legs and at her spine reminds one of a corpse, ready

for experimentation. In spite of her suffering and mutilation, her face is calm and reflective, as if she is removed from her circumstances. There is an innocence about her with the closed eyes which create the idea of a saint in ecstasy or melancholia. Many meanings can be read into the work - the economic and sexual exploitation of women, especially by men; the idea of a woman as a doll and the experience of suffering and mutilation (also self-inflicted such as in cosmetic operations). Also evident is the reality that suffering can bring with it beauty of spirit.

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Marlene Dumas (1953 - ) The South African born Dumas, now residing in Amsterdam, is internationally known and boasts the highest prize for an artwork by a living female artist. Dumas is known for her often provocative works inspired by sources ranging from birth to sexuality to death. The portrayal of the physical reality of the body and its psychological value is central to her work.She uses the human figure to criticise contemporary ideas of sexual and social identity. In the CoverUp, Dumas presents a corruption of innocence. Her portrayal of a young child with its clothes lifted over its head immediately gives way to dark thoughts of sexuality and exploitation. In her 100 drawings of Models she concerns herself with icons of mass media, such as film stars and cover girls.

Marlene Dumas, Cover up, 2004. Oil on canvas.

Marlene Dumas, Models, 1994. Ink and chalk on paper.


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Antoinette Murdock, Te kort skiet (“To fall short”)2003. Woven tape measures.

Diane Victor, Strip , 1999. Pastel on paper.

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Diane Victor (1964 - ) Victor is known for her highly satirical and visceral social commentary of contemporary South African politics. She often embraces taboo and controversy in her prints and drawings to depict transition in South Africa after Apartheid and the lingering racial divide, corruption, and gender inequity that continue to haunt the political environment. In Strip she shows a woman (a self portrait) opening her own chest cavity to reveal the subcutaneous fat of the breast and exposing her spine. She is shown in a quietly confrontational manner in that the viewer is unable to ignore the body. The grisly pastel tones almost suggest the bruising of the body. The viewer literally gets under the subject’s skin and it creates both a medical reference as well as challenging the “flesh-as-sexual”– idea. As the viewer, we are uncertain of where the pain comes from. It may be a metaphorical pain – that of a dysfunctional society. The pair of scissors in the background again refers to the opening or cutting of things. Victor has dealt with many issues relating specifically to women, such as anorexia (Weighting and wanting) and domestic violence and abuse (Why Defy?).

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Antoinette Murdoch Murdoch’s work addresses feminine concerns. She enjoys working with processes, a lot of these processes being things defined as feminine crafts – crocheting, knitting, or weaving. As part of the Second Johannesburg Biennial she created delicate full-scale dresses made from tissues. These works convey ideas of fragility and also imply an underlying sense of violence. “I have always been obsessed by clothing and dressing up”. Using unorthodox resources such as tape measures and clothing patterns, she transforms these into works that offer interpretations of womanhood. Te Kort Skiet (“to fall short”) is a ghostly fragment of what looks like a dress, woven from cheap white plastic tape measures. The tape measures speak of a society obsessed by the size of a woman’s body.


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Diane Victor, Weighting and wanting , 2005. Etching.

Diane Victor, “Disasters of Peace, Why Defy?”, 2006 – 2008. Etching.

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Berni Searle (1964 - ) Snow White is a dual screen video projection. Both mural size images document the same action, but one camera was placed directly in front of Searle and the other camera directly above the artist. Kneeling naked in a darkened space, Searle’s body is covered by softly falling flour. Neither view point indicates the source of the flour. Snow-like, the flour marks her body in ways that subtly reference to race classifications under Apartheid – ‘white is better’ idea. It also refers to colonialism’s civilizing mission of ‘erasing’ indigenous populations. Then water, falling from above, touches parts of her body as it falls into the pile of flour. She then uses the water to mix the flour into dough. Her body position refers to domestic work. Domestic work such as cleaning and baking was often the only option for Coloured women. The title refers to a brand of flour, but also the Snow White fairy tale where the princess is the ideal woman. (See Visual Arts Grade 11 Textbook for more on her work.)

Berni Searle, Snow White, 2001. Video installation.

Nandipha Mntambo (1982 - ) Mntambo focuses on the human female body and identity in sculptures, videos and photographs. She has developed a distinctive aesthetic through her use of cowhide which she tans and moulds onto casts of the female body - usually her own. She purchases the hide when it is as raw as possible in order to engage fully with the material - its smell and textures causing revulsion but also provoking a consciousness of the physicality of it. The hairy skin, cast in female form, is used, Mntambo says, to “challenge and subvert preconceptions regarding representation

of the female body”, and to “disrupt perceptions of attraction and repulsion”. According to Gabi Ngcobo - ‘Mntambo’s concerns as an artist are cleverly reinforced by her choice of material: cowhide. It is a material variously associated with wealth and power. The literal hairiness of her figures also functions as a distancing device... Her work encourages us to critique the politics and aesthetics of femininity and beauty and is suggestive of the ways in which (black) women are re-interpreting their bodies and claiming visibility.’ VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Nandipha Mntambo, Emabutfo, 2009. Cowhide, resin, polyester mesh and waxed cord

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Faiza Galdhari (1970 - ) Faiza Galdhari is a female Muslim artist who focuses on the position of the Muslim female in society, her innate sexuality and desires and how these were sustained in what might otherwise appear to be a closed and gender restrictive society. Galdhari sees her femininity swathed in the protective robes of Islam, rather than restricted by them. In her work she attempts to instruct the western and Islamic viewer about what it is to be a Muslim and the essential role of women in Islam. In Irony the hand (with a wedding ring) and eye are the dominant images in the work. Two representations of Muslim women flank the white area. The work is about the rights of Muslim women in particular. The women are melancholic and the lines changing from horizontal to diagonal to curved could represent the changed perceptions about Muslim women. Muslim women are now often labeled according to Western misconceptions as ‘caged’ and restricted because of their religion and the traditions that go with it. The hand with the wedding rings represents the sanctity of marriage in the Islamic context. At the bottom are Islamic symbols that act as a pedestal for the rest of the artwork. According to Galdhari she has the hand, the eye and the barcode, all symbols which are quite universal and useful as means of identification, to show how human beings are coded, recorded and quickly categorised or identified. “I have also used the work as a platform to play on the ironies that exist regarding “freedom” in the present world and the irony surrounding western misconceptions about “oppression” in the Muslim world “


Faiza Galdhari, Irony. linocut

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Artists expressing gay concerns

Although this chapter focuses on women artists to explore the theme of gender issues, there are also many male artists who explore the issue of male identity and masculinity in their work. Jane Alexander’s The Butcher Boys comments on how power corrupts. It is, however, often homosexual artists who investigate issues of maleness and stereotypes in their work.

David Hockney , Domestic scene, Los Angeles, 1963. Oil on canvas.

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One of the first international artists to paint openly gay themes for a broader art audience was David Hockney. In his Domestic Scene the subject matter is not as important as the use of the art elements. The homosexual liberation of the 1970’s enabled gay artists to give open expression to ideas and feelings which in earlier times had to be much more carefully coded. Some gay artists showed an idyllic world free from guilt in celebrating a sexuality which was no longer forbidden. The American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe celebrated this new liberation in works speaking of sexuality often linked with taboo subjects.

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After his death there was a great censorship controversy about the explicit nature of some of his photos. Mapplethorpe was one of the many gay casualties in the New York cultural scene in the 1980s. The effect of AIDS became a theme often used by gay artists expressing emotions of loss and rage as seen in the work of David Wojnarowitcz.

Gilbert & George ,Attacked, 1991. acrylic on canvas.

David Wojnarowitcz , Why the Church can’t/ won’t be separated from the state, Los Angeles, 1991. Mixed media.

Gilbert & George Gilbert Proesch (1943 –) and George Passmore (1942 - ) work together as Gilbert & George. They became famous for their performance work, Singing Sculpture (1970) where they posed as living sculptures.


302 From 1972 they began making photo-pieces which explore themes of city life, religion, scatology and homosexuality. Their work is often controversial and challenging. In Attacked the artists appear in miniature in fleshy coloured suits standing on the tips of a pair of tongues. The tongue is the place where the inside of the body interacts with the outside world. The alien and frightening landscape expresses fears of contagion.

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A distinctive feature of the right to equality in the South African constitution, is that it includes a prohibition against unfair discrimination based on sexual orientation, making South Africa the first nation in the world to insert such a clause in its constitution. Protection and freedom were afforded to gay, bisexual and transgendered people through the prohibition of any discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. This established a new legal and social ‘landscape’ against which artists could work. Part of the serious intention of the openlygay artist is to reject his/her ‘outsider status’ and to proclaim and embrace his/her shared humanity with the rest of humankind. Artists such as Steven Cohen and Chris Diederichs explore gay issues in their work. Some of these works are often hardhitting and shocking for a conservative audience. In 2010 the photographer, Zanele Muholi’s depiction of lesbian couples embracing in a state-sponsored exhibition so enraged the arts minister that she called the work pornographic.

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Steven Cohen ,Chandelier, 2001-2. Performance.

Nicholos Hlobo,,Izithunzi, (detail), 2009, rubber inner tube, ribbon, organza, lace.

Pierre Fouché ,The kiss, 2008. Crocheted lace.

Nicholas Hlobo and Pierre Fouche both make use of materials which are usually associated with women. Hlobo draws on his AmaXhosa culture and heritage in his sculptures and is particularly concerned with the prejudice against homosexuality in Black society. Materials such as rubber inner tubes refer to condoms and some of his forms allude to phalluses, sperm and umbilical cords. According to Hlobo, “through my works I attempt to create conversations that explore certain issues within my culture as a South African. The conversations become a way of questioning people’s perceptions around issues of masculinity, gender, race and ethnicity.”


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Penelope Siopis (1953 - )

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Siopis was born in Vryburg in the Northern Cape and grew up and studied in the Eastern Cape. She completed her BA and MA Fine Arts at Rhodes University. She was a professor at Wits University and is currently an Honorary Professor at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town. Penny Siopis is one of the most influential artists working in South Africa today. Her career, spanning 30 years, includes her well-known ‘history’ paintings of the 1980s that critiqued Apartheid, and subsequent installations, films and paintings which explore personal memory in the post-Apartheid era.

Looking, with a specific consciousness, is a way of thinking for me. It is as if thoughts unfold from my eyes and attach to things.” “

Characteristics

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Femininity/Feminism – Siopis’ theme is often one of gender and race and the influence thereof on history and people’s memories. In her work she strives to investigate her own relationship with society. Throughout her career there is a search for her true self, mainly her femininity. This includes her earliest cake paintings, the still-life works, the history paintings with figures such as Sarah Baartman to works that investigate themes such as child abuse. Feminity and sexuality, with sub-themes such as identity and alienation, are central to her work. Siopis is acutely conscious of being a woman and explores the position of women in her work. Womanhood and the female experience are explored in all her work. Many of the objects she includes in her work such as cakes, fruit etc. have a connection with femininity.

Penelope Siopis ,Queen Cakes, 1982. Oil on canvas.

Penelope Siopis ,Embellishments, 1982. Oil on canvas.


304 One of her earliest themes is that of cakes. They were personal, in that they drew on memories of the bakery her family had owned during her childhood years. They were also strongly associated with women, not only in their production, but also in their sensuous organic shapes and decoration which evoked feminine forms, for example, the rounded pink-iced Queen Cakes, 1982, which suggest breasts.

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Cakes are symbols of rituals such as christenings, birthdays and weddings (festive occasions). They traditionally mark important events in western life and invoke celebrations that mark the passage of time. These are built up of layers of paint which become three-dimensional in quality. These richly decorated still life cakes are dramatically isolated groups or single items – the paint is thick and heavy. These cakes are presented in isolation on simple, tipped-up tabletops and pedestals which confront the viewer with a blunt directness. She imitates the sensual qualities of cream and icing sugar in these works by building up the surfaces with layers of paint. This conveys a feeling of imitation and sickly superficiality. In her paintings of cakes, the pigments were built up with a pallet knife or applied with a cake decorator’s tool (icing tube) so that the forms emerged in relief (nearly threedimensional), richly coloured and textured against the flatter, more neutral background. Actual cake decorations are sometimes included in the wet paint as in Embellishments. The confectionery serves as a symbol of decadence and decline.

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Siopis oeuvre covers a great variety of themes and media and she has moved from her early drawings and paintings into more conceptual work including installations, photo-based work and video work. Recently she has returned to painting. Still-life and history paintings

The cake paintings developed into still-life paintings. Important in her work are the themes of change, decline and rot seen in the overripe fruit and the debris of a civilization. After that, she focused on women and on Africa and takes an unusual and personal view of history. She Penelope Siopis ,Cape of Good Hope, 1990. Oil, wax and collage on board. deals with history in Apartheid South Africa as instructed in schoolbooks where history was experienced and portrayed from a White patriarchal viewpoint. In these works she attacks the political and historic power of the White race over Black races and especially the mediocre position attributed to women in general. She uses historical characters to address present situations. Siopis gives an unusual and personal interpretation of our history. It is still feminist in that it concentrates on females.


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Penelope Siopis ,Arutna, 1995, Installation of Photostats, white sugar, mirrors, oil and acrylic paint.

South Africa

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She is involved with realities in South Africa in that she portrays the past and present in a highly personal way. She makes use of typical South African motifs and objects such as porcupine quills, proteas and historical illustrations of warriors, soldiers and slaves. Her work addresses social issues in South Africa ranging from colonialism to identity. Most of her work speaks of feminine experiences e.g. her investigation into slave women and the AIDS baby. Her inspiration ranges from the history of art to shops selling muti, medical laborities, pawn shops and ethnographic museums.

Penelope Siopis, AIDS baby, 1996, Cibachrome photograph.

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CRITICAL REGIONALISM In Maids, 1992 – 3, she honours the vast number of Black women who have brought up the White children of South Africa. She used sugared cake-decoration letters to “embroider” names like Mercy, Goodness and Prudence – “names which indicate Christian values” - on to pink uniforms worn by domestic workers (so often the recipients of unchristian behaviour from their employers). These were placed around an image of a Voortrekker woman with a baby in her arms.

Penelope Siopis, Maids, 1992. Mixed media.

Siopis shows an unbelievable technical ability in paint and she is fascinated with the process of painting. She has used different materials such as photocopies in the history paintings or real assemblage objects. Her more conceptual works include photos, videos, installations. Her career is characterised by change and investigation as seen both in her range of themes and media. Penelope Siopis, Eros and Thanatos, 1986. Pastel on paper. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Penelope Siopis, Blush: Scarlet, 2007. Oil, mixed media and red wig on paper.

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It can be said that Siopis has staked her recent career on violent red and erotic pinks.

It shows a deathly pale, sleepy woman with her eyes closed and mouth slightly open in a state between orgasm and death. Onto this exquisite painting Siopis fixes the siren’s flame-red, synthetic hair.

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“Much of the sense and sensation I work with in my painting and video is embedded in the material and chance-driven making process itself; what floats, falls, fractures and fixes, forcing form to the edge of formlessness. I am fascinated by the strangeness, openness and vitality of this choreography of chance and control, which offers extraordinary scope for new ways of associating and imagining,” Penny Siopis on her latest work which often investigates the effect of glue with paint.

Penelope Siopis, Monument, 2007. Oil and glue on canvas.

Penelope Siopis, Love, 2007. Oil on canvas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

307 Examples of Siopis’s work:

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The subject of this painting is a cavernous interior space (based on photos of the Johannesburg Civic Hall) decorated with statues and containing tables laden with an eclectic mix of food and objects such as cakes, fruit, a stuffed ape, candles, proteas, shells, etc. On the right is one of Michelangelo’s slave sculptures. The scene is rendered in an illusionism that conveys the theme of artificiality. The foreground is overflowing and it runs out on endless spaces in the background. The colours are overripe and warm. The work includes objects such as mirrors, perfume bottles and other articles found on a woman’s dressing table – associated with women through the centuries. Almost every object carries an allegorical meaning that calls for decoding by the spectator – the hourglass symbolising the passing of time, for instance. There is also an implicit sexuality in the luscious sweetmeats, shells and opened fruits. Almost every object comments directly or symbolically on sexuality – the woman giving birth, the ripe fruit, the lilies etc. Although the woman is strongly present in the mirrors, the statue of Venus etc., the man is also included in the slave statue and other phallic symbols.

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An atmosphere of deterioration and decadence is pronounced in the hot, over-ripe colours of the objects, for example the hourglass, as much as in the thick paint, which implies imminent decay. The overripe fruit on the brink of rotting was painted so thickly that it cast shadows. This contrasts with the flatter stippled background. By including a self-portrait she personalises the event portrayed. In the mirror on the right Siopis herself – the only person present (all the other figures are statues) – appears as a small image. She is an onlooker gazing at excess; a spectator, not a participant. Melancholia was produced during a period of unrest in South Africa and creates a feeling of unease in the viewer. The curtain hangsheavily over her scene of inactivity and decay. The curtain emphasises the theatricality and stage-like effect. This is an artificial interior where everything is artfully arranged, with its own place and meaning. No daylight enters the scene. The painting comments on the excess of our civilization and comments in a subtle way on Whites in South Africa. Is this the debris of our civilization? It is a still lifeless scene.

Penelope Siopis, Melancholia, 1986. Oil on canvas.


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This work takes a critical look at history as recorded from a dominant White patriarchal point of view. She challenges not only the White historical and political domination but also the lesser position of women in our society. A monumental Black woman, classically draped with one breast revealed, sits casually on a pile of waste and the debris that Western civilisation brought to Africa – including fruit peel, a stretch of canvas, a dead bird, objects d’art, a skull, models of a pregnant woman, a little handbag etc. A lot of the objects in the ‘rubbish heap’ such as the dead bird and skull are vanitas symbols, while the handbag relates to femininity. Also included are two views of a bust of a Black man by Anton van Wouw (a museum favourite in South Africa). The woman is busy with the routine pursuit of peeling a lemon, which is of course a bitter fruit which may hint at the true position of Penelope Siopis, Patience on a monument, the Black woman in history. The background of 1988. Oil and collage on board. the painting is vast. Closer inspection reveals that the background contains a collage of photocopied schoolbook illustrations showing the traumatic conflict over land. The image gradually recedes into the background and consists of images containing British soldiers, Black warriors, Voortrekkers, slaves, missionaries etc. (Photocopied, stuck down and painted over.) – a record of South Africa’s past from a specific and prejudiced point of view. By using photocopied images she can repeat and change the scale of an image. She says that the time it takes to cut them up gives her time to think. Siopis does not give prominence to scenes of historical events such as discoveries, battles and victories. These more customary depictions of history are relegated to obscure minor roles and the tiny figures become secondary to more assertive motifs such as the figure of the Black woman whose role in history was perceived as inconsequential. The significant becomes insignificant and the unimportant important. Technically the work is breathtaking – the collage that forms the brown and yellow background consists of hundreds of small over-painted figures.

Penelope Siopis, Pinky Pinky’s teeth, 2002. Oil and f objects on canvas.


In the Pinky Pinky series Siopis explored the psychological and mythical ground of South African teenagers. Pinky Pinky is a mythical figure who makes himself known to pre-pubescent and pubescent girls mainly in the Black townships and schools of South Africa. He tends to be an urban creature but has put in an appearance in rural areas. Pinky Pinky is half-man, half woman, half animal – a mythical hybrid which acts like a man attacking and even raping girls who go to the toilet, especially if they are wearing pink panties. Pinky Pinky is a very real figure for many girls and represents the fears and anxieties that girls face as their bodies develop and their social standing changes.

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In each painting the trickster assumes a new appearance. Pinky Pinky is a scapegoat who takes the blame for all our current social ills whether associated with violent crime, AIDS, xenophia, poverty child abuse etc. He can also be seen as a figure who has grown out of the neurosis that can develop in a society in which rape and the abuse of women and children is extremely high. In the series Siopis works with the feeling of fear which is apparent in the fake eyelashes, fingernails, toenails, hair, plastic bullet wounds and other plastic body parts ‘trapped’ in the ‘flesh’ coloured paint. In Who is Pinky Pink? a standing form on two spindly legs is created from fleshy pink paint. The almost 3-dimensional creature pokes out from the background with its deceitful eyes and stomach filled with plastic dolls. It is filled with feelings of uncertainty and fear.

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The works are executed in thick impasto pinks (recalling the sickly ‘flesh tone” of commercially manufactured paint).

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Penelope Siopis, Who is Pinky Pinky?, 2002. Oil and f objects on canvas.

Penelope Siopis, Pinky Pinky Comes to Cape Town (detail) , 2007. Wire and bead sculptures and discarded objects. Installation in the castle of Good Hope, Cape Town.

Siopis commissioned a street bead artist to make beaded Pinky Pinky figures based on her paintings. This give the figures a fetish quality. Siopis used these figures in her installation with a child’s toilet, class room chairs, a blackboard with text and an exercise book to record their own Pinky Pinky stories.


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Penelope Siopis, Shame, 2002 – 2005. Mixed media on paper.

The Shame series is a monumental installation of 90 small-scale works exploring acts of violence inflicted on the bodies of young girls. There is a sensuous beauty in her lacquered, dripping surfaces and the intensity of her glossy red palette (here she works with lacquer, oil and enamel paint). The Shame series incorporates massproduced rubber stamps declaring ‘I am sorry’ and other sentiments delivered as light and pretty but masking a lingering horror. The works are executed in reds, pinks and browns which stand for carnal mess – a series of spills and stains. Siopis describes these works as ‘poetics of vulnerability’. The Shame works refer to the shame as a state of


disgust – a feeling of losing one’s dignity in full view of others. The threatened, sexed body of the girl is central and it communicates the violence of rape and abuse. In South Africa the statistics for rape and abuse are very high. Often it is kept quiet, because of the perceived shame of the victim. Each of these works shows interference/ intrusion with the body and speaks of aggression, fear, death, etc. According to Siopis, these work start as shapeless spills and drips on paper. The pink and red are flesh and blood. She then shapes the images. There is also a strong connection between the images and words. The glass paint and letter stamp speak of homely crafts and are ironic in these works.

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The ’I’m sorry’ words are stamped out of the head of a small nude girl watching how she bleeds in a large pool. Other phrases include: ‘Thank you for sharing this special day with us’ between a pair of thin legs of a child. ‘To a special father’ is repeated next to the face. At times the words become bruises and wounds on the bodies. The clichés of typical greeting cards change in meaning and expose a violent society.

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Sarah Baartman, the ‘Hottentot Venus’ Sarah Baartman was born in 1789 into the Khoisan. She was enticed by a visiting English ship’s surgeon, William Dunlop, to accompany him to England where, he promised her, she would become rich and famous. She was exhibited in freak shows in Britain. She had large buttocks and the elongated labia of some Khoisan women. Contemporary descriptions of her shows in London say Baartman was made to parade naked along “a stage two feet high, along which she was led by her keeper and exhibited like a wild beast, being obliged to walk, stand or sit as he ordered”. She died in 1816 in Paris. After years of legal negotiation, her remains were returned to South Africa and on the 9 August 2003 she was finally buried in her homeland.

Artist unknown, sarah Baartman (1817) Lithography


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Penelope Siopis, Dora and the other Woman, 1988. Pastel on paper.

Willie Bester, Sarah Baartman (2000) Sculpture made from machine parts

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Siopis became increasingly interested in the story of two 19th century women who for her represented the historical plight of the female in a society shaped by men. The first known as Dora, was one of Freud’s patients, much publicised as the subject of studies on hysteria, believed to be a particularly feminine malady. The second was Sarah Baartman. Dora’s condition can be interpreted today as a woman’s subconscious protest against the restrictions imposed by a maledominated society. In Siopis’s oil pastel work, 19th century representations of Sarah are pinned to the drapery which half conceals Dora’s body. These show Sarah being studied from all angles, often with the aid of a magnifying glass or telescope.

Read the passage and study the visual sources. Discuss the following in an essay: • The attitude of Europeans at the time of Baartman towards the indigenous people of South Africa. • The importance for her remains being returned to South Africa. • How Penny Siopis and Willie Bester interpreted Sarah Baartman in their work by referring to media, formal art elements, etc. • Possible meanings and interpretations of these two works. • Issues relating to gender such as referring to her as the ‘Hottentot Venus’. • Lessons for our time.


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Lisa Brice (1968 - )

“My work is my means of communication - a reflection of my take on my environment, life history and society. Through a layering of ideas and crossreferences, I juxtapose images of existing situations with found objects to suggest a new idea or scenario. The concept dictates the materials, medium and format that I will use.”

Stylistic characteristics

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Lisa Brice was born in Cape Town in 1968. She graduated from Michaelis School of Fine Art (U.T.C.) in 1990. She has exhibited widely in South Africa and abroad and her work is represented in major collections both public and private. She now lives and works in London and Trinidad. Her works are internationally exhibited and she is included in Vitamin P2, an anthology on contemporary international painting.

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Brice was trained as a painter but this did not restrict her choice of media. Her work includes a variety of new media such as discarded objects or domestic materials such as linoleum, with steel to create wall artworks, installations and sculptural pieces. These works are immaculately finished.

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Staying alive was a series of works Brice exhibited in 1997. These iconic works explored the uncomfortable subject, in a newly democratic South Africa, of suburban fear as a rising crime rate impinged on domestic security. Jet Master Couple, shows how suburbanites frolic unaware of the hooded figure in the background. The figures are simple line drawings in metal rods on a softly upholstered surface. The material refers to both domestic security as in a headboard of a bed but also disturbingly to a padded cell in a mental institution.

Lisa Brice, Jet Master Couple, 1997. Vinyl and steel rods.

Brice explored gender issues and the dehumanising of women in themes ranging from prostitution to stereotypes. Violence and the threat of violence (domestic, sexual, personal, global or social) are constant themes in her work.


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Lisa Brice, Untitled, 2010, Oil on canvas.

Brice has since returned to painting and says “I am beginning to push the boundaries of the traditional within the medium, using the surface, like denim, as having “meaning”... suggesting something other than merely a surface to hold paint - in the same way as I began to paint on linoleum, mirrors, curtaining at Michaelis (art school). I cull images from a variety of media sources, photography and film as well as using personal photos.”

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Lisa Brice, Untitled, 2007. Bleach on denim.

Lisa Brice, Untitled (LBTTF006), 2012, Oil on pastel.

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Examples of Lisa Brice:

Lisa Brice, Sex Kitten – Cheap Cheap, 1993. Mixed media.


Lisa Brice, Sex Show Works, 1993. ‘Laser copy’, plastic, printed paper, acrylic paint These works are drawn from her exposure to the notorious sex entertainment industry of Bangkok. These works examined the inherent degradation of women who serve as a means of holiday relaxation for wealthy male tourists drawn to a world in which sex with underage girls is the norm. She was shocked by the exploitative situation where many of the young girls had been swapped by their parents for items like TV sets. These works relate to gender issues and the dehumanising of women. In the Sex Show Works exhibition, viewers found themselves confronted by the Sex Kittens, nine of them, lined up on the walls and crawling forwards. They are based on images from men’s magazines and are sexually provocative in their kneeling postures.

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Lisa Brice, Sex Kitten – Don’t Fuck with me (Aids-virus), 1993. Mixed media.

Lisa Brice, Sex Kitten – You want to have your cake and eat it, 1993. Mixed media.

Lisa Brice, Sex Kitten – Go ahead make my day (Syphilis), 1993. Mixed media.

After the first glance the pretty pictures change into something frightening once one realises that as in Sex Kitten (Aids Virus) Don’t Fuck with Me, a red Aids virus covers the body which contrasts with the red fishnet stockings and red lipstick. The second group covers the financial aspect of the sex industry as in Sex Kitten Cheap Cheap where the surface shows a one hundred dollar bill and a French franc.

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It is interesting that their faces consist only of pouting lips, while the rest is amputated – they are brainless sex machines. These ‘cut-outs’ have no background and seem to be sexual toys until one looks at the surface imagery. The come-on seductiveness of the pose is completely contradicted by the messages given by reading the surface imagery. The first group shows enlarged microscopic images of venereal diseases.

Lisa Brice, Sex Kitten – Go ahead make my day (Genital Herpes), 1993. Mixed media.

Lisa Brice, Plastic makes perfect,, 1994. Barbie dolls, Perspex, wood, vinyl.

This series investigates female stereotypes – the origin of these stereotypes and how they enter a woman’s self-image. The Barbie doll, a stereotypical image of a woman is well-known to Western women, who grew up with one of these dolls and strove to look like her. Barbie with her swelling breasts, small waist, long legs and soft hair is a combination of a woman’s ideal proportions, without considering the real person within. In this series, Barbie dolls were placed in large exhibition cases with vinyl images on the glass.

The Barbie dolls create interesting patterns – they stand in rows or are shown with wide open legs. They becomes a symbol of women who are seen as dolls. The vinyl images on top change the meaning e.g. a profile drawing of a red brain – that the brain and thus the individuality of the woman is not recognised. The hand with currency notes shows the importance of money in e.g. prostitution. The colour is typically feminine – the pink dolls with the red images on top. The title refers to the dolls with their seemingly ideal shape but also to how plastic the ideal woman should be after cosmetic procedures. Vicious Circle is a similar series set in round exhibition boxes. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

316 Lisa Brice, Make your home your castle and What is a Home without an Armed Mother The Cape Town Castle was built in 1655 as headquarters for the Dutch East India Company. Under the National Party Apartheid government it served as the headquarters of the South African military. Under the new democratic government the army was moved out. In 1995 Brice was invited to take part in the group show, Scurvy, at the Castle in Cape Town. (Scurvy was the skin disease which attacked sailors deprived of fresh vegatables at sea.) She said that she found the space overwhelming due to its long history of colonial, slave and Apartheid military activities. Also at that time barred windows and high walls became characteristic of White suburbs to protect the residents from rising crime. On a personal note Brice returned home one night to find a scene of blood-smeared walls and horror. Her housemate had been stabbed 14 times by an intruder and was near death. He miraculously recovered but the house had to be scrubbed and repainted and the smell of the clean, freshly painted walls seemed merely to reinforce the memory of what lay beneath. Make your home your castle and What is a Home without an Armed Mother were two of the works at the installation.

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Lisa Brice, Make your home your castle, 1995. Mixed media installation.

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This mixed media installation explores suburban paranoia and the fear of violation and parodies the frightening security measures required for protection in a society characterised by extremes of wealth and poverty. The work consists of ‘drawings’ of metal living-room furniture (similar to burglar bars); a front doormat enquiring, Alarm On? On soft pale pillows, Brice embroidered the phone numbers of state and private security systems, the implication being, of course, that one cannot sleep until one has locked oneself in, turned on the alarm, set the dogs loose and put a gun under the pillow.

Home which is a refuge and the center of our lives is under threat in this work by Brice. The threat comes from social instability and a rising crime rate. This is a large cutout figure of a woman covered in printed linoleum scrubbing a floor. She wears a gun in a holster. The material that is used for the figure’s body and clothing is linoleum, often used for kitchen floors. Material and meaning are intricately linked in this work. The women is a typical ‘domestic goddess’ on her knees scrubbing floors which also perpetuates a stereotypical view of women as cleaners.

Lisa Brice, What is a Home Without an Armed Mother, 1995. Linoleum, wood, plaster plague.


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Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel and launched in 1959. One of the most common criticisms of Barbie is that she promotes an unrealistic idea of body image for young women, increasing the risk that girls who try to be like her will become anorexic.

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Lisa Brice, Vicious Circle – Skull, 1994. Barbie dolls, Perspex, wood, vinyl

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Tom Forsyth, Malted Barbie, no date. Photograph.

Forsythe was taken to court by the manufacturers of Mattel but the court said Forsythe did not violate a trademark because Mattel could not categorically show that consumers confused Barbie's nature as a toy with the work by the artist.

Chris Jordan, Barbie, 2008. 32 000 Barbie dolls

The 32,000 Barbies were equal to the number of elective breast augmentation surgeries performed every month in the US in 2006.

Debate the following: • Do you think Barbie is a good role model for little girls? Why do you think this doll became such a popular toy? Give reasons for your opinion. • What are your feelings about the use of Barbie in the three artworks portrayed above? Discuss how the three artists have used Barbie by discussing possible meanings/ interpretations of these works. • See if you can find other interesting manipulations of Barbie on the internet and paste them in your workbook.


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Mary Sibande (1982- )

“A lot of people got the idea that Sophie is a strong woman… My work is not about complaining about Apartheid, or an invitation to feel sorry for me because I am Black and my mothers were maids. It is about celebrating what we are as women in South Africa today and for us to celebrate, we need to go back, to see what we are celebrating. To celebrate, I needed to bring this maid.”

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Mary Sibande was born and grew up in Barberton in Mpumalanga, where she lived with her grandmother until she finished school. She then joined her mother in Johannesburg where she obtained an Honours Degree in Fine Art at the University of Johannesburg in 2007. Sibande works in various media including painting, sculpture and photography.

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Influences Sibande’s work evokes artists who questions identity by using the human figure in various forms. These include Cindy Sherman’s extensive series of photographic impersonations of a wide variety of women and Kara Walker, a contemporary African American artist who explores race and gender by focusing on the history of slavery in America in room-size black cut-paper silhouettes.

Kara Walker, Slavery! Slavery! , 1997. Installation.

Another influence is Yinka Shonibare. Sibande shares the use of textiles and like Yinka Shonibare, also questioning the Victorian era. Shonibare, English born to Nigerian parents, investigates the postcolonial relationship between Europe and Africa by staging traditional Victorian scenes featuring headless dummies in ‘Africanised’ clothing.


Yinka Shonibare, The Confession, 2007. Installation of two mannequins, Dutch wax printed cotton textile, shoes, and artificial silk flowers.

319 Sibande attempts to critique stereotypical depictions of women, particularly Black women in our society. The body, for Sibande, and particularly the skin and clothing is the place where history is contested and where fantasies play out. Centrally, she looks at the generational disempowerment of the Black woman and in this sense her work is informed by post-colonial theory, through her art. In her work the domestic setting acts as a stage where historical psycho-dramas play out.

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Characteristics Sibande developed the character of Sophie in a series of life-size sculptures and photographic prints, Long Live the Dead Queen (2009). According to Sibande this is a collection of fantasies and imagined narratives involving a maid, Sophie. The figure used in the sculptures is a cast of the artist’s own body in fibreglass and silicone, the same material used for shop window mannequins. Sibande’s interest in fashion and clothing has been channelled in her art. Sophie wears extravagant Victorian costumes handmade mainly from the blue fabric typical of domestic uniforms and workmen’s overalls in South Africa.

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The maid character, Sophie, developed from Sibande’s personal history as her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all maids. Sibande was the first woman in her family allowed to study and she wanted to celebrate this. According to Sibande ‘that is the reason, why I started to look back on the former role of my mother, my grandmother and my greatgrandmother. That’s why I created Sophie.’ In assuming the appearance of this highly politicised character, Sibande is able to explore, ridicule and subvert the structures which victimised the domestic worker. It’s a liberating and subversive act. “I wanted to celebrate them (domestic workers). I think that they are heroes. It was so hard to put food on the table.” Sibande employs the human form as a vehicle for exploring identity in a post-colonial South African context, and also attempts to critique stereotypical depictions of women, particularly Black women in our society. In South Africa, domestic workers were the ultimate victims of Apartheid and are therefore highly politicised figures. Sibande’s treatment of her subject matter is unexpected and unconventional.

Mary sibande, The Reign, 2009. Sophie is in charge, sitting confidently astride a large stallion, in an almost warlike pose.

Her sculptures and photographic artworks depicting the domestic worker are not to create feelings of anger, shame and humiliation in the viewer but to transcend this reality where the domestic worker is able to liberate herself. The implication is that we can all be free of the past. This has significance for Apartheid’s victims, perpetrators or beneficiaries.


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Mary sibande, Caught in rapture, 2009. Digital print.

Mary sibande, I shall put a spell on you, 2009. Digital print.

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Mary sibande, I am a lady, 2009. Digital print.

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The theatrical quality of her work places them in the realm of fantasy. Daydreams are the products of an inner dialogue which explains why Sophie is pictured with closed eyes.

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Sibande herself poses in the photographs assuming the domestic worker’s identity. The background of all her photographs is a neutral pale blue, denoting a photographic studio setting. It is an ideal environment in which to remould her identity with the aid of lighting, costume and make-up. Sibande has complete control over how she is represented and she creates the conditions in which fantasies can best materialise.

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Mary Sibande shows that there was no clean break between Apartheid and post-Apartheid society. We remain innately tied to the past even though there have been radical socio-political changes. Sibande shows a desire for reinforcing democracy and equality in works that are refreshingly innovative and thought-provoking. Examples of Sibande’s work:

In this work Sibande portrays Sophie as knitting a superhero outfit. It is unclear if she is knitting it for herself or somebody else. Her elaborate blue dress is easily recognisable as a typical maid’s uniform with the white collar and cuffs. The dress is however, changed into an elaborate Victorian dress with a huge crinoline skirt. The outfit is completed with a pristine white apron and the ‘doek’ covering her head. The blue of the dress refers not only to a maid’s uniform but also to the overalls worn by labourers and the Sunday uniforms of Zionist Church members. Sophie’s eyes are closed as she escape into a fantasy dream world where everything is possible, even becoming a superhero. If she opened her eyes, she would be back at work, cleaning the house. Her dress shows this fantasy as it is not practical for domestic work with all its folds and pleats. It therefore shows Sophie’s protest against a life of servitude. Mary sibande, ‘They don’t make them like they used to do’, 2009. Digital print.


321 It also speaks of the relationship between the ‘madam’ and ‘maid’ as her dress refers to the ‘madam’s’ life of leisure which Sophie now appropriates for herself. It therefore also refers to the opportunities for all in democratic South Africa.

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Sophie is always in a state of transformation, by going beyond the ordinary and the expectations of being a maid. Through her aspirations, Sophie has gained the desire to imagine and travel to non-real spaces and times.

Mary sibande, Conversation with Madame C.J. Walker, 2009. Installation.

In this installation, Sophie is weaving hair into the portrait of Madame C.J. Walker. Sibande has created a portrait of Walker in black artificial hair, using more tresses of the hair to link the sculpture to the portrait on the wall. Sophie is both creating the portrait and drawing strength from it. Madame C.J. Walker (1867 –1919) was a famous Victorian entrepreneur and the first woman to become a millionaire on her own terms. She was born to parents who were slaves and worked as a cotton picker and washer woman in the American South. She struggled with her own hair loss and developed a formula for hair growth which according to her, was revealed in a dream. After successfully marketing her hair growth product she became famous as the first woman to become a millionaire on her own terms by marketing a successful line of beauty and hair products for Black women under the company she founded, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Sibande again evokes the domestic servitude of the women of her family, turning the blue and white servant’s uniform into a costume of voluminous ball gown proportions for a heroine. The sculpture is life-size and, with the hair, dominates the space. The use of black hair is interesting in that it not only refers to C.J. Walker, but also to the political


322 issue of black hair. While millions are spent on straightening hair or on wigs to imitate white hair, many others are against it. Sophie, with her closed eyes, is dreaming of a better life for herself, taking inspiration from C.J. Walker. She is lost in her own world of fantasy, lost in the dreams she has spun. Sophie’s large masculine hands are interesting and may refer to her determination to survive and to her status as a worker.

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Prosperity was created for the Venice Biennale in 2011. In this sculpture Sophie stands firmly on her two feet, her back straightened and her arms hanging loosely at her sides. She wears an enormous ball gown in blue and orange. The dress consists of over 100 hexagonal shapes tiled together like a huge deflated beehive. The work was inspired by Sibande’s grandmother who as the matriarch of the family gave advice and guidance. The beehive dress transforms Sophie into the figure of the queen bee.

Mary sibande, Prosperity, 2011. Sculpture.

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The queen bee is the largest of all the bees in the hive and keeps the hive together by emitting ‘pheromones”, a bee perfume which all bees in the hive can sense. The bee colony consists mainly of females, the queen and the workers. The male bees do not work and are evicted after mating. The colour orange, as blue’s complementary, refers to South African colonial history as Dutch merchants often included ‘orange’ in naming places and areas in South Africa. The merchants also account for those fatherless families where men were taken away by the colonisers to work as slaves and labourers. This also recalls the Apartheid history where men often had to leave their families to work on the mines for instance. Sophie is not only thinking of her past where women had to provide but also perhaps dreaming of the prosperity in the title -what it would feel like to have a large colony of worker bees around her.

Mary sibande, Lovers in Tango, 2011. Sculpture installation. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

323 In this work Sophie is facing an army of 25 figures organised with military precision. All the figures are rendered from the same cast as Sophie’s face and gender. One figure stands in front of the squadron directly facing Sophie. This figure represents her father, a member of the S.A. Defense Force. Sibande met him for the first time when she was 16. The soldiers pose as toy soldiers. The two figures at the front of the regiment represent Sibande’s parents with their poses and gestures referring to a tango dance movement, although they are separated. In this work Sophie is actually orchestrates the whole performance. The work focuses on her own identity which was shaped by the non-relationship between her parents. The work speaks of identity, gender, and race.

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Sibande took part in the Johannesburg Art City World Premiere Annual Exhibition project, titled ‘‘Long Live the Dead Queen’’, to coincide with the 2010 World Cup on 19 giant building-wraps in the inner city. Monna Mokoena of Gallery Momo, where Sibande’s art has been exhibited, says: “I am tremendously pleased to see Mary literally making it this big. She is one of our most talented young practitioners, celebrated here and abroad and now we have a democratic exhibition where people who don’t hang out in galleries can enjoy her work.”


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The English pop artist, Allen Jones, had these figures cast by a firm who made shop window mannequins.

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Allen Jones, Hatstand, Table and Chair, 1969. Acrylic on glass fibre and resin with Perspex and leather.

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Compare his works with Mary Sibande’s I decline, I refuse to recline, by referring to the following: • Interpretation of the titles • Use of materials • The portrayal of the women’s postures • Possible meanings and interpretation relating to gender issues

Mary Sibande, I decline, I refuse to recline, 2010. installation.


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CHAPTER

8

Architecture in South Africa CONTENTS p. 326

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8.1 Early history of architecture in South Africa

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8.2 Influences of international trends p. 330 · British styles p. 330 · Arts and Craft Movement p. 331 · Art Nouveau p. 333 · Art Deco p. 334 · Modernism p. 335 · Late Modernism and High Tech p. 336 · Post Modernism p. 338 · Deconstruction p. 340 · Neo Modernism p. 341 · Critical Regionalism p. 343 · Sustainable Architecture and Green Architecture p. 346

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8.3 Commemorative structures p. 351 · Voortrekker Monument p. 351 · Freedom Park p. 351 · Apartheid Museum p. 352 · Walter Sisulu Square p. 353 · Nelson Madela Pavilions p. 353 · Hector Pieterson Memorial p. 353 · Consitutional Court p. 354 8.4 Don Albert p. 355 8.5 Henning Rasmuss p. 359 8.6 Pierre Swanepoel p. 361


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Early history of architecture in South Africa

Architecture is a meaningful way of tracing historic development. Africa’s architecture dates back to the pyramids and temples of Egypt. Southern Africa has remnants of stone structures such as the astro- topographic stone remnants at Mapungubwe (900) and Great Zimbabwe (1200).

Great Zimbabwe Ruins

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People always respond to the particular environment in which they live. They need shelter and if it is not natural like caves then it depends on the materials available. Sub-Saharan Africa is classified as Savannah grassland so the most common structures consisted of saplings, reeds, grass and clay. These materials and the methods of construction were sustainable and therefore eco friendly.

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primitive shelter`

Construction of isixhosa hut

construction of isizulu hut


Cone and cylinderS

beehive hut

shield or cube

Today architects are again incorporating some of these materials and methods as seen in Critical Regionalism. The early structures were also influenced by the activities of the inhabitants. The hunter-gatherers like the San, needed transportable woven wind shields. The herders and crop growers like the isiNguni, needed more permanent grass huts. These structures did not survive because of the types of materials used. Early drawings, written descriptions and later photographs have informed us.

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isizulu tribal home

sindebele tribal home

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isiXhosa tribal home

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The early indigenous structures have played a role in the African vernacular. South African architecture is one of assimilation and adaptation. For over 300 hundred years the structures in South Africa were influenced by local materials, the weather and the influences of the various settlers. The first houses were no different than the crofts of the Scottish highlands, the early homes in Norway or the peasant houses in Germany.

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They consisted of a two or three roomed rectangle with a door in the centre and small windows to each side. Sun dried bricks plastered with a lime wash were used with a timber and thatch roof. Triangular gables with chimney stacks were common. Early cape cottage


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CAPE TOWN CASTLE The well documented Castle in Cape Town is the oldest historical building in South Africa. The corner stone was laid in 1666 and it was occupied in 1674. It was built for protection and defense but also had gaol cells to promote law and order. It had a five point form with a bastion at each point. The main entrance with the bell tower above it was decorated with the coat of arms of the United Netherlands and Klompie-bricks (small, thin Dutch bricks) were used for the bell tower.

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the castle, cape town

The Dutch settlers developed the well known Cape Dutch style with the characteristic variety of gables, pitched thatch roof, symmetrically placed front door and shuttered windows. Adaptations of this style are still seen today in the Critical Regionalist trend. The threat of fire led to the flat, water-proofed roof seen in the doubled storey Koopmans de Wethuis (1701) in Cape Town.

cape dutch home


koopmans de wet house with flat roof

329 The arrival of the 1820 British settlers in the Eastern Cape coincided with the period of industrialisation in Europe with manufactured materials and prefabrication. Lean-to verandahs of corrugated iron became additions to thatched roof structures.

1820 settlers home, Castle Hill, Port Elizabeth

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Early Natal home , Durban. Wood and iron architecture.

In KwaZulu Natal the Victorian style of verandahs became popular because of the subtropical climate. To the north of the country the discovery of diamonds and gold later in the nineteenth century led to structures which could be rapidly constructed with timber and clad in corrugated iron.


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ARCHITECTURE MAKES A SPACE A PLACE

Look around YOUR environment. Identify a domestic structure(to live in), a commercial structure(shops, offices) and a religious structure(church, temple, tomb etc). It does not matter how big or small the structure is.

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Draw three vertical columns in your book. Write Domestic, Commercial or Religious above each column. Then fill in the following:

• Note your personal FEELING when you enter or view each of the buildings. Write the emotion down in each column. You may also explain your emotion. • Identify the COLOURS you think of when you look at each building. Usually it would be the colours of the building materials but it could also be the colours you associate with the building. Write or colour the colours in each column. • Look for any form that could be SYMBOLIC of the building. For example it could be a sculpture, a logo or a stove. Write or draw the symbol in each column. • Consider the ENTRANCE of each building. Describe or illustrate the entrance of each building. Explain if you find this entrance appropriate. Note that you have not considered the structure/building as an architectural form. You have considered it as a “Place” to which you have reacted in a personal way. This is something to remember as we study Architecture. Human involvement with the space is of paramount importance.


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Influence of international trends

Since the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries South Africa has responded to international trends in architecture mainly because of the similar trend of rapid urbanisation and the resultant demands. These trends have been covered in detail in the Grade 11 book. There was, however, an overlap of styles at times and in South Africa the buildings did not necessarily appear at the same time that the styles developed overseas.

British Styles

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Georgian house, brittain.

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After the British annexation of the Colony from the Dutch in 1806 the GEORGIAN style known for its clean lines and even proportions which was popular in England at the time, appeared in some South African buildings. They incorporated classical principles such as careful proportion, dignity of form and elegant interiors. The buildings usually displayed a plain façade, parapets on roof lines, regular fenestration and an elaborate entrance but no other decoration.

Georgian Building, University of Stellenbosch.

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The VICTORIAN and EDWARDIAN characteristics which appeared in South Africa also overlapped each other. The buildings were fairly plain in plan but they were elaborately decorated based on Neo Classicism and they also had decorative cast iron work on verandahs. There were classical pillars and moulding, ornamental chimneys, bay windows, roof ventilators as well as patterned brick work.

St. Pancras Station, London.

Victorian Building, Tamboerskloof Cape Town.

Restored Edwardian House with bay-window, corrugated iron roof and patterned brickwork VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

331 An Edwardian-Baroque style developed in Britain and this influence can be seen in City Halls built in South Africa at that time. The Cape Town City Hall was completed in 1905 and was originally planned as a tribute to Queen Victoria on her Golden Jubilee. It has the typical central clock tower of the halls built in Britain. It has massive teak doors, decorative cornices, fluted pilasters and Corinthian capitals. Inside there are mosaic floors, a marble staircase and stained glass windows. The organ with 3 165 flutes was the finest in the country. War Office, Whitehall, London

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city hall, Cape town.

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Similar characteristics can be seen in the structure of the Pietermaritzburg and Durban City Halls.

city hall, pietermaritzburg.

city hall, Durban.

ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT The principles of the ARTS and CRAFTS MOVEMENT of the eighteenth century could be seen in the work of architects like Sir Herbert Baker who demanded simple, plain, honest buildings which placed emphasis on the truth in respect of material and preferred natural, local materials.


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SIR HERBERT BAKER (1862 – 1946) He lived and trained in England and came to South Africa to visit his brother who was farming in the Cape. He met Cecil John Rhodes who asked him to restore his home, Groote Schuur, in Rondebosch. He created an Arts and Crafts Cape Dutch style. The gables were based on gables he had seen in Holland. He also referred to a painting of the original house. This house burnt down soon after completion and Baker started all over again. This time the house had an Edwardian character and had a tiled roof. This became Baker’s vocabulary in South Africa. Baker worked in Cape Town from 1892 – 1902. He often used a twin-gabled, doubled storied main block flanked by asymmetrical service wings. The gables were mainly elongated Dutch designs with a semi- circular window in the gable. Baker became responsible for Anglican architecture in South Africa and he built churches with robust buttresses and sloping roofs. Examples of his churches are the St Georges church in Cape Town and St Albans in Pretoria.

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Cecil john Rhodes had wanted to see classical temples on Table Mountain. After his death in 1902 his friends Rudyard Kipling and Herbert Baker decided on the site of his memorial. The design was based on the Greek temple at Segesta which overlooks the sea. Granite stone from Table Mountain was used. The green-bronze sculptures contrast with the grey stone.

sir herbert baker, groote schuur, cape town.

sir herbert baker, Rhodes memorial, cape town.

The equestrian sculpture of “Physical Energy” was donated by the sculptor Watts who was also a friend. Swan was commissioned to create the lion-sphinxes guarding the flights of steps leading up to the memorial. He was sent to Karnak in Egypt to study the sphinxes there. Swan also created the bust of Rhodes which is set under the roof of the colonnaded area. Inscribed at the base of the the stonework are Kipling’s words “The immense and brooding spirit still shall order and control. Living he was the land and dead his soul shall be her soul.” Baker went to Johannesburg at the invitation of Lord Milner. There he designed buildings such as: South African Institute for Medical Research (1908), Pretoria Railway Station (1909), The Union Buildings (1910) and the SA Reserve Bank (1927).


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sir herbert baker, union building, pretoria, 1910.

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This is one of South Africa’s monumental buildings as it marked and served the new Union of South Africa, a country within the Commonwealth. It was built on the site of a quarry which created a type of amphitheatre. It formed a concave front with twin towers to link two identical administration buildings. Sir Christopher Wren’s Greenwich Hospital in Britain influenced his design. The terrain called for a series of terraces and steps. He used only South African materials and manufactured items. Baker left South Africa in 1913 for a short stay in India and then he returned to England where he designed South Africa House in Trafalgar Square.

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ART NOUVEAU (See Grade 11 Book)

There are buildings which display Art Nouveau characteristics with the curvilinear, organic forms and decoration but there was not a strong representation of this movement in South Africa. Gaudi,Casa Battlo, 1905. Barcelona.

Victor Horta, Tassel Hotel, 1893. Brussels.


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Casa Natale Labia Restaurant,Muizenberg, Cape Town 1929

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ART DECO (See Grade 11 Book)

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Art Deco was a popular style during the 1920’s and 1930’s. This fairly expensive style, seen mainly in its stylised, geometric, symmetric and decorative features offered an escape from the depressing conditions after the First World War. In South Africa we see this style in buildings that were new at the time such as cinemas, shops and blocks of flats. Louw and Louw, Old Mutual Building, Cape Town, 1940.

W. Lamb, Empire state Building, New York 1931.

William van Alen, Chrysler Building, New York 1930.

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The Old Mutual Building in Cape Town designed by Louw and Louw is an excellent example. It has a stepped ziggurat form, projecting triangular windows and a vertical emphasis. The main façade is completely symmetrical with an exaggerated main entrance and detailed bronze doors. The decoration in the low relief panels gives it an “exotic” African flavour as it shows descriptions of the communities of South Africa that were designed by Mitford Barberton.

Many Art Deco cinemas like the Colosseum in Johannesburg and cinemas such as the Odeon and Savoy in Cape Town have been demolished. A good example of Art Deco in South Africa is the Voortrekker Monument which is discussed later in this chapter under Commemorative buildings. Delphi Cinema, Cape Town 1930

Apollo Theatre, Victoria West 1929


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MODERNISM

( See Grade 11 Book)

The Bauhaus, Modernism and the International Style are explained in the Grade 11 Book as are the conditions in Europe after the First World War which called for fairly cheap buildings which could be erected quickly for the expanding urban development. The rectilinear “box” like buildings of reinforced concrete, steel and glass seemed to be the answer. The principles of the Bauhaus School in Germany called for architecture and products which were designed strictly according to function, displayed the truth about the material and had no added decoration. This became known as the International style. The use of reinforced concrete and the elevator also gave rise to the first skyscrapers.

Le Corbusier, Villa Savoy, Poissy 1930.

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Norman Hanson, 20th Century cinema, Johannesburg, 1940.

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Walter Gropius , Bauhaus Building, Dessau1926.

In the 1930’s this style manifested itself in South Africa. A group of students at the University of the Witswatersrand under the directorship of Martienssen started to explore this modern approach. They became known as The Transvaal Group and even wrote to Le Corbusier which led to a continuing correspondence as he was impressed that architects so far removed from Europe and America were becoming involved with the principles of the style.

B. Stanley,House Stern, Johannesburg 1935

M. Policansky, Cavalla Cigarette factory, Cape Town, 1938 .

The movement took hold and the approach became standard practice countrywide. Many flat roofed, white rectilinear houses appeared in the suburbs. Rectilinear Blocks of offices and flats were built in all urban areas and are still evident today.


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LATE MODERNISM AND HIGH TECH

(see Grade 11 book)

South Africa continued to be influenced by the Architectural styles and trends in Europe and America but South African buildings were not closely grouped under headings. They also did not follow the styles slavishly. Examples of styles will be presented for comparison.

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The main characteristics of Late Modernism in the promotion of technology, use of contemporary materials, the elaboration of a moulded geometric approach and the continued lack of decoration, were also applied in South African buildings. The minimalist and formalistic approach can be seen in the examples.

Louis Karol Triangle House, Cape Town, 1993.

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Le Corbusier, Unite ’d Habitation, Marseilles, 1952.

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HIGH TECH glorifies technology with emphasis on complex detail. The buildings appear shiny because of the use of “High Tech” materials such as stainless steel, chrome, plastics and various metal finishes. In this method of construction, the service pipes are often exposed on the exterior of the building. These buildings are often very expensive to build as the components are custom made.

Norman Forster, Shanghai Bank, Hongkong, 1986.


Renzo piano and Richard Rogers,Pompidou Centre, Paris, 1977.

337 South Africa’s reentry into the International arena after 1994 called for the development of airports and convention centres. The Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban was built on the site of the former Central Goal of which parts are reserved like a “democratic wall”. The centre consists of a foyer, plenary hall, concourse, halls and break-away rooms. The glass and steel frames of the facades give it a High Tech appearance.

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Stauch Vorster Architects, Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban, 1997

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Revel Fox and Partners, cape town International Convention Centre 2008

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The Cape Town International Convention Centre was designed by Revel Fox and Associates and built by 2008 but is still in the process of develop. It has won several awards such as the SAIA Award of Merit 2006. Extensive glass structures are set in exposed modular steel frames which give it a High Tech appearance. It has a three storied circulation spine and on the Foreshore severe winds and noise levels had to be taken into consideration. Wind and thermal studies called for suspended sunscreens, canopies and potplants to work together, taking weather and eco-friendly factors into consideration.

It consists of foyers, exhibition halls, auditoria and restaurants that are all organized logically and technically. Aesthetically it makes use of illumination, reflections in water and specially created artworks like the metal versions of San art.

Anja van der Merwe Miszewski, Planned Extension to CTICC Cape Town


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POST MODERNISM

(See Grade 11 Book)

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Charles Moore, Piazza ‘d Italia, New Orleans, 1978.

The Post Modern space is ambiguous and fragmented. It is more playful and colour and symbolism are reintroduced to make the buildings and spaces more “people friendly”. Most of the memorial structures dealt with later on in this chapter display symbolism and are people- friendly structures which make them Post Modernistic in approach. In the Grade 11 book you read about the 2010 soccer stadium at Soccer City which is shaped like a traditional African calabash. Place ‘D Italy designed by Charles Moore was also discussed as an international example of Post Modernism.

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During the 1970’s and 80’s a reaction to formalistic Modernism developed. Post Modernism embraced pluralism as it freely accepted incorporated styles from the past. It was an attempt by the alienated urban dweller to make contact once again with his “roots”, culture and emotions. While Modernism

had been accused of being cold, boring and inhumane, Post Modernism has been criticised for being so wide in its reference that it does not focus on the present.

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This beautiful building has used the human eye as inspiration and is known as “the eye of knowledge”. Three audio- visual spectacles are alternated on the semi spherical 900 square metres of screen. These include astronomical phenomena, movies in Imax and laser projections.

Santiago Calatrava, L’ Hemisferic’ – IMAX theatre, City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia Spain (1991-1996)


339 NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT COMPLEX The Northern Cape Provincial Government Complex is Post Modernistic in that it combines the landscape, diverse forms of architecture and the social political history of the Northern Cape. It consists of parliamentary offices, a legislative chamber, offices for the premier, an amphitheatre and a tower. All the structures are clustered around a paved square. Each section was designed to express its own identity. Unity is created by the form of the enclosure which acts like arms with tiered seats which can serve small or large crowds.

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Under the guidance of Clive van den Berg the inclusion of and extensive art collection adds a secondary layer of meaning to the complex. At the entrance there are two massive outlines of a male and a female figure picked out of two red concrete slabs. Around them there are thirteen motifs representing various activities in the province. They are in the form of low relief metal cut outs and amongst other symbols show an AIDS ribbon, an open book and a house. There are two flanking wings which represent a robed premier raising his arms in a gesture of welcome pronouncing “a better life for all”. Murals and mosaics recall memories, record history and evoke dreams and fantasies. On the tower which is not functional but serves as a focus, there are medallions containing the portraits of Mandela and Mbeki. The third medallion is empty symbolising the conitnual change in the face of leadership. A platform at the tower marks the place from which the premier addresses the people. The Heroes Wall outside the legislature displays mosaic portraits of cultural heroes of the liberation struggle and there are also anonymous profiles in the tradition of the unknown soldier. Ten local people were trained by Clive van den Berg, the consultant artist, and they lived there for eight months completing the mosaics. Outside there is a fence with cut-out steel heads in profile.

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There are also large concrete heads, some decorated with mosaics, others in low relief, placed throughout the sparse indigenous gardens. This building is thus far removed from the authoritarian government buildings of the past and is Post Modern in the social and political involvement of the community.

Luis Ferreira da Silva, Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, 2004


340 Willie Bester, the well known South African artist (see Chapter 3), has used similar materials and objects in his art works and in constructing and decorating his house. The colour images and symbolism place it under the Post Modernism style.

Willie Bester House, Kraaifontein, Cape Town

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DECONSTRUCTION (See Grade 11 Book)

Zaha Hadid, Spiral Tower Barcelona 2009

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Deconstruction has been seen by some as a broader development of Post Modernism. The title came into general use after the exhibition of Deconstructivist Architecture in 1988 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Some of the architects associated with the exhibits like Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry and Coop Himmelblau have become famous for their work in this style. Their buildings seem to be made up of unrelated, abstract forms. They challenge order and regularity as spaces intersect one another. Technology in the form of computer aided design programs, have played a significant role. Some buildings seem anti-gravitational and display a sense of unpredictability. The architects feel that their buildings give a new vibrant, challenging and unique identity to a specific place at a time when globally people feel threatened and vulnerable because of universal disasters like terrorism, Aids, damaged ozone layers and financial crises. Some critics, however, accuse them of indulging in purely creative exercises. As with all architecture, however, the criticism should largely be based on the functionalism and pleasure experienced by the people who use the building.

Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain , 1997


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This seventeen storey building, the offices of the legal firm Deneys Reitz, sits on a six storey basement and consists of a double tower structure. It is an example of a South African Deconstructionist building. The main lines of the building are not vertical and horizontal and the variety of curved and diagonal lines therefore seems to disturb and deconstruct the forms and balance of structure. Cutting edge glass technology has been employed to install a glass “skin”.

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This “glass skin” is wrapped around the north and south Henning Rasmuss, 15 Alice Lane Towers, Johannesburg, 2011. facades and consists of clear dark and translucent glass. The east and west facades eliminate direct sunlight with sculptured handformed aluminum boxes set around deeply incised glass lines. These unique facades alter dramatically according to light and atmospheric changes due to the highly patterned and abstract surfaces. The towers hug a dramatic canyon-like atrium space connected by walkways arranged in a fan-like way below the skylights.

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Use of low energy glass, good topographical orientation and functional detailing contributes to minimising energy usage.The building was commissioned and built during the economic recession and is therefore seen as a sign of confidence and faith in the future of Johannesburg and South Africa. (See Grade 11 Book)

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NEO MODERNISM

There is a trend in the new millennium, referred to as Neo Modernism which promotes a return to the universal principles of Modernism. In contrast to the variety of materials and decoration seen in the eclectic Post Modernist buildings and the fragmented diagonals of the seemingly illogical buildings of Deconstruction, there is a return to clean lines and rectangular forms. Functionalism is important but without the strict “form follows function”. The interaction of interior and exterior by way of glass facades is emphasised again. This is especially seen in domestic architecture and smaller business buildings. The Yzerfontein House was built at Pearl Bay on the West Coast in 2000 by Stefan Antoni. It is one of several sea side homes built in the last decade which affirms the universality of Modernist principles. There is an intersection of exaggerated horizontals and verticals. The house is compact and therefore endorses the Modernist “form follows function” mantra. Stefan Antoni, Yzerfontein House, Pearl Bay, 2000 VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Beau Constance designed by Jan Jacobson, won several awards like the CIA, SACS and SAIA awards in 2006. Although this is an area known for its Cape Dutch architecture Jacobson placed more importance on natural factors and built a minimalist structure which echoed the Modernist Jan Jacobson, Beau Constance, Constantia Cape Town, 2004 characteristics of verticals, horizontals and absence of added decoration. The wooden appearance complimented the trees and fynbos of the area. There is an interplay of solid and void, mass and volume, man-made and nature. Slim concrete slabs on slender steel columns are combined with glass facades which allow for beautiful views while wooden sun screens create shade and define outdoor living areas.

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Mies van der Rohe, Farnsworth House, 1951.

Julie snow koehler house. 2000


Look at the visuals of Farnsworth House, Yzerfontein House, Beau Constance and Koehler House. Discuss the four buildings to indicate which characteristics of Modernism can be identified. Consider the following: • Surroundings • Rectangular forms • Roofs • Stilting • Cantilevering • Use of glass • Interaction between interior and exterior

343 Post 2000 South African architecture continued to be influenced by international trends as is the case in most countries. The demands are similar, architects work around the globe and the internet keeps everyone in touch. Various factors play a role globally.

CRITICAL REGIONALISM

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Critical regionalism is an approach in architecture that strives to counter “placelessness” and lack of identity by using the building’s geographical context and promoting a return to the local vernacular. Local materials also play an important role. This approach is naturally eco-friendly as it takes the effects of climate and the topography of the site into consideration as did the early inhabitants of the area.

Gabriel Fagan, Paradys House, 2003

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Paradys House by Gabriel Fagan has won a CIA and a SIAA award of merit. It is built on the sand dunes of Saldanha Bay. The repetitive vaulted roof echoes the curves of the dunes and the waves as well as the curves of many sea gull wings. There is a tall chimney like a submarine probe which is covered by a cowl. The metal and timber detailing reminds one of ship’s portholes. The building is white with blue shutters which are used to protect against the West Coast winds. These characteristics create a building that is Regionalist in that it took cognisance of the early West Coast cottage and extended it in a contemporary idiom taking the same climatic and topographical factors into consideration. The white washed early West Coast fishermen’s cottages also had shutters for protection against the strong winds and had a protruding chimney for the all important wood stove.

Martin Kruger, Niew Sion Farmstead, Bergriver, Cape, 2002 VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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In 1691 Niew Sion was built near the banks of the Berg river. This Cape vernacular-styled house was rebuilt in 2002 by Martin Kruger. It is an example of Provincial Regionalism as it has developed out of the previous style of “Rural Baroque” as the Cape Dutch homes associated with the area, were described. The new white house has a traditional central entrance with two shuttered windows on either side. The entrance has a “klompie” (small thin Dutch-type bricks) arch and a short barrel vault leading to a central courtyard. The simple white gables contrast with the dark thatch. Inside quarry tiles, fire places and open roofs endorse the early style.

Michele Sandilands, House Langham, Breede River, Cape, 2007

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The Langham House built near the Breede river shows the use of materials used by early settlers in the area, including stone, timber, corrugated iron and brick. The protruding verandah is also typical of those early houses.

The Makalali Conservancy in Limpopo is a private conservation area. Participants are trying to reestablish the ancient traditional wildlife migration routes. Therefore the architecture fits in with this desire to preserve and conserve. They have used traditional Shangaan materials and thatching skills in the construction of their buildings. This is typical of Critical Regionalism.


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Albonico, Faraday Market & Transport Interchange, Johannesburg, 2003

Baragwanath Transport Interchange and Traders Market, Newtown, 2006


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SOUTH AFRICAN TRANSPORT INTERCHANGES Urban development in South Africa has been directly affected by the apartheid policies of separate development. Since 1994 there has been development of what is referred to as the “fringe city” or “third City” as the movement from the townships to affordable accommodation has taken place. Urban architecture in South Africa has to take into consideration the taxi industry as well as the informal trading industry. Although the buildings are not Regionalist in that they do not refer to previous structures, they are regionalist in that they have developed according to local demands, unique to the people and the conditions of the area. As a result large transport interchanges with accompanying informal trading facilities have been built and they have demanded that architects take the particular activities, the climate and the environment into consideration.

Look at the taxi stands near where you live. Make a list of what facilities are necessary to create efficient movement and space. Take the following into consideration: • Safety • Weather • Rush hours • Queues • Pollution • Informal traders

Write a short essay in which you make a proposal to the local authorities about the building and function of a successful transport interchange.


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Sustainable Architecture and Green Architecture SUSTAINABILITY and ECO-FRIENDLY structures have become a universal demand and this is one of the factors connecting architecture globally. A contemporary architect would not design a building which is not eco-friendly. The building laws in most urban areas demand certain considerations. When contemporary architecture is researched it will be found that eco-friendly factors are always taken into consideration.

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Factors to be considered in Eco-Friendly Buildings: • The site must be taken into consideration so that damage is not caused to the surrounding area. • No systems are to be used that poison the surroundings. E.g. surface paint and factory emissions . • The position of the building with regard to the sun and wind must be taken into consideration. Parts of the building can act as a “sun screen” for example. • Inter action between interior and exterior spaces is to be promoted. • Low energy methods and tools must be used in construction. • Waste and pollution must be considered during construction and in the building’s functions. • Low energy appliances such as lighting etc to be used. • Alternate sources of energy to be used such as Solar Panels, Photo-voltaic panels and Wind Turbines. • Measures to be incorporated to reduce energy consumption such as incorporating the use of natural light and the prevention of air leakage. • Where possible materials that are re-cyclable must be used. • Local materials to be used if possible as this prevents the carbon foot print of transportation. • As many “grey water” and recycled water systems to be used as possible. • Recycled water can also be used in a system that creates cooling in a building. • Harvesting of rain water to be used in specific systems where possible. • Double glazing to be used for thermal protection. • Vegetation can be included in the planning of a building to affect positively the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. • Modularity to be encouraged to minimise maintenance as “parts” can be replaced instead of the whole. • Encourage design that promotes walkways, ramps and easy access to make less use of elevators. • Permeable concrete to be used on the ground to enhance the replenishment of ground water. • Overall Green Architecture promotes building in harmony with the environment with biomimicry as a philosophy.


347 SA PUBLIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION BUILDING

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This large Johannesburg building will rise twelve storeys above ground and extend seven storeys below ground. The site is geometrically awkwardly shaped. However, this has led to an aesthetic solution. The complex includes an integrated taxi rank and public facilities which create an inclusive urban space. The building is also designed according to Green Building Council ratings. The gardens that surround the building as well as the elaborate roof garden identify the structure as eco-friendly.

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EDITT TOWER, SINGAPORE The planning of this multi functional tower is an excellent example of Green Architecture. The use of ramps between various levels decreases the use Henning Rasmuss, Paragon Architects, SA Public of elevators and energy. Much of its surface will Investment Corporation Building, 2012. be covered by organic local vegetation and natural ventilation will be employed. Climatically there are many downpours so rain water will be collected and grey water will also be used in the system. Sewage will be converted into biogas as an energy source and will also be used as fertiliser. There is a central, internal recycling plant which will deal with refuse.

T.R. Hamzah and K.Yeang, EDITT Tower, Singapore(to be completed) VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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T.R. Hamzah and K.Yeang, EDITT Tower, Singapore (to be completed)

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The Helix Hotel will display a Deconstructionist form that seems to challenge gravity and creates a constant tension between balance and imbalance. It will be an eco-friendly building which extends over the water’s edge. It will use plastic panels that are completely recyclable on the outside. There will be a hollow centre that reminds one of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. A corkscrew walkway will extend from the top and flow between residential, retail and entertainment areas. Interior spaces will be infused with natural light and coastal air. There will be an indoor waterfall which recycles sea water and cools the interior. Photo-voltaic panels and wind harvesting panels are to be employed. The extensive glass façade that extends down from the first floor will open for natural ventilation but closes when the temperature outside is too hot. A CITY FARM Dickson Despommier is a professor of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. His concept is to build a vertical farm which would feed 50,000 people in a city. His ideas are supported by hydroponic vegetable research done by NASA. This project plans to use the sun, wind and waste water as resources. The positive aspects are that all processes of growing and harvesting can be controlled, with just the right amount of water and no pests or diseases. The building uses less ground space. It would cut out the carbon footprint of transporting vegetables to city markets and to retailers.

Dickson Despommier, Vertical farm Project, Seattle, 1999.


349 Houses for rural workers would not be necessary as the workers would come to work by public transport as do other city dwellers. Their children would be close to educational facilities. The presence of vegetation in the city would help to balance the oxygen-carbon dioxide levels. The public and retailers would be able to use the drive through to take delivery of the produce ordered. Several cities and several architects are considering the proposal. It is, however, estimated that setting the whole structure up would be very expensive. Critics have also suggested that the building does not have to be so high.

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In South Africa companies have already been persuaded to make use of unused space on city buildings. There are several projects that allow employees to grow vegetables in containers on the roof. The vegetables can be sold at the office or taken home for consumption. Other companies have converted the space into a rest area with potted trees. Any project which promotes the growth of vegetation in the city is promoting eco-friendly behaviour. There has also been some creative use of vertical gardens with pots hanging on the walls of buildings. It would be an interesting class project if each student planted an indigenous plant in a cut-off coke bottle and hung them to create a garden wall at your school.

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COR BUILDING MIAMI This building which houses accommodation, business offices and shops is surrounded by an external screen. At the top wind turbines are visible through the large circular openings. On the roof there are also solar and photo-voltaic panels. The area is known for its strong winds and hot weather. It has been said that the weather in Cape Town with its winds and long hot summers would be ideal for such a building. Water is also recycled for specific purposes.

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The exoskeleton provides building structure, thermal mass for insulation, shading for natural cooling, enclosures for terraces and armatures for wind turbines. As a sunscreen for the windows of the building it copes with the different positions of the sun during the day carefully positioned designed circles. At the bottom of the building the shaded space between the screen and the building is used as public space for coffee shops etc. The external screen with its series of large circular openings also gives the building a unique and aesthetic appearance besides its functional value.

Chad Opperheim, COR Building, Miami, 2005 VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

350 SOUTH AFRICAN TOWNSHIPS South African townships have, in their own way, developed “site specific” types of architecture. Recycled materials such as corrugated iron, wooden structures and plastic are often used. Innovative methods and materials have been incorporated to the point that “Shack Chic” has been identified! Housing for the poor has become an enormous problem political and financial. Many schemes incorporating small houses built with concrete and brick have been established. Self-help schemes in which the owners are helped to build Sandbag Construction their own homes have also been established. Unfortunately not enough homes have been built and corruption has also become a burgeoning problem.

Wooden framework

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Some schemes refer back to the traditional tribal homes by using locally available materials. They emphasise eco-friendly principles that often make use of sand filled SANDBAGS or incorporate STRAWBALES and clay plaster. Sand is freely available and cheaply. The bags can be made of different materials but cotton or hemp rots and so a geotextile that is cheap and readily available at builder supply shops is used. Local entrepreneurs have even started sewing such bags!

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These houses offer stability because of the thickness of the walls which are also bullet proof! The walls are wind resistant and fire proof. Using these materials cuts out transport costs and with sand and straw no electricity is needed for construction. Earthen plaster sticks easily to the porous surfaces without wire mesh. In some areas the lime-dung floors are still used. In other areas sandbags are laid for a foundation and a layer of cement is added.

Strawbale house

Inexperienced people can be taught how to build these houses within days so community participation is encouraged.

Community involvement


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Commemorative structures

The new Millennium and the new democracy in South Africa went hand in hand. (read about the political history of South Africa in Chapter 3 which covers Resistance Art). It seems logical that various COMMEMORATIVE structures would be erected to remember the past, to respect great personalities and to symbolise a new future. Exhibitions, libraries, interactive areas and public gathering spaces are incorporated.

VOORTREKKER MONUMENT

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An example of an early memorial building in South Africa is the Voortrekker monument. As with post-2000 memorial structures it was erected to remember and commemorate a struggle by people for their survival.

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The Voortrekker Monument, designed by Gerard Moerdijk, is the ultimate example of Art Deco in South Africa. It was built to commemorate the Great Trek and was inaugurated on the day of the Covenant, 16 December, 1949. The large bronze doors were opened at twelve o clock when the sun shone through the opening in the roof onto the inscription, “Ons vir jou Suid-Afrika”, carved into the sarcophagus symbolising the Voortrekker heroes.

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Gerard Moerdijk,Voortrekker Monument, 1949

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The monument resembles nineteenth century monuments but the decoration follows the Art Deco style. The granite structure has zigzag ziggurat outlines with course blocks at the base changing to refined blocks at the top. The halls have shiny marble tiles and the tracery of the windows displays geometric patterns. At the front of the monument is Anton van Wouw’s naturalistic “Mother” statue. The other statues show a stiffer, wooden realism used to portray symbolism.

FREEDOM PARK

Freedom Park is situated opposite the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. It is a place of pilgrimage to commemorate South Africa’s commitment to democracy and freedom. It is a National Heritage Project endorsed by parliament and Nelson Mandela was its chief patron. There is an interaction between an African inspired architecture and landscape. Indigenous systems of knowledge were taken into consideration. The park consists of a Garden of Remembrance, a Place of Remembrance and a Pan African Museum and Archive. The oval shape is built into the side of the hill. At the bottom there is a ring road, a parking area and an Information Centre ending in an Isivivane, a cairn of stones, considered to be the final resting place of all who have died in eight different pre-colonial and apartheid conflicts. It depends on the symbolic use of stone and the purification properties of water combined with specific plants for meaning. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Chris Kroese, Freedom Park, The Eternal Flame. Salvokop Pretoria, 2008

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The Sikhumbuto is a place of remembrance and includes a commemorative wall inscribed with over 80 000 names. There is a large gathering space and a gallery. This is connected to the lower Isivivane by a serpentine route. In the sanctuary an eternal flame burns. To mark the area there is an installation of high steel poles which are illuminated at night. They symbolise reeds which are considered to be spiritual conduits between earth and heaven and indicate new life. The whole complex respects a common bond with the land which is important to all South Africans. Dry stacked quartzite from Phalaborwa dominates the area.

APARTHEID MUSEUM

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The Apartheid Museum is dedicated to the history of Apartheid in South Africa. It is situated at Gold Reef City with its back to the Casino. It is set on an abandoned mining landscape. It employs a small range of materials including stone, unadorned brick, concrete and galvanised steel. Six pylons in off-shutter concrete form the entrance to the site. Steps lead to a courtyard and a paved approach to the museum. Veld grass is interspersed with narrow concrete slabs and gravel. A ramp leads to the roof where the industrial landscape is visible.

From the roof the route descends to sunken spaces revealing the history and effects of Apartheid through visuals and audio-visuals. There are concrete floors, columns and ceilings and exhibits in mesh cages. Openings between the cages allow for framed views of the exhibits. No effort has been made to design the building in an African idiom. Sun and shadow mould forms that remain neutral to focus attention on the exhibits. There is a hall of struggle, a hall of resistance, an auditorium, an archive and a garden.

Bannie Britz, Apartheid Museum, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg, 2001


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WALTER SISULU SQUARE The square was designed to commemorate the signing of the Freedom Charter on the 26 of June 1955. It was completed for the fiftieth anniversary in 2005. It consists of two sections namely the Western Square which is stark and symbolises the conditions in 1955. The Eastern Square is planted with lush vegetation symbolising the new democracy. Trees are planted in nine demarked squares to represent the nine provinces.

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In future it is envisaged that informal trading will take place under the fully grown trees.

NELSON MANDELA PAVILION

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The Nelson Mandela Museum Pavilion honours his birth place and the area in which he grew up. The building were designed to celebrate a place and was not to be a place to display memorabilia. The Bhunga Building in Umtata houses a photographic exhibition. The area is underdeveloped with problems of water supply and unemployment and it was thought it would be inappropriate to erect a large memorial.

Nina Cohen, Nelson Mandela Museum Pavilion, Mvezo, Eastern Cape 2000.

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There are two simple structures. The pavilion at Qunu, where he was born, serves as a gateway to an area which functions as a community centre. The open air structure consists of gum poles, steel I-beams and sheet metal covers. There is a suspended lattice ceiling and a masonry podium. At Mvezo, where he went to school, there is a pavilion covered in a similar way with a timber platform and two concrete podia. In the rear a lattice screen creates a permeable backdrop which captures the sound of the wind. There is a restricted display of photographs and extracts from his autobiography are etched on metal sheets attached to the podia.

HECTOR PIETERSON MEMORIAL The Hector Pieterson Memorial commemorates the 1976 Soweto uprising of Black youths against their poor education. Hector Pieterson was the first student killed by the police that day and has been immortalised by the photograph taken by journalist Sam Nzima. The Memorial is located near the site associated with the uprising. It is recessed to separate it from the surrounding houses but it echoes the colours of the materials

used in the match box houses with red brick, timber and steel. It consists of a commemorative square, access ramp, exhibition route, auditorium, bookshop and administration offices. A line of indigenous grass slices diagonally across the square towards the location where Pieterson was gunned down. A ramp guides visitors through the building. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

354 The walls contain text, images and video footage. Narratives are inscribed on the windows overlooking the sites of the township, the police station and Orlando Stadium where the students collected. A ramp leads to a courtyard with plaques engraved with the names of the students who died. It has become a space of contemplation which captures an important fragment of South African history.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

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Mashabane Rose Associates, Hector Pieterson Memorial, The Constitutional Court can be seen as a functioning Orlando West Soweto, 2002 memorial. Andrew Makin and his team planned the Constitutional court as a symbol of democratic South Africa. The choice of site was a late nineteenth century military fort which had been converted into a prison. The design needed to reconcile a space of painful narrative with one of peace. The building on Constitutional Hill is carefully incorporated into the museums and institutions of human rights. Two pedestrian axes bisect the site coming together in the forecourt known as Constitutional Square. Terraced steps adjacent to the building are known as the African Steps and they connect the north and south sections. The court itself is accessible as it lies immediately off Constitutional Square making it symbolic of a transparent democracy.

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The large doors have the Bill of Rights carved into them and lead into an open reception area where light falls onto slanted columns. Mosaics on the columns refer to indigenous trees. This symbolises the traditional African court which would have taken place under a tree. Near the entrance is a gallery filled with public art which in turn leads to the library and judges’ quarters. A slotted dividing wall allows a connection between the public space and the private space of the judges. The pierced sun screen symbolises the patterns found in African beadwork. The typeface used on the external wall of the court was based on the lettering found on Constitutional Hill such as the graffiti scrawled on the walls of the prison cells. The end result shows words in all eleven official languages in the colours of the South African flag. The building is Post Modern in its incorporation of symbols of the past and its sensitivity to all South African people.

Andrew Makin, Constitutional Court, Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, 2004


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Award winning contemporary South African architects

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Don Albert and Partners

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Don Albert graduated with a Degree and post Graduate Diploma in Architecture from the University of KwaZulu Natal in 1994. He completed his Masters Degree at the University of California in 1996. While there, he founded the architectural design firm Soundspacedesign to practise in South Africa. He believes that space and proportion are more important than eye-catching details.

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One of his first commissions was the Burrows building in Durban which he presented via the internet, opening a new mode of working internationally. He combines digital design methodology with metaphorical considerations. It was said of his Burrows building that he transformed industrial space into sculptural space combining sleekness with practical considerations. His company is now known as Don Albert and Partners and he moves between Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

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SOME OF THE BUILDINGS HE HAS DESIGNED SINCE 2000 ARE THE FOLLOWING:

Don Albert, Grey House

Don Albert, High Performance Centre, pretoria


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Don Albert, Proud Heritage Clothing Company, Durban

Don Albert, Trumpet house

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Don Albert, Millennium Tower Port Control, Durban 2000

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THE MILLENNIUM TOWER DURBAN 2000 In 2000 he and Alex Pienaar won the competition to build the Millennium Tower in Durban for the National Ports Authority. This building won the SAICE Award for the Best Civil Engineering Project in 2004.


A new Port Control Centre was built on the Bluff in Durban. For inspiration the team of designers togetherwith architects Don Albert and Alex Pienaar, photographed nautical and marine objects around the harbour as well as the plant forms. A piece of Natal’s sugar cane rising tall from the ground and blowing in the wind gave them a further image. They also listened to The Machine Man by German electronic music pioneers, Kraftwork, which set a futuristic mood. They designed a techno-organic but transient, monument which responds to the winds, the sun and the sea. It was felt that to belong to the future new millennium, the building should be kinetic which suited its functions perfectly. It needed to be a symbol for the city. The nature of its functions also needed it to be long lasting with low maintenance. In their planning they used Photoshop to superimpose their images onto photographs of the Bluff.

357 The structure consists of an operations room with a 360 degree, unobstructed observation view. There is a Search and Rescue meeting room and a Port Control Office. A room was also needed for equipment and the radar system which is three meters wide to be able to feed all the tracking computers. (the size of the radar did cause problems later) For the staff there is a kitchen, ablution facilities, restrooms and sleeping quarters. The various sections had to be structured differently so a team of experts like structural, mechanical and electrical engineers were needed. The Tower base is a steel reinforced structure comprising of two cones and a stabilising staircase. It also contains the elevator and three floors. There is an extended balcony which affords views of Durban’s golden mile.

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The Cowl and Wind Vane consist of a rotating aluminum mesh structure with a sloping edge cutting through a tapered cylinder which indicates the wind direction. The Cowl is suspended on rollers and is driven by a computer which accesses real time wind speed and direction. There is a safety stop in case the wind speed is too high. At night the wind vane is illuminated so that the information can still be “read”.

The Spire and Tidal Indicator function through the high mast which has strobes indicating the tidal direction and level. The yellow collar and flashing strobes move with the tidal level based on a computer program. At night the cylinder is illuminated to indicate tide levels. Four sets of strobes indicate if the tide is coming in or going out. There are also lights which change according to whether ships are coming in or going out. Lights also indicate the time on the hour. The tower has a futuristic appearance although it is simple, economical and robust.

Don Albert, Portnet Millennium Tower positioned according to the sun, Durban. 2000


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Hani Rashid , Strata Tower, Abu Dhabi, 2011.

Adrian Smith , Burj Khalifa, Dubai 2010

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Atkins architecture, Bahrain Trade Centre, 2007.

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Santiago Calatrava, Turning Torso, Zurich,1997.

C. Lee, 101 Tower, Taipei, 2004.

Zaha Hadid, Signature Towers, Dubai, 2006.

INTERNATIONAL TOWERS The above visual sources are all towers. Choose ONE of these international towers. Discuss the following: • Form • Purpose • Eco-friendly factors (Check the list of Green Architectural features given in this chapter.)


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Henning Rasmuss, Paragon Architects

Henning Rasmuss completed his degree in architecture at the University of Witwatersrand in 1994. He worked in Dusseldorf, Berlin and Hong Kong until 1997. Since October 1997 he has been a director of Paragon Architects. He gives public lectures and is the external examiner of architecture at two universities. He considers travel a form of research so he travels widely. He is involved with exhibitions and has even formed an urban research company called sharpCITY.

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Paragon Architects is based in Johannesburg. Their buildings are futuristic in appearance but they are acutely aware of the financial pressures in a developing country like South Africa when there is a global recession. They also acknowledge the demand that all architecture should be responsible and sustainable.

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Henning Rasmuss works with Anthony Orelowitz at Paragon. They challenge the constraints of commercial architecture. The startling appearance of 15 Alice Lane Towers and the planned SA Public Investment Building discussed earlier in this chapter, are proof of this. The Paragon policy calls for designers who are passionate and innovative but who understand the mandate given by the client and the needs of the society. Their aim is to come up with innovative design solutions. They state that their work is not style driven but lifestyle driven. The buildings must be efficient but elegant so that those entering may feel uplifted. They have won many awards for their buildings.

Henning Rasmuss, Paragon Architects, Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Building.


360 DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING There are three long rectangular interlinked blocks arranged like a lazy “Z” across the floor of the site. Gently folded strips of concrete plates define the silhouette and the visible edges of the building underneath. Large cutouts in the rooftop landscape pour light deep into the courtyards defined by the blocks of the buildings. Cavernous performance spaces are shaped at key intersection points in the building’s layout.

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The entire site is to be extensively landscaped and entry to the building will be through planted areas, across sheets of water, and through forests of columns placed at rakish angles, leading into the belly of the building. The material has been kept simple and form becomes the dominant element of expression.

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AGRI HEAD OFFICE This building lies between the John Vorster and Botha Avenue off -ramps in Centurion, Tshwane It is visible from the freeway and appears to be floating. It is also visible from the residential side so it had to supply pleasing facades in both directions. A flowing sculptural form was chosen. It is stark white against the mainly brown environment. Large concrete curves are set at distinct angles and fold in curved slanted rectangles around the building joining two office pavilions. A skin of aluminum louvres covers glass areas where the building is exposed to the sun. The louvre edges form subtle wave-shaped patterns. The whole building is built on stilts in the shape of thin support columns. The lines of these supports continue at the top of the building under the roof band. The construction allows light and air to circulate freely. The office space also has pilotes separating it from the corporate lifestyle areas on the ground floor. The use of glass facades results in open light interiors. The outside of the concrete curves is covered with a ceramic tile finish. OTHER PARAGON PROJECTS:

Henning Rasmuss, Paragon Architects, RAlexander Forbes Offices 2011.

Henning Rasmuss, Paragon Architects, Routledge Modise Attornies building 2010. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Pierre Swanepoel, studioMas Architects

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StudioMAS was founded by Pierre Swanepoel in 2000. After graduating from the University of Pretoria he completed a post graduate diploma in Urban Design in the UK. He spent 12 of his 17 years in the architectural profession in the United Kingdom before returning to Johannesburg and Cape Town. He has been involved in residential developments, commercial office buildings, hotels, public buildings and the design of external spaces. He places emphasis on the total environment and resource efficiency. He wants to translate shared values into an architectural product which is innovative but offers the familiar comforts of life in a contemporary city. He has been involved in the mixed-use Village Walk Shopping Centre site with hotels and an urban park in Sandton. He is also involved in master planning projects in Cape Town and Pretoria. He says he wants to reconnect with the street and people with each other while making optimum use of the space available. A building should not be about the ego of the architect and should also be planned with change in mind. This factor adds adaptability to a building. He wants to focus on design in urban environments taking architecture to its full potential. Westcliff Estate and the Square of Dedication in Klipfontein which commemorated the signing of the Freedom Charter are some of his company’s first successes. They branched out to Cape Town and were involved with Courtyards on Oxford and the Biovac laboratories.

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He has been honoured with awards for many of his buildings, including the Billiton HQ in the Johannesburg CBD, the ABSA Towers North, Westcliff Estate and the Courtyards on Oxford.

Pierre Swanepoel, StudioMAS Architecture, Circa Building. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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The building has a dramatic spiral shape and together with the illumination at night was designed to attract passersby. The architect said of it, “it is a small building with a big attitude!” The five hundred tall aluminium slats which form the spiral are fourteen meters high and totally encase the three storey building. A spiral concrete walkway leads into the building with the multi coloured slats on one side and a concrete wall on the other side.

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CIRCA ON JELLICOE IN JOHANNESBURG The Art Gallery in Johannesburg known as Circa is situated at 2 Jellico Avenue in Rosebank. It is over the road from the Everard Reid Gallery which was built in 1912. Both buildings are owned by Mark and Christene Reid. Mark Reid describes the building as “neither here nor there. It is a place that is free to travel in space and time.” It endorses the importance of public space in a city. The owners and the architect, Pierre Swanepoel, wanted people to feel comfortable, safe and inspired.

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The ground floor provides 106 square meters of gallery space. The first floor has slots in it where rotating screen walls slide through from the ground floor to create various exhibition spaces. The second floor offers a double volume space of 177 square meters where artworks are displayed. On the top floor is the Darwin Room which is a spacious and elegant area. There is an adjoining deck which offers views of Jan Smuts Avenue and the surrounding leafy suburbs. A metal fire escape which is separate from the building, leads down from the top floor. It allows for creepers to be grown up its length which connects the building to nature aesthetically as well as improving the supply of oxygen. Further eco-friendly factors are the electricity produced by means of voltaic


panels. Solar heating is used to heat the water. Rainwater is harvested and used for everything except for drinking. The building stands like a sculptural beacon giving a special identity to the site. Many urban architects are concerned about the concept of “placelessness” that occurs in cities. They feel that architecture must mark a site and give people a sense of feeling familiar by way of a specific building.

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The Biovac is a vaccine laboratory in Ndabeni, Cape Town. It consists of a laboratory block which has to comply with stringent international standards and a small office component. The central volume connects the two sections. The sun control skin was created very economically with double sided tape fastening it to a galvanised steel frame. The red perspex pendant lights also endorsed this economy. The Biovac is a place of serious science but also of innovation and creative invention.

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Pierre Swanepoel, Biovac Vaccine Laboratory, Cape Town ,2007.

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Courtyards in Oxford The building consists of four compact “lock-up and go” units, each with their own private courtyard and garden cottage. While the interiors accommodate the private functions of family life, the exterior engages with the street which is important to Swanepoel’s idea of city accommodation which he believes should not be barricaded.

Pierre Swanepoel, COURTYARDS IN OXFORD Cape Town.

INFILL HOUSE, Signal Hill, Cape Town, 2007 Standing on the slopes of Lion’s Head the house has uninterrupted views across the sea. It displays Neo Modern characteristics in the rectangular forms of Modernism as well as “truth to material” in the exposed concrete and brick. Glass facades connect the interior and exterior spaces. Pierre Swanepoel, Infill House, Cape Town ,2007.


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MPHETHI MOROJELE Mphethi Morojele completed his architectural studies at the University of Cape Town in 1990. After teaching for a while he went to London where he completed his Masters Degree with distinction. In 1995 he moved back to South Africa where he founded MMA Architects. He has worked and travelled in several countries and has served as an examiner and curator. He was involved with the development of the site at Maropeng. The whole theme is one of “discovery”. The architecture is exciting as it goes “underground” in the preservation of the environment.

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M. Morojele, Front of the Tumulus Building at Maropeng 2009.

www.Maropeng.co.za

Research this project. Describe the activities, the symbolism, the site and the architecture. Give your opinion of the success of the site as a tool for education and preservation.

CONCLUSION: Does South Africa have an Architectural style that is distinctive? Mr Jeff Radebe, former minister of Public Works called for “African trends to reveal themselves, for Africaness to find expression in the physical environment.” Professor of Architecture Ora Joubert writes that “Good architecture transcends the stylistic and the political”. It has already been mentioned that architects move and work around the world and that modern communication connects the world instantly. What would establish South Africa on the global map of architecture would be a consistent creation of “good” architecture. The contemporary architectural designs in South Africa make it clear that architects are making their mark in an “Afro-pean” symbiosis.


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CHAPTER

9

Practical Assessment Tasks

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CONTENTS

9.1 Introduction p. 366

p. 367

9.3 The Art Work

p. 373

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9.2 The Source Book

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9.4 Practical themes · Kitchen p. 377 · Water p. 381 · Shadows p. 385 · Mind, body and soul p. 389 · Barriers p. 392 · Clothes p. 396 · Skin p. 401 · Green p. 405 Assessment Guidelines p. 409 Exemplar Question Papers p. 411 Glossary p. 429


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Introduction

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. – Pablo Picasso

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As you have seen through your studies of Visual Arts, to give a satisfactory definition of art is impossible. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica Online, art is “the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others”. Ask your family and friends for a definition of art and you will probably get many different ideas. What we can say is that art is a fundamental part of being human. From the beginning of mankind, artists have dealt with what it means to be human in themes dealing with birth, love, death, beliefs, rituals, heredity, etc. These themes do not change. What does change is society, technology, issues and controversies. The artist is often the ‘visual voice’ of his time, though often before his time.

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What do artists do?

William Kentridge creating video animation, Breathe, 2008.


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The Source Book

“The idea becomes a machine that makes the art” – Sol LeWitt, artist The source book is about conceptualising by developing and realising creatvie ideas

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This source book is NOT a formal, neat notebook but is an expressive, personal expression of ideas and stimuli which reflect your own style, interests and personality. It should be full, exciting and a useful source of ideas and images for use in practical assignments. You should put all your conceptual ideas, planning, “playing around” and exploratory work etc. in your Visual Arts Source Book. The source book provides insight into the way you have formed ideas, how many alternatives you have investigated and other processes leading to the final work. The source book should clearly communicate all thought processes leading to the creation of artworks. By Grade 12 you should know how to use the source book.

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The contents of the source book The source book should include the following: • All the ideas and solutions you have researched and investigated. • All your source material. These should include some of the following: – Mind maps to generate ideas. – Sketches and preparatory drawings. (Drawing books with specific studies should be included.) – Images, articles, excerpts, samples, photographs, etc. collected. – Objects (pieces of paper, packaging, tickets, etc) which you have found interesting, stimulating, of personal significance or which may prove useful for a practical project at some stage. – Doodles, words, sketches, writings, related to your experiences and context. – Investigation of different techniques and materials. – Research and study a wide variety of artists and examples which inform your practical work. – Anything else which you may find stimulating and/or interesting and which may function as a source for your practical work. – Documentation of any process work.


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It is important to personalise these sources through sketching them, planning juxtapositions of them and create original compositions. • Written explanations and notes on how you are going to engage the subject. These would include your proposal/intention and your reflection on completion of the task. • Drawings: these would include compositional drawings as well as observational studies related to your investigation.

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The following is an example of a check list for your source book: • The brief must be pasted into the source book. • A minimum of one page for your written proposal/rationale/ intention. This can extend to more than one page. • At least four pages of investigation and research of approaches and/or ideas which must include source material such as drawings, photos, images, collected poems, lyrics and research on artists who have inspired you. All material must relate to the development of your work, substantiating your decisions. It is important to personalise and create original preparatory/ compositional sketches and drawings based on your sources. • At least two composition drawings/collages/assemblages. • At least one page, in which you reflect, in writing, on how you have experienced, managed and completed your project. This can also be developed on different pages, but preferably nearer the end, as it contains the final insightful comments about your intentions and meanings. Pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s sketchbooks


369 A few ideas about the source book: • It is important not to use direct copies from magazines, the Internet etc. Direct copying of an image that is not your own will be penalised. This is a form of plagiarism and is unacceptable. You must transform your source material. You can, however, use appropriate images from magazines and other sources and combine them with other images to create your own interpretations. • There is no prescribed format for the source book. It may be in a book, a file, a box or any other format. • The source book should speak of creativity and investigation of ideas. It is NOT a scrapbook, but an artist’s book. Avoid superficial decoration that has nothing do with the investigation.

Pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s sketchbooks

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As artists, we are always inspired by the work of other artists. Look at the following examples of some great artists’ books.

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A page from a letter by Vincent van Gogh and his painting, The Bedroom, 1889.

Pages from Vincent van Gogh’s letters VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Pages from Eugene Delacroix’s sketchbooks. You can see that as a painter, colour was very important. Often these studies made on his journeys would be used in his final works.


371 How to generate ideas Thomas Edison, the great inventor said that genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. If you are going to wait for inspiration for a project to hit you like a lightning bolt, you are going to wait for a long time and then usually come up with a very obvious solution. Artists work hard to find inspiration by researching other artists, making drawings, writings and experimenting with techniques and different media. Here are a few ideas to help you along:

Sketchbooks

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Most artists use sketchbooks as their idea journals. They expect ideas to come at unexpected times, so they use the sketchbook as a journal. Keep a sketchbook ready to record your ideas and observations.

Henri Moore, Shelter sketchbook, 1940 -1941.

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mind maps

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Making a mind map is a good tool for coming up with ideas that are connected to a central topic. The end result of mapping should be a web-like structure of words and ideas. As you continue branching out you may discover new solutions.

Create an inspiration file

This could take the form of a sketchbook, a file, a box and even a file on your computer. Every time you find something that inspires you or intrigues you, put it in your inspiration file. You might go back to them in a future project.

Using dictionaries and a thesaurus Look for the meaning of words. A thesaurus takes one on a journey of synonyms which opens up new possibilities of inspiration.


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Stream Of spontaneous Writing Just start writing about the theme you have received without consciously thinking about it. Read through it and maybe there is an original solution.

Play with ideas and experiment with materials and techniques

Make lists and sketches

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Many artists make use of lists and sketches of possibilities. Visually creative people often use thumbnail sketches as their lists.

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Artists often find inspiration as they start manipulating materials. Confidence and some mastery of processes and materials allows for more creative rendition of new ideas. It is natural to get visual ideas as we work with visual materials and try new techniques. Sometimes it helps to tear and cut up sketches and try new combinations in collage.

Other ideas

Pages from Irma Stern’s journal

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Inspiration can come from the following: • Sounds - from Nature, Music, Songs • Words - Poetry, Literature, Quotes, Phrases • Images - Work of other artists • Pictures - from books, magazines, catalogues

Consider the following when planning final composition Transitions between objects, unlikely juxtapositions, transformation and metamorphosis. Work out your final composition. A good idea must be visually exciting. Make small thumbnail sketches to consider a variety of options. Think of things like the contrast between open areas and cluttered areas, between dark and light, etc. Think of negative spaces, the use of diagonal lines, etc. to create a mood or atmosphere. Do not clutter your idea.


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The artwork

You have received your brief for the PAT, conceptualised ideas in your source book and now it is time to create the art work. Your art teacher will facilitate this process. In Grade 12 you must:

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Creation of artworks: • Choose the materials, tools, techniques, themes and processes best suited to the chosen art or craft form. • Demonstrate an advanced degree of technical skill in, and knowledge of, a range of materials, techniques, processes and equipment related to the chosen art or craft form. • Document and evaluate your own creative process and artworks, selecting works best suited for inclusion in your final portfolio. • Artworks should be relevant to the brief. • Create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies.

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Management:

Francis Bacon’s studio

• Create a coherent body of work which provides

Alberto Giocametti’s studio

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concrete evidence of the process of conceptualisation and creation. Plan, manage and complete particular tasks and projects within specified time, space and resource constraints.

Presentation: • Display, exhibit or present own work in a manner which enhances and complements the expressive and conceptual impact of the work. Safe practice:

• Demonstrate and promote the safe

use of equipment, materials and technology in a group work context.

Paulo Rego’s studio VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Approaching the artwork: • You may not use direct copying from magazines, the Internet etc. This is a form of plagiarism and is unacceptable. It is important to transform your source material. You may, however, use appropriate images from magazines and other sources and combine them with other images to create their own interpretations. • In your visual arts studies you have been exposed to the work of many artists. These are a rich source of inspiration of how artists have used materials, tools and techniques to express themselves. Look through art books, visit art exhibitions and use the internet to find examples of artworks to inspire you. You can join Pictify and Pinterest to search for interesting examples and create your own boards of artists. • It is important to familiarise yourself with contemporary developments in art practise. Many contemporary artists work in a range of media that could include for example painting, digital work and sculpture according to a specific project. • It is important to find your own creative voice. • The eight themes set in this chapter are all open-ended themes and cater for a wide range of interpretations within your specific practical option. • Your teacher will facilitate the process and provide further guidelines. You will be given specific instructions regarding the media, size, technique, etc. These will be based on context of your school, resources, field of specialisation and other factors. • Any specialised option could include perceptual, expressive, conceptual, symbolic, decorative and abstract approaches. • The aesthetic qualities of any artwork are important. You should always consider the art elements and principles of art such as line, shape, colour, texture, space, rhythm, balance, proportion and composition. • It is recommended that you follow a specialised field of focus in grade 12 to ensure that you understand and master the materials, tools, techniques and processes associated with it. This does not mean that you cannot explore and experiment with other media and options to broaden and enrich your creative journey, e.g. a specialised focus on painting could include other options such as an exploration of three-dimensional and new media. You should bear in mind though that your final exhibition should still represent a coherent body of work.

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Practical specialised options include the following: (Refer to Chapter 1 in the Grade 10 textbook for explanations of different media.) NB. There are no specific guidelines about the use of specific media in the CAPS. Creativity and individuality is however stressed. Your art teacher will assist you with technical issues relating to the use of media according to their expertise. Practical work should always be informed by contemporary art practices. Drawing Drawing is a compulsory part of all practical options in Visual Arts and should form an important part of your source book. If you decide to use drawing as medium for your artwork the work must be a final artwork and not only an A4 drawing with a HB pencil. Refer to artists such as Diane Victor and William Kentridge for excellent examples of drawings. Painting Painting is usually a two-dimensional artwork done in oils, acrylics, watercolour, etc. You have studied many examples of paintings in art theory that show a variety of techniques.


375 Mixed Media Mixed Media refers to art works that use a combination of media such as drawing, painting, collage, etc. Many contemporary artists make use of mixed media to express themselves.

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Printmaking With the exception of monoprints, most printmaking techniques create a print that can be reproduced several times. Relief prints include woodcuts and linocuts, while intaglio prints include engraving, etching and aquatints. Silk-screening is a popular modern printing technique. Artists produce limited editions that are individually signed and numbered, so it is advisable to do an artist proof and a series of numbered prints. A print may be in one or more colours. Contemporary printmaking may also include X-ray printing, digital printing, photographic mediums, or a combination of digital, photographic, and traditional processes. Using the different printmaking techniques depends on the equipment in the school for example a printing press. Lino prints and wood prints are good options as you can print without a printing press. The work of John Muafangejo and Azaria Mbatha are excellent examples of the use of these printing techniques.

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Sculpture Sculpture is a three-dimensional art form that occupies space. It could be free standing or in relief. Sculpture can be modeled (clay, wax, etc.); carved (wax, wood, polystyrene, plaster of paris, paper, stone, etc.); cast (using a mould in plaster of paris, resin, paper mache, cement, etc.) or constructed/ assembled (using various materials such as metals, wood and found objects.) Using sketches and drawings are important to formalise ideas, but making small rough three-dimensional models and marquette’s are also used to develop ideas in sculpture. A lot of sculpture techniques need specific equipment that is usually not available at schools, and it might be advisable to go for ‘simpler’ techniques such as wire work, clay modelling, constructions using different material, etc. Also be aware of the safe use of equipment, materials and technology, for instance using protective gloves and masks to work outside with resin.

A learner’s installation. The learner developed her own characters drawn with compressed charcoal on the pages of an old book. Paint was used to add colour. The two characters were old dolls that were transformed with Paper Mache masks and clothes she made for them. The ‘carpet’ consists of pieces of knitting stitched together and dyed. It is an example of how many techniques and media can be combined.

Installations Installations are multi-media artworks (two or three-dimensional) often designed for a specific place to be installed for a period of time. The viewer can often ‘enter’ the space of the artwork to interact with the work. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

376 Multi-media work/new media work Multi-media artworks are popular with contemporary artists. They use a variety of media to impact on the viewer in other than conventional ways. Therefore, the variety of media used by contemporary artists differ from the traditional/conventional media such as oil paintings and bronze sculptures. Everyday material are used in an art context such as flour (Berni Searle), rusted tins (Jan van der Merwe), carved books (Wim Botha), etc. These works usually have a strong conceptual basis. It also often combines visual arts with elements from literature, drama, dance, film and music. Where traditional artworks work with sight, the other senses are now often included in visual arts such as hearing, smelling and touch. These works can sometimes move or develop over time to show a process. These artworks also make use of advanced technology such as electronics or computer technology. They can include sound, video, animation and interactive media. As with other options, the source book must show evidence of relevant source material and concept development. Digital work should be clearly documented – storyboards, scriptwriting directions, computer programmes and use of applications.

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Photography Photography can be divided into traditional dark room and digital photography. Concept development is very important in photography and learners must study the work of visual artists who work with photography such as Roger Ballen, Hasan and Husein Essop, etc. With traditional dark room photographs it is important to produce a set of at least five photographs and place all contact, test strips and record of the process in the source book. With digital photography you must also produce a set of five different original prints. The digital prints must be placed on a disc in the source book. You must also clearly state the programme used i.e. Adobe PhotoShop 7 etc, the run time and the limitations of the programme/s and all digital software procedures. Keep record of screen prints that illustrate all the editing decisions made. Also record the tools used to manipulate your images i.e. adjustments made, filters used (distort, noise, render, sketch…) etc.

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An important part of the visual arts process is the presentation of your work. Your teacher will guide you and give specific requirements. Graphic prints and photographs for example usually need to be neatly mounted with clear borders.


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Practical themes

The following eight themes are all open-ended themes which are open to a wide range of interpretations within your specific discipline.

‘If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen’ – Harry S. Truman

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Theme: The kitchen

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George Pemba, The Gossip and the Hearth, 1993. Oil on canvas.

The kitchen is a room or area where food is prepared and cooked. The kitchen started off as a fireplace or hearth where food was cooked. For many centuries the hearth has been the central feature of a house. The modern kitchen is usually equipped with a stove, a sink with running water, a fridge and cabinets or shelves for storing food, cutlery, pots, dishes, etc. Other electrical appliances include a microwave oven, a dishwater, blenders, etc. The main function of the kitchen is the preparation and cooking of food but it is also used for eating, storage, dishwashing and laundry. The kitchen is often called the heart of a home and it is a shared and social space in a home where family members interact. The kitchen can also be seen as a laboratory as a lot of food preparation has to with science. It includes biology, chemistry and physics. There is also artistry in making food attractive for consumption. The kitchen also speaks strongly of culture. Different cultures all over the world have their own food traditions and on a daily basis continue these traditions by cooking their traditional dishes. Family traditions also play a part e.g. grandmother’s recipes are still used. Traditionally the kitchen is the domain of women but many modern women object to the idea that they should only be in the kitchen. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

378 There are many artworks relating to the kitchen:

Diego Velazquez, Old woman frying eggs, 1618. Oil on canvas.

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Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, The Kitchen Maid, 1740. Oil on canvas.

Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Can, 1964. Silkscreen.

Daniel Spoerri, Kichka’s Breakfast I, 1960. Wood chair hung on wall with board across seat, coffee pot, tumbler, china, egg cups, eggshells, cigarette butts, spoon, cans on table.

Subodh Gupta, Still Steal Steel #1, 2007. Oil and enamel on canvas. Richard Hamilton, She, 1958. Oil on canvas.


379 Kiki Smith, Kitchen, 2005. Installation.

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In this installation, Smith has used domestic objects such as terra-cotta jugs, pitchers, and bowls, ears of corn, porcelain eggs, rug beaters, baskets, brooms to recreate a simple kitchen from history. The female figure is central in this installation and speaks of how women traditionally were cocooned in the kitchen, but longed for the outside world.

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Zeger Reyers, Rotating kitchen, 2009. Installation. The work consisted of a kitchen in a box like structure. A woman prepares food. The kitchen starts to slowly rotate 360 degrees and in doing so, destroys the kitchen. It speaks of how natural forces can impact our ordered domestic lives but can also be read on a more symbolic level.

Willie Bester, Primus, 2003. Oil on canvas on board.

Dorothy Mavata, Portrait of Annie Mavata, 1946. Oil on canvas.

This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or metaphoric. Using your research material, find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of KITCHEN. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

380 You may consider the following in relation to the idea of ‘kitchen’: • The kitchen and its activities of peeling, chopping, cooking, dishwashing, etc. • Objects and food found in the kitchen • The kitchen as a place of family interaction • Symbolic interpretations • Social issues – domestic work as the only choice for many women, exploitation, etc. • Gender issues – is the kitchen the place for a woman? • Culture and tradition • Food • Metamophorical use of kitchen, cook or cooking • The world is a kitchen • Processes such as cooked, heated, reheated, deep-frozen, and thrown away, left to rot, etc. Create an artwork in which you share your stories, ideas, emotions and thoughts related to kitchen.

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A twist on a still-life

12 Parakeets

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Mrs. Beeton wrote one of the first published cookbooks, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management during Victorian England. One of the strangest recipes in the book is for Parrot Pie. The recipe is for 12 people.

6 Thin slices of lean beef

Prepare like

3 Hard-boiled eggs

½ts finely chopped parsley ½ts dried parsley

Finely grated lemon peel Salt and pepper

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Puff pastry Flour

George Flegal, Large food display, 1630. Oil on canvas.

a

the

birds

quail

or

and

any

truss

other

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small

bird. Line a pie-dish with the beef,

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4 Rashers of bacon

Method:

over it place 6 of the Parakeets,

intersperse slices of egg, parsley and lemon rind, dredge lightly with flour,

pepper.

and

season

Cover

with

with the

salt

bacon

and cut

into strips, lay the rest of the

birds on top, intersperse slices of egg, season with salt and pepper,

and sprinkle with parsley and lemon-

rind as before; three-quarter fill the dish with cold water, cover with puff-pastry and bake in an oven.

* Parakeets are small, long-tailed tropical parrots.

One can take the ingredients of this recipe and find visual sources for each item. In some cases you can go back to the original source. The list would include: parakeets, slices of beef (a bull), bacon (a pig), eggs, parsley (plant), lemons, salt and pepper pots, bag of flour (wheat) and a brick of butter (for puff pastry). With these one could create a composition for a still-life where all the components would create a dish! Kitchen appliances and tools like egg beaters could also be included. You can now find your own recipe to create a mouth watering still-life. The recipe could be for something unusual like turtle pie, fictional, or a favourite family recipe. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Theme: Water

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“Water is the driving force of all nature” – Leonardo da Vinci

William Kentridge, Felix Crying, 1998 – 99. Charcoal, pastel and coloured pencil on paper.

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Water is a transparent, colourless tasteless, inodorous, liquid compound of oxygen and hydrogen convertible by heat into steam and by cold into ice, forming seas, rivers, etc., falling as rain, issuing from springs; it is supplied for domestic use.

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Water covers 71.5% of the Earth’s surface and is vital for all known forms of life. 96.5% of Earth’s water is found in oceans. Safe drinking water is essential to humans and other forms of life. Water is considered a purifier in most religions. It is also associated with fertility and life as in countless creation myths, life emerged from primordial waters. The ancient Greeks included water as one of the four classical elements along with fire, earth and air. The ancient Greeks also saw water as an archetype for change and metamorphosis because of its power of transition from liquid, to solid and to vapour. Water plays an important role in most religions such as in Christian baptisms or the washing of certain body parts before the five daily prayers in Islam. The Hindus place importance on their ritual bathing in the Ganges River.

Gerard Richter, Seascape (Cloudy), 1969. Oil on canvas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

382 Water can symbolically be divided into fresh/good water and bad/polluted water. Fresh/good water represents healing, purity and cleansing, while bad water symbolises bad health. Oceans are known for their unpredictability and uncontrollability. They are also places of mystery and magic. Water has the duality between refresher and destructor. Water in large quantities, such as in the sea, contains a power which can destroy life and good order. Water is destructive with floods and tidal waves. Water is one of the best known solvents and people and animals use water to help remove dirt and grime from their bodies. To bath or wash

oneself is a private activity. But often it is more than just cleansing oneself as it becomes a ritual. The meanings attached to bath and bathing are manifold – from simple ablutions to purification and fertility rites; magic; healing; union with nature and public bathing, including the spa. Taking a bath in a dream may represent your need to undergo some form of cleansing or to change things in your daily life. Taking a bath represents the washing away of those things that are difficult or disturbing; the letting go of old and useless ideas and prejudices. Often this dream is a call to relax, to free your mind of daily troubles and problems.

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Artists have interpreted water in different ways:

Claude Monet, Water lilies, 1908. Oil on canvas.

William Turner, A Storm (Shipwreck), 1823. Watercolour


Valerie Hegarty, Niagara Falls, 2007. Foam core, paper, paint, gel medium and glue.

Victor Hugo Zayas, Tsunami, 2011. Oil on paper.

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Frida Kahlo, What the water gave me, 1938. Oil on canvas.

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William Kentridge, Tide Table, 2003. Production stills from 35mm animated film.

Bill Viola, Dissolution, 2005. Video still.


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Penelope Siopis, Still waters, 2009. Ink and glue on canvas.

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This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or metaphorical. Using your research material, find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of WATER.

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You may consider the following possibilities: • An atmospheric interpretation of water through the use of colour and mark making. • An investigation of the reflective properties of water. Think of the myth of Narcissus who fell in love with his reflection in the water and drowned. • The creatures which live in the water. • Use water as a ‘stage’ to highlight aspects of human existence and interaction by including figures, animals and/or man-made structures. • The dualism of water – sustainer of life versus its destructive forces • Symbolic interpretations such as purification, healing, etc. • Religious symbolism such as confession, baptism, forgiveness, etc. • Transformation of water from ice to liquid to steam. • Washing and cleaning of the body and/or other items. Think of basins, baths, showers, etc. • Exploring the properties of water in ink washes, watercolour and/or aquarelles.


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Theme: Shadows

Our shadows were on the grass. They got to the trees before we did. Mine got there first. Then we got there, and then the shadows were gone.

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– William Faulkner, The sound and the fury

William Kentridge, Shadow procession, 1999. Stills from animation.

Where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is shadow there must be light. There is no shadow without light and no light without shadow. – Huraki Murakami, Japanese novelist

Shadow, n. The rough image cast by an object blocking rays of illumination; An imperfect imitation or copy; A shaded area in a picture or photograph; A mirrored image or reflection; A phantom; a ghost. Shadowed or shadowing means to cast a shadow on; to make gloomy or dark; cloud; to represent vaguely, mysteriously, or prophetically; to darken in a painting or drawing; shade in; to follow, especially in secret; trail.


386 The ancient Greeks told how representation in painting originated by tracing a shadow when a young girl traced the projected form (shadow) of her sleeping lover on the wall to conserve his image and memory.

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A shadow responds to the object’s location relative to the position of light. The closer the light is to the object, the larger the cast image will appear. The crisper and brighter the beam of light, the sharper the edges and the darker the shadow may appear. The dimmer the light is, the softer the shadow may appear. If the light source is composed of multiple beams or light bounced from a secondary source or a reflector, you will probably experience multiple images cast by the object. The opposite of shadows is light. Everyone carries a shadow. In some primitive communities the shadow represents the soul or spirit of the person. In psychology, the shadow represents our alter ego and G.J. Jung used the term shadow to connote the primitive and instinctive side of the individual.

Komar and Melamid, Origins of socialist Realism, 1983. Oil on canvas.

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In visual art, shadows function to give a sense of space and volume in a two dimensional work.

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Shadow play or puppetry has a long history of storytelling in many cultures which make use of cut-out figures that are held between a source of light and a translucent screen. Various effects can be achieved by moving both the puppets and the light source. A talented puppeteer can make the figures appear to walk, dance, fight, nod and laugh.

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The shadow can be used as a metaphor for the darker side of the individual, as well as for society. At certain times in history, such as Apartheid in South Africa, a dark shadow was cast over society. We can also identify things that are like shadows in society as they obstruct the light, such as Aids, poverty, crime, etc.

Avoshoni Mainganye, Heart of the oven, 1981, Woodcut.


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Wilma Cruise, Three Shades (The bully Boys I, II, III), 1992 – 3. Ceramic and cast metal.

Marlene Dumas, Blindfolded (from a series of work), 2001. Ink wash on paper.

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These depersonalised figures show the brute power of male oppressors during Apartheid.

Diane Victor, Missing Children, 2005 – 6. Smoke on paper. in this series Diane Victor created a series of images of missing children. She created these images by making marks on paper with the soot from a burning candle. These children drift like shadows on the paper and are like the shadows of society’s shame.


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Kara Walker, Slavery, Slavery, 1997. Detail from the 360 degree installation of black silhouette figures.

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Kara Walker, an African American artist, uses silhouetted figures cut from black paper to create this installation. The technique of black silhouette portraits was popular during the Victorian times. Walker creates imagined images of slavery in the American South before the American civil war, to comment on race relations.

Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Real life is Rubbish, 2002. discarded objects and light.

Piles of rubbish with light projected against them create a shadow image entirely different from that when looking directly at the pile of rubbish.

Christian Boltanski, Shadow Theatre, 1984. Metal figures with lights.

This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or metaphorical. Using your research material, find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of SHADOWS. You may consider the following possibilities: • A formal investigation of light and shadows in representational work, e.g. in figure studies, still-life or any other subject. • A symbolic interpretation of the shadow side in human nature. • Shadows in society. Think of events and issues that block out the light in society such as poverty, crime, etc. • The duality between the light and the shadow. • Any other solutions that explore and show shadows.


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Theme: Body, mind and soul

he used the human figure to show what is in the mind.

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Leonardo da Vinci said

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Mohua Modisakeng, Qhatha II, 2010. Photographs

MIND

SOUL

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BODY

The human body consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs, as well as numerous internal organ groups such as respiratory organs, circulation and a central nervous system. The human body is the vehicles in which the mind and the soul reside. It is the outer layer that is nourished by air, water, food and which needs rest and sleep. The study of the structure of the body is called anatomy.

The mind is the thinking and perceptual faculty as distinguished from the body. It is the aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive processes.

The soul in many religions, spiritual traditions and philosophies is the spiritual and eternal part of a living being; commonly held to be separable of the body. The soul is the immaterial part of man regarded as immortal and as the organ of emotion, thought and will.

Physical form

Thoughts and ideas

Emotions and feelings

I AM

I THINK

I FEEL VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

390 The human form has been a dominant theme all over the world throughout the history of art. For centuries the ability to draw the body was the benchmark of artistic skill. The body in artworks is often the vehicle which expresses thoughts, ideas, emotions and experiences.

Johann Louw, Bending Figure on stool, 2002. Oil on canvas.

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Lucien Freud, Double Portrait, 1990. Oil on canvas.

Philip Rikhotso, Untitled, 2004. Wood and paint

Rikhotso creates fantasy figures drawn from Tsonga myths and legends. Rikhotso believes that there was a time when people had greater spiritual powers but with the infiltration of popular media intoculture this power was lost to most people. His figures are drawn from Tsonga myths and legends to create personalised spiritual figures.

Jackson Hlungwani. Open Arms Shaman, 1989. Wood.


Jackson Hlungwani. Adam and the birth of Eve, 1989. Ntoma wood.

Jackson Hlungwani. Large Crucifix and star, 1990-2. Wood, pencil and charcoal.

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Adam Letch, Leaving the body, 2002. Photographic emulsion on paper.

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You may consider the following possibilities: • Use a series of works or a triptych to portray mind, body and soul. • Using the human figure in various ways to express body, mind and soul. • Internal/external body • Using objects to symbolise body, mind and soul. • Soul or spirituality • Consider using symbols such as hybrid figures with animal parts to convey certain ideas. • Finding ways to represent visually the intangible, e.g. thoughts, ideas, spiritual ideas, such as abstraction, fragmentation, etc. • The combination of physical form with thoughts and ideas, as well as emotions and feelings. • Your own interpretation

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Hybrids

Many artists, such as Jane Alexander, created hybrids to portray ideas about humans. Consider including animal parts or other objects to create symbolic interpretations of Body, Mind and Soul.

A learner created this hybrid with the head of Dolly, the first cloned sheep, to make a statement against cloning.

A hybrid created by a learner.


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Nicholas Hlobo, Umthubi, 2006. Exotic and indigenous wood, steel wire, ribbon and rubber inner tube.

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Theme: Barriers

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A barrier or barricade is a physical structure such as a railing, wall or fence which blocks or impedes movement or access. We often live in houses that are barricaded with fences and security systems to keep unwanted people out but they also restrict the movement of the inhabitants. Natural barriers include mountains and rivers. Famous man-made physical barriers include the Great Wall of China and the Berlin wall. Other barriers include the sound barrier which is the point at which an aircraft moves from transonic to supersonic speed. There are also limits or boundaries created by people who restrain or obstruct progress and/or access. Such social barriers include language, class, race, gender, etc., barriers which keep people apart. Disabilities are also often seen as barriers.

Henrique Oliveira, Tapumes, 2009. Plywood and PVC Oliveira creates massive spatial installations that are a combination of architecture, painting and architecture.


393 A barrier is thus an obstruction. It creates a boundary or enclosure. The opposite of a barrier is an opening. Physical barriers, as in being trapped or confined, for example, are prisons or cages.

Kendell Geers, Hanging Piece, 1993. Installation.

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Al Anutsui, Duvor (Communal Cloth), 2007. Aluminian and copper wire.

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Barriers could mean anything to do with being trapped or confined, or being unable to achieve something, either physically or psychologically. It could even mean psychological barriers; these could be things like stress, which some people may feel is a barrier preventing them from being happy and free. Barriers can stop you from achieving something. Barriers protect you and your property.

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Security guards and bouncers at night clubs form barriers to prevent people from entering.

Andries Botha, History has an Aspect of Oversight in the Process of Progressive Blindness, 2004. Installation.


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Francis Bacon, Figure in Motion, 1985. Oil on canvas.

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Kagiso Pat Mautloa, Faces, 2001. Acrylic paint, wood and discarded9 objects bolted on plywood.

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See how lines and shapes create barriers in these two works.

Michael Subotzky and Patrick Waterhouse, Ponte City: Windows (detail), 2008 – 10. Photographs.


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This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or more metaphorical. Using your research material find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of BARRIERS

You may consider the following interpretations: • Physical barriers such as fences, railings, etc. • What is inside and what is outside? • People isolated by barriers, e.g. homeless people, people with disabilities, prisoners, • Restriction of freedom e.g. animals in zoos.

Walter Oltmann, Caterpillar Suite I, 2007. Metal wire.

• • • • • •

Emotional barriers Your private and public face – barriers you create to protect yourself Social barriers What are the barriers you create? Abstract use of barriers through the use of colour, line and form. Abstract use of different barriers Real barriers by using acetate, plastic or any other material that forms a barrier and obstructs viewing.


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Theme: Clothes

Judith Mason, The Man who Sang and the Woman Who kept Silent (Part of Blue Dress series on display in the Constitutional Court), 1998. Mixed Media.

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These two pieces form a part of a triptych that Judith Mason produced after listening to radio reports from the Truth and Reconciliation hearings. This artwork pays tribute to two liberation fighters executed by the security police. One was Herold Sefola, who as Mason relates "asked permission to sing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica before he was shot. The other was a woman, Phila Ndwande, who was tortured and kept naked for ten days and then killed in a kneeling position. Before Ndwande was killed, she made a pair of panties for herself from a blue plastic bag to restore her modesty and dignity. Ndwande's body was found naked in a shallow grave, with the thin piece of plastic still covering her private parts. Mason was so moved by her tragic story that she made a dress of blue plastic bags on which she inscribed the text: “Sister, a plastic bag may not be the whole armour of God, but you were wrestling with flesh and blood, and against powers, against the rulers of darkness, against spiritual wickedness in sordid places. Your weapons were your silence and a piece of rubbish.”

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” - Mark Twain

Clothing refers to any covering worn on the human body. Clothing is an exclusively human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depends on functional considerations (such as the need for warmth or protection from the elements) and social considerations. In some situations minimum clothing (such as covering of a person's genitals) may be socially acceptable, while in others much more clothing is expected. Clothing can serve as protection from the elements. Clothes can also enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and cooking by providing a barrier between the skin and the environment. Clothes can also provide a hygienic barrier, keeping toxins away from the body and limiting the transmission of germs.


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Graeme Balchin, Interpretations of Uniformity, oil on canvas.

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Clothing performs a range of social and cultural functions, such as individual, occupational and sexual differentiation, and it can indicate social status. A uniform, for example, may identify civil authority figures such as police and military personnel, or it may identify the team, group or political affiliation. In many societies, norms about clothing reflect standards of modesty, religion, gender and social status. Clothing may also function as a form of adornment and an expression of personal taste or style.

Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini wedding, 1434. Oil on panel.

George Pemba, Portrait of a young AmaXhosa woman, 1946. Watercolour

David Hockney, Mr and Mrs Ossie Clark, 1971. Acrylic on canvas.canvas.


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Rembrandt, Saskia as Flora, 1635. Oil on canvas.

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In many paintings the clothes determine the historical period of the artwork and the status of the figures.

Pierre August Renoir, La Loge, 1874. Oil on canvas.

Lucien Freud, Bella, 1986 – 87. Oil on canvas.

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The technique of artists to render fabrics and draping can also be admired.

Frida Kahlo, Two Fridas, 1939. Oil on canvas.

Yinka Shonibare, Three Graces, 2001. Three life-size fiberglass mannequins, Dutch wax printed cotton.


399 Many artists have used clothing to comment on a variety of issues. Refer to Chapter 6 on identity and Chapter 9 on gender issues for many examples.

Zanele Muholi, Martin Machepa, 2006. Photograph.

Elsabe Laubser, Just Perfect - Self Portrait, 2002. Paper Dolls.

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Mary Sibande, ‘They don’t make them like they used to do’, 2009. Digital print

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Jacques Coetzer, Coloured Prayers, 2011. Installation.

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This artwork recreated the frequent image of washing hanging in the wind. It signals domestic life and connects people with the landscape. According to Coetzer, clothes lines, like prayer flags, can be imagined to send out personal messages to the wind. The clothes in this installation were once worn by people of Cloetesville township outside Stellenbosch.

Zanele Muholi, Martin Machepa, 2006. Photograph.

This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or more metaphorical. Using your research material to find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of CLOTHING. Remember this is not a fashion design assignment, but a visual art assignment and you should address some issue. You may consider the following possibilities: • Clothing as adornment, beauty, etc. • Clothing expressing social issues e.g. class, poverty, gender, etc. • Clothing as symbols of authority e.g. uniforms • Clothing expressing a human state e.g. innocence • Clothing relating to fantasy • Any other interpretations VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Transforming clothing into art The following examples are from learners who have transformed real clothing into art. Simple techniques can be used to stiffen the clothing. Stuff the clothing item with newspapers to create the desired shape. Make a mixture of flour, a little water and lots of wood glue. Cover the clothes with a thick layer of this mixture and allow to dry. You can the paint on it. The example on the left was created by stitching school notes together, while the school dress on the right was stiffened with resin and treated with rust paint.

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Other examples:


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Theme: Skin

Andrew Verster, Skin Markings, 2006. Installation with tissue paper laminated with wax.

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“We are all many people in one body, in one skin“. – Andrew Verster.

Skin, n. flexible continuous covering of the body or one layer of this, peel or rind, complexion, hide or flayed animal or material made from it. Oxford Dictionary The skin is the body’s largest organ. Human skin is a barrier which offers important protection from viruses, bacteria and ultraviolet radiation. It is also an individual climate-control system with about 650 sweat glands per inch. If the skin on a human body could be removed and hung in a closet at night, it would consist of a sheet of material – almost paper thin in some areas – measuring about two square meters. One can think of skin as a physical reality defining you in the environment.


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Pieter Hugo, Gloria Phungule, Durban, 2005. Photograph.

Jenny Saville and Glen Luchford, Closed Contact, 1995 – 96. Photo taken of body pressed against Plexiglas.

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Shiran Neshat, Allah’s women. 1996. Gelatin silver print.

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But skin is more than that – people are often judged by the colour of their skin and there are different cultural norms about the amount of skin that can be shown, e.g. Muslim women who have to cover their skin. On the other hand, the excessive display of skin, defines the sex industry. As we age our skin changes and starts to wrinkle and sag.

Andrew Verster, Tattoo Boy II, 2006. Ink on paper.

Langa Magwa, New Identity (Barcode), 1998. Cow hide

Nandipha Mntambo, Silent Embrace, 2007. digital print on cotton rag paper .

Many people see the skin as a canvas to be decorated with tattoos, scarification and other markings – to convey group membership, convey beauty, or mark rites of passage. This also relates to scars on the skin. Think of the victims of the atom bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Painters have always been interested in presenting skin.


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Chuck close, Self-portrait, 1997. Oil on canvas.

Phillipe Pasqua, Untitled, 2005. Oil on canvas.

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Anton Karstel, J.G. Strijdom,

Tony Sherman, Bonaparte dreaming of Napoleon, 1998-99. encaustic on canvas.

Tony Sherman, Bonaparte: Waterloo 18.6.1815, 1995-97. encaustic on canvas.

Tony Sherman, Napoleon’s Last Shave: St. Helena, 1995-97. encaustic on canvas.

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These three works form a part of a series of large scaled portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte shown at important stages of his life. Napoleon lived before the age of photography and Sherman metaphorically chronicles the life of Napoleon using only the image of his face.

Berni Searle, Discoloured, 1999 – 2000. Series of photographs. By staining different parts of her body, especially vulnerable zones, with black Egyptian henna, Searle highlights the notion of ‘blackness. The henna also gives a sense of bruising to the flesh and refers to trauma.


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Human skin and the sense of touch give people the means of physically and emotionally connecting with one another. Touch is seen as a way to promote healing and boost immunity. Skin can also refer to animal skin or to the skin of an animal. Skin can also refer to the skin forming on milk or custard. Old fluids often form a skin.

Andries Botha, Rupture, 2001.

Alberto Burri, Sack 5P, 1953. Mixed media and collage.

Through his use of different media, Andries Botha has created a fragile physical membrane to evoke skin.

The ‘wounds’ and ‘scars’ of Burri’s work contain reminiscences of his earlier profession as a physician in a prisoner-of-war camp during the second world war.

Jump out of your skin Save one’s skin Change one’s skin (metamorphism) By the skin of one’s teeth

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• • • •

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There are many sayings connected with skin, such as:

• Thin or thick skinned • Strip the skin from one’s eye • Beauty is only skin deep

This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or more metaphorical. Using your research material find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of SKIN. You may consider the following possibilities: • Skin as expressing any issue, such as prejudices etc. • The aging of skin. • Skin as identity • Skin recording experiences and suffering • Textures of skin • Skin as protection • Representing skin in many different ways • Any other interpretations


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Theme: Green

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Mbongeni Buthelezi, Skipping, 2007. Plastic on plastic.

Buthelezi creates his paintings by melting pieces of plastic onto plastic with a heat gun to create surfaces with subtle tones and colours. In recycling the plastic, he shows his awareness of environmental problems.

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The whole world has gone green! Green has become the new buzz word as the earth’s resources dwindle due to global warming, manufacturing and consumption. People have become more concerned about environmental issues and protecting the earth for their children. ‘Going green’ involves a lifestyle which is based on sustainability and recycling.

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Green is associated with spring and refers to rebirth and hope, as spring with all its promises of new life emerges from winter. Green is therefore the colour of nature, fertility and life. Green speaks of growth and harmony. Green is only second to blue in the space it occupies on the spectrum. On the artist’s palette green is represented by Chromium Green Oxide, Viridian, Cobalt Green, Pthalo Green and Green Earth.

John Constable, The Cornfield, 1826. Oil on canvas.

Vincent van Gogh, Landscape at Saint-Remy, 1889. Oil on canvas.


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There is a duality in green. Although it symbolises new life on one hand, it is also a colour of decay such as mould on old bread. Green is also associated with jealousy and envy (Green eyed monster). Although green is associated with good health, it is also the colour of poisons and toxicity. In the 19th century century several green paints were toxic, containing arsenic. Green around the gills refers to nausea and sickness. Being green describes a young and inexperienced person, probably an analogy with unripe fruit. Having green fingers means being good at gardening.

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Virginia, Mackenny, Songs of Innocence and Experience (Dog Days), 2008. Oil on acrylic on canvas.

Patrick Jacobs, Fairy Ring with Dandelions, 2010 – 11. Diorama-like sculpture with window and mixed media. 19cm.

Patrick Jacobs, Mushroom cluster #3, 2011. Diorama-like sculpture with window and mixed media.5 cm.

Jacobs explores the idea that the world through a looking glass would be a more delightful place in his meticulously crafted miniature environments which hide embedded in a wall. The works are viewed through a peephole covered by a convex lens.


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As seen in the introduction, green also refers to peace and ecology. In today’s world the term ‘green’ takes on a new meaning related to its involvement with environmental and ecological concerns. The term ‘environmental art’ refers to artists directly involved with the landscape. These include Land artists such as Richard Long, Andy Goldsworthy and Richard Smithson. Goldsworthy creates installations in the natural environment which last from only a few moments to several years. He uses his own hands and uses stones, sticks, leaves, ice, etc. as his media to create his ethereal works which tell of the delicate balance in nature.

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Thomas Doyle, Acceptable losses, 2008. Miniature diorama in mixed sculpture.

Andy Goldsworthy, Before the Mirror, 1987. Photograph

Andy Goldsworthy, Reconstructed icicles around a tree, 1995.

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Many contemporary artists make comments about green issues, often using refreshingly different media. Jaume Plensa, Heart of Trees, 2007. Bronze, earth, trees. This work consists of several seated self-portraits of the artist, with his arms and legs wrapped around living trees. Plensa hopes that the trunks of the trees will eventually grow into the figures so each truly exists as one.


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Andries Botha, You can buy my Heart and my Soul, 2006. Installation with life-sized elephants in driftwood, Belgium.

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Another branch of environmental art is the emphasis on recycling to minimise our carbon footprint. In this Green art the idea of recycle, re-use and reduce is followed by many contemporary artists. Their work often takes the form of sculptures made from rubbish and junk.

Aurora Robson, The great Indoors, 2008. Installation created from 15 000 plastic bottles.


409 This theme is open to many interpretations. It can be descriptive, symbolic or more metaphorical. Using your research material find an original and creative solution to create a truly individual interpretation of GREEN.

Julia Anne Goodman, Certain is Nothing Now, 2009. Sculpture made from recycled blue junk mail.

Crackling Art Group, Sentinelle, 2009. Sculptures made of recycled plastic.

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You may consider the following possibilities: • Green in life • Any other interpretations • The colour ‘green’ as inspiration to create atmospheric works • Land and landscape • The duality of green e.g. growth/decay • Recycle, re-use and reduce

Assessment guidelines

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Your art teachers will guide the whole process from the source book to the final art work. They will provide you with their own assessment criteria if needed for their specific requirements. Here is an example of general assessment criteria for the source book and art work which can be used and/or altered. SOURCE BOOK / WORK BOOK

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CRITERIA

Intention/proposal

5

Investigation of approach/es and idea/s

15

Two composition drawings/collages/assemblages

10

Reflective report on completion of final practical

5

Presentation and over-all view

15

TOTAL

50

THE ARTWORK CRITERIA Choice and use of materials/techniques

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Use of formal art elements

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Overall impression of work – originality, creativity, innovation

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Interpretation and practical implementation of research

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Completion of artwork / time management / presentation

10

TOTAL

50


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Exemplar Question Papers VISUAL CULTURE STUDIES GRADE 12

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MARKS: 100 TIME: 3 HOURS

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INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Read the following instructions: 1. The question paper consists of EIGHT questions. Answer any FIVE for a total of 100 marks. 2. Questions and sub-sections must be numbered clearly and correctly. 3. Questions appear on the left-hand pages, with visual sources on the right-hand pages. 4. Ensure that you refer to the reproduced colour visual sources where required to do so. 5. Information discussed in one answer will not be credited if repeated in other answers. Cross-referencing of art works is permissible. 6. Name the artist and title of each art work you discuss in your answers. Underline or place in inverted commas the title of an art work or the name of a building. 7. Write clearly and legibly. 8. Write in a clear, creative and structured manner, using full sentences and paragraphs where applicable.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED

Use the following glossary of terms to make sure you understand how to approach a particular question: Analyse: A detailed and logical discussion of the formal elements, such as line, colour, tone, format and composition of the art work. Compare: Point out differences and similarities in an ordered sequence within the same argument. Discuss: Present your point of view and give reasons for your statements. Explain: Clarify and give reasons for your statements. Interpret: Analyse and evaluate (give an informed opinion) an art work. Contextualise it historically, culturally, socially, etc and substantiate your findings by referring to similar specific examples Substantiate: Motivate your findings by providing relevant and specific examples to support your arguments. State: Give exact facts and say directly what you think – give your opinion, as well as an explanation. Visual sources: The reproduced images that are provided in the exam paper.


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QUESTION 1 The voice of emerging artists

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FIGURE 1A: Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, oil on canvas, 1942.

FIGURE 1B: George Pemba, The gossip and the hearth, oil on board, 1933.

Artworks tell us about people, places and circumstances in society.

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1.1 Both Edward Hopper and George Pemba portray a group of people in a specific setting. The American artist, Edward Hopper, focused in Figure 1a on a night scene in a diner, while George Pemba in Figure 1b portrayed life in the township. Analyse how their portrayals differ and respond by referring to the following: • Composition and focal points • Formal elements of art • Style and technique • Their interpretation of the subject and the mood/atmosphere conveyed

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1.2 Discuss the artworks of TWO artists you have studied and whose work tells us about people, places and the circumstances in society. Your essay should include the following: • Name of artists and titles of artworks • Subject matter, inspiration and influences on their work • Formal elements of art used in their work • Themes and meaning


(10) [20]

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QUESTION 1 The voice of emerging artists

FIGURE 1B: Gladys Mgudlandlu, Landscape, gouache on paper, 1962.

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FIGURE 1A: J.H. Pierneef, Composition in Blue, oil on canvas, 1928.

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Many South African artists have depicted different South African landscapes. Landscape painting has taken many forms, not just because the physical geography of South Africa is so varied but because artists have wanted to communicate different things about their natural environment.

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1.1 Study the visual sources provided in Figure 2a – 2c carefully and discuss how the artists have depicted the South African landscape.

FIGURE 1C: Kevin Atkinson, White African Landscape, oil on canvas, 1982.

Consider the following in your discussion: • Influences of African and/or international art movements • Use of formal elements • Style and techniques • The messages that are conveyed about the South African landscape through the artworks. (10)

1.2 Discuss how any TWO local/international artists whom you have studied, have expressed their identity in their work. Your essay (at least ONE page) should include a discussion/analysis of at least TWO specific artworks. Consider the following in your answer: • Names of artists and titles of works. • Inspiration/influences used to express their identity. • Formal elements. • Themes and messages that are conveyed through the artworks.

(10) [20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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QUESTION 2

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South African artists influenced by African and/or indigenous art forms

FIGURE 2b: Nick Cave. Sound suit. 2006. Twigs, wire and metal armature.

The traditional sacramental costumes worn by the priests of many African ethnic groups are made to represent different spirits. The priests and priestesses are transformed into the spirits that represent the forces of nature or the social forces of the village when they wear these costumes created from leaves, grasses, fibres and carved wood. The idiosyncratic character of the animal represented in a mask is expressed by its dance steps, the musical accompaniment and its movements.

After reading about a disturbing incident in 1991 in which an African-American man was assaulted by police officers who alleged that he resisted arrest, Nick Cave created his first Soundsuit in reaction to the public’s reaction to the trial of the man and his portrayal in the media. He collected these twigs and used them in his studio to create a full body suit that disguised and transformed his identity as an African American male. Cave said the following about his Sound suits: “Full body suits contracted of materials that rattle with movement…like a coat of armour, they embellish the body while protecting the wearer from outside culture.”

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FIGURE 2a: Serena village, Burkina Faso. Winiama bush pig mask. 1984. Grass fibres and carved wood mask.

2.1 Both the traditional outfit of the Winiama bush pig mask (Figure 2A) and the contemporary Soundsuit (Figure 2B) transform the appearance of the wearer. Discuss the similarities and differences between the two outfits by referring to the following: • How are the costumes and masks used to communicate cultural values or beliefs? • How do the environment and presentation of the costumes differ? • Do you think Cave was influenced by traditional African sacramental costumes when he began creating Sound suits? Provide reasons for your statements. (10 ) 2.2 Write an essay (at least one page) in which you make specific reference to at least TWO artworks of any South African artist(s) you have studied whose work have been influenced by African and/ or indigenous art forms. Your answer should include the following information: • Inspiration for the work • Formal elements used in the work • Themes and messages that communicate the artist(s)’ connection with African and / or indigenous art forms (10) [20]


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QUESTION 2 South African artists influenced by African and/or indigenous art forms

FIGURE 2b: Ludwig Kirchner. Dancing woman. 1912. Wood sculpture.

FIGURE 2C: San rock painting in the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape.

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FIGURE 2A: Bamileke. Cameroon. Commemorative figure of a priestess. 19th century. Wood sculpture with pigment.

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2.1 The exhibitions of African art in Europe during the early 20th century provoked the young and rebellious German Expressionists to incorporate formal aspects that were contrary to the accepted standards of Western aesthetics, into their artworks. Their interaction with African art was relatively impersonal and superficial as they were mostly impressed by the visual effects of expressive simplification.

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More recently artists have become more sensitive to Western attitudes of superiority to indigenous African art. Pippa Skotnes is a good example of an artist who has been influenced by San rock art through a process of research through which she explored San material culture and created her response to it through her artworks.

FIGURE 2D: Pippa Skotnes. For /Kweiten Ta// Ken. 1993. Etching and watercolours.

By studying FIGURES 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D, write an essay (about ONE page) in which you compare the traditional African artworks with modern artworks. Your answer should include the following: • Use of medium and technique • Messages and /or functions of the artworks • Formal elements of art • Stylisation (10) 2.2 Direct exposure to African and/or other indigenous art forms influenced many South African artists who drew inspiration from stylistic innovation, use of imagery and cultural identity. In an essay, discuss any South African artist(s) you have studied, who you feel communicates a sense of Indigenous African identity in their work. Your essay (at least ONE page) should include a discussion/analysis of at least TWO specific artworks.

Consider the following in your answer: • Inspiration / influences in the works • Formal elements used in the works • Themes and messages that convey the artist’s interest in African and / or indigenous art (10) [20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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Socio-political art

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QUESTION 3

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FIGURE 3B: FIGURE 3b: Trevor Makhoba, The naked truth, oil on board, 1983.

FIGURE 3A: Fikile Magadlela, from Roots series, drawing, no date.

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Fikile Magadlela (Figure 3A) and Trevor Makhoba (Figure 3B) both make strong anti-Apartheid statements in their work. 3.1 Write a comparative analysis of the two works in which you discuss the following: • Images and symbols used • Use of formal art elements • Style and techniques • The anti-Apartheid statement in each work

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3.2 Write an essay on any TWO artists you have studied who you have made strong socio-political comments in their work. Your answer should include the following: • Names of artists • Titles of artworks • Influences • Use of formal art elements • Meaning/messages conveyed through their works (12) [20]


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Socio-political art

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QUESTION 3

FIGURE 3B: Ricky Dyaloyi, Untitled, oil on canvas, 2004.

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FIGURE 3A: Billy Mandindi, Cape of Storms, linocut, 1988.

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Table Mountain is one of South Africa’s most recognisable natural wonders. In both the works by Billy Mandindi (Figure 3A) and Ricky Dyaloyi (Figure 3B) Table Mountain features prominently. In both cases it is not to proclaim its beauty but to form the background of works which make strong socio-political comments. 3.1 Discuss how these two works make strong political comments by referring to the following: • Images and symbols used • Use of formal art elements • Style and techniques • The socio-political issue/s addressed in each work (look at the dates) • Possible messages conveyed by each work (10) 3.2 Write an essay on ONE work created each by any TWO artists you have studied who you feel have made strong socio-political comments in their work.

Your answer should include the following: • Names of artists • Titles of artworks • Influences • Use of formal art elements • Meaning/messages conveyed through their works

(10) [20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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QUESTION 4 Art, craft and spiritual works mainly from rural South Africa FIGURE 4 a: David Goldblatt. Victoria Cobokana, housekeeper, in her employer’s dining room with her son Sifiso and daughter Onica, Johannesburg, June 1999. Victoria died of AIDS 13 December 1999. Sifiso died of AIDS 12 January 2000. Onica died of AIDS May 2000. Digital print on cotton rag.

FIGURE 4 B: Judith Mason. HIV Pietà. 2003. Oil on board.

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FIGURE 4 C: Wim Botha. Carbon Copy (Madonna del Parto col Bambino). 2002. Anthracite, liquid petroleum gas, mixed media.

FIGURE 4 D: Peter Schütz. Durban Icon. No date. Painted jelutong wood.

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4.1 Art does need to have intentional religious imagery to be spiritual and have a transformative effect on the viewer but contemporary references to well known religious imagery question traditional interpretations of those images and compel the viewer to become aware of new perceptions. The visual sources provided in FIGURES 4A – 4D all refer to well known Christian images. Write an essay in which you refer to the use of Christian images in TWO of the visual sources. Consider the following in your essay: • What are the Christian images used in each work? • How the artist changed the image? • Discuss the statement / comment made by the artist. (10)

4.2 Artists’ approaches to religious or sacred images and objects communicate the variety of attitudes to spirituality. Write an essay in which you verify this statement by discussing the work of at least TWO artists you have studied. Your answer should include the following: • Name of the artists • Titles of the artworks • Stylistic characteristics • Function (as religious or ritual object where applicable) • Possible meanings or interpretations of the artworks (10) [20]


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QUESTION 4 Art, craft and spiritual works mainly from rural South Africa

FIGURE 4 B: Paul Weinberg. Venda maidens do the domba dance. Thoyandou. Limpopo. 2005. Photograph.

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FIGURE 4A: Samson Mudzunga. Drum, doll and drumstick. 1995. Wood, animal skin, lock, key, textile, paint.

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FIGURE 4C: Albert Munyai. Matanzu maswa a tikwa nga malala (The Old Supports The New). No date. Painted mahogany wood.

FIGURE 4d: Johannes Maswangayi. Jesus walks on the water. 1988. Painted wood.

4.1 Traditional spiritual beliefs and customs inform many contemporary South African artworks. Some artists combine their traditional beliefs with new influences such as Christianity, while others are fascinated by the rituals performed as part of the practice of traditional African beliefs.

Discuss the representation of spiritual beliefs and customs by any TWO artworks represented in FIGURES 4A-D. Consider the following in your answer: • Use of formal art elements • Style and techniques • Influence of traditional African beliefs or customs • Images and symbols used (10)

4.2 Write an essay on any TWO artists you have studied whose artworks represent issues of spirituality and / or religion. Your answer should include the following: • Names of artists • Titles of artworks • Influences • Use of formal art elements • Meaning/messages conveyed through their works (10)

[20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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QUESTION 5

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Multimedia and New media – alternative contemporary and popular art forms in South Africa

FIGURE 5 B: Thamiko Thiel. All Hail Damien Hirst! 2012. Augmented reality art installation. An augmented reality art installation celebrating Damien Hirst’s retrospective at the Tate Modern. Augmented reality (AR) is the art of positioning virtual artworks via GPS at a specific site. Viewers at that site can download and launch the AR artwork on their smartphones and then see the artwork in the display as an overlay on the live camera view of the local environment.

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FIGURE 5 A: Eugenio Merino. 4 the Love of Go(l)d. 2009. Resin, hair, cotton outfit, mixed media.

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5.1 The general mind-set amongst many contemporary artists involves re-evaluating established ways of thinking about art and its position within society. This is evident in the two visual sources illustrated in FIGURE 5A and 5B. Both artists comment on the wealthy artist Damien Hirst. Hirst is well known for his controversial installations that comment on issues such as mortality, morality and the changeability of the international art market as well as the shrewd management of his art career as a money-making business. With reference to the above statement and the visual sources (FIGURES 5A and 5B), discuss some of the following in a short essay on the artworks about Damien Hirst (at least ONE page): • Formal elements of art • Styles/Medium and techniques • Interpret the statements these artists make about the artist Damien Hirst and the state of art in general • What is your opinion about their commentaries? Substantiate your answer. (10) 5.1Write an essay of at least 1 page in which you discuss at least TWO specific artworks that you have studied where artist(s) have made use of multimedia or popular art forms in a contemporary way. (10) [20]


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QUESTION 5

Jeff Koons. Michael Jackson and Bubbles. 1988. Ceramic sculpture.

Since his emergence in the 1980s Jeff Koons has blended the concerns and methods of Pop, Conceptual, and appropriation art with craft-making and popular culture to create his own unique art iconography, often controversial and always engaging. His work explores contemporary obsessions with sex and desire; race and gender; and celebrity, media, commerce, and fame. A self-proclaimed “idea man,” Koons hires artisans and technicians to make the actual works. For him, the hand of the artist is not the important issue: “Art is really just communication of something and the more archetypal it is, the more communicative it is.”

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Gilbert and George. Church of England. 2008. Mixed media.

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Multimedia and New media – alternative contemporary and popular art forms in South Africa

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Gilbert & George, who met as students of sculpture 42 years ago, embarked on a joint artistic career that was to encompass a wide range of media from drawing to video and their trademark pictures. Further, the pair revolutionised the concept of sculpture by presenting themselves as “living sculptures” dressed in the quintessentially British tailored suit, shirt and tie. But it was their monumental trademark pictures comprising figures, cityscapes, symbols, plants, bodily fluids, excrement and text interlocked in pictorial messages as visually powerful as their content is provocative. The pictures are documentations of their performances and seize on taboo subjects like sexuality, race, religion and national identity with a brash and fearless candour.

5.1 Study the visual sources (FIGURE 5A-5B) and the accompanying statements. Discuss (ONE PAGE) the use of multi-media in these works by referring to the following: • How do the media and/or choices of subject matter and/or working method of the artist(s) in these works differ from traditional art? • Reasons why the artists chose these media • Possible interpretations of these works. Substantiate your answers. (10) 5.2 Discuss the work of any contemporary artist(s) which makes use of non-traditional media and/or techniques to convey a message of our time. Refer to specific artworks in your answer (at least ONE page). (10)

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QUESTION 6

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FIGURE 6 A: Araminta de Clermont, Crystal, Mannenberg, Matric Queens, Lambda print, 2008 – 2009.

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FIGURE 6 B: Araminta de Clermont, Nambla, kHayelitsha, Matric Queens, Lambda print, 2008 – 2009.

Araminta de Clermont’s series called Matric Queens, show photographs of girls from the Cape Flats dressed up for their matric dance. She placed these girls against the background of their home environment. 6.1 Write an essay on Figure 6A and Figure 6B in which you discuss how these works relate to expression of identity. In your answer refer to the following: • The composition of the photographs • The relationship of the figures with their environment • The postures and attitude of the girls • The mood of the photographs • The importance of the matric dance as a rite of passage for these girls • Possible meanings and interpretations (10) 6.2 Discuss the work of any TWO artists you have studied which questions and reflects on identity. Refer to specific artworks in your answer. (10) [20]


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QUESTION 6

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FIGURE 6 B: Sanell Aggenbach, Sonic Baby, oil on paper, 2011.

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FIGURE 6 A: Liu Wei, Who am I?, oil on canvas, 1999

FIGURE 6 C: Marc Quinn, Self, blood, stainless steel, perspex and refrigeration equipment, 1991.

Many artists use self-portraits to express their identity. Marc Quinn (figure 6C) made a sculpture of his head with his own frozen blood. 6.1 Discuss how the artists in the visual sources, figures 6A to 6C, created art that express personal identities. Consider the following in your answer: • Formal art elements • Style and technique • Comments these artists make on their identity • Which one, according to you, makes the strongest visual impact? Give reasons for your choice. (8) 6.2 Discuss the work of any TWO artists you have studied which questions and reflects on identity. Refer to specific artworks in your answer. (12) [20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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QUESTION 7 Gender issues: masculinity and femininity

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FIGURE 7 B: Lawrence Lemoana, The One, digital print, 2006.

FIGURE 7 C: Johannes Phokela, Saving Fontana Spatial concept I, II, III (detail), oil on canvas, 2005.

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FIGURE 7 A: Chris Diederichs, The union of opposites, linocut, 2012.

FIGURE 7D: Zanele Muholi, Martin Machepa, Photograph, 2006.

All the artworks in Figures 7A to 7D work with images of the male body to create works which question and challenge the viewer’s perception of masculinity. 7.1 Discuss how masculinity is portrayed in any TWO artworks reproduced in Figures 7A – 7D. In your answer refer to the following: • Formal elements of art • Style and use of media • How these works question the traditional conceptions of masculinity • Possible meanings and interpretations

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7.2 Discuss the works of any TWO artists you have studied which questions and reflects on male and/or female identity. Refer to specific artworks in your answer. (12) [20] VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

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QUESTION 7

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FIGURE 7A: Frida Kahlo, Self-portrait with cropped hair, Oil on canvas, 1940.

FIGURE 7D: Marlene Dumas, Glorious Venice (1995) Oil on canvas

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FIGURE 7B: Jenny Saville, Untitled, oil on canvas, 2004.

Many female artists use the portrayal of the female body to raise questions about femininity and the role/s of women in society.

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7.1 Using the visual sources provided in Figures 7A – 7D, write an essay in which you discuss these issues. Consider the following in your answer: • The different ways in which the female forms have been portrayed • How the formal elements of art have been used to create visual impact • Interpretation and meaning (10)

FIGURE 7C: Diane Victor, Martyr (detail), 2004. Etching

7.2 Discuss the work of any TWO artists that you have studied which confronts issues relating to gender in their work. Refer to specific artworks in your answer.

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QUESTION 8 Architecture in South Africa

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8.1 In the visuals below there are two examples of pavilions created for the WORLD EXPO. Read the information and look at the visuals then answer the question below.

Explain how the appearance of the two pavilions support the symbolism that the architects wished to portray about each country.


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8.2 Name and describe a South African architectural structure that incorporates symbolism in any way. It could be a Commemorative structure.

Freedom Park – Eternal Flame

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8.3 There are many successful architects in South Africa today. Choose one such architect or architectural firm and mention the following: • Name • Training and experience • Characteristics and aim • Example/s of architectural projects (buildings) (10)

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QUESTION 8 Architecture in South Africa

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8.1 Today architects may not plan city buildings that are not Eco-Friendly as they must comply with the requirements of Green Architecture. Discuss 4 ways in which the building in the visual or any other building can be Eco-Friendly. 4 x 2 = (8)

NL Architects SOZAWE Offices Groningen 2010

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8.2 Do you think that a building becomes uniquely South African if it includes characteristics of early historic South African structures like thatched roofs, geometric wall decoration or gables? What in your opinion would create an uniquely South African architectural style? (2)

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8.3 Discuss the work of an award winning South African architect. Mention the following: • Name • Training and experience • Examples of at least two architectural projects that show his/her characteristics and aims. (10)


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Glossary A Abstract Expressionism: Post-World War II movement centred in New York with large-scale, dramatic abstractions. There were two types: ‘Action Painting’ where paint was freely applied to large canvasses to express the energy and feelings of the artist, usually with no emphasised focal point e.g. Pollock; and ‘Colourfield’ which used large colour fields for contemplation e.g. Rothko. Abstract: Art that does not depict recognisable scenes or objects. Shapes, lines, colours, etc., exist without any reference to reality but with aesthetic value. The artwork is ‘read’ in terms of lines, shape, colours. Also known as non-representational or non-objective art. Abstraction: A tendency towards abstraction but there are still references to reality, e.g. certain Cubist works. Absurd: Unreasonable, ridiculous, silly.

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Academic Art: Refers mainly to 19th-century art that has become synonymous with dullness and conventionality in opposition to the new ideas in art at the time. Academic artists favoured a detailed finish which appeared naturalistic even from close up, as opposed to the experiments of Romanticism, Realism and Impressionism.

Action painting: A style of painting where the application of the paint is gestural and applied without being careful. The process of painting is visible and therefore the physical act of painting is emphasised in the final result. It emphasised the process and not only the end result; uses the whole body in creating and not only the wrist e.g. Pollock.

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Actual space: Specific space that surrounds a 3D object and is occupied by the same object. Aesthetic: The theory of enjoying something for its beauty and pleasurable qualities.

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Aesthetically pleasing: Beauty reflected by a product; beauty experienced by its viewer; beautiful and visually pleasing; when something is categorised by its beauty it is looked at from an aesthetical point of view. Aesthetics: A study of art and theories about the nature and appreciation of beauty. Allegory: When meaning is represented symbolically in paintings, plays, poems, etc. Amorphous: Lacking in structure; has no definite form. Analogous Colour: Colours next to each other on the colour wheel, like red next to orange, blue next to green; often used together in colour schemes. Analyse: A detailed and logical discussion of the formal elements (such as line, colour, colour, tone, format etc.) and composition of the work. Anarchism: A political philosophy that has different strains but generally opposes authority and hierarchical organisation within human relations. Anarchists support the idea of stateless societies based on non-hierarchical voluntary associations. Anamorphosis: When an image or drawing is distorted in such a way that it becomes recognisable only when viewed in a specified manner or through a special device. It is also the process by which such images or drawings are produced. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

430 Ancient: Belonging to times long past. Anthropomorphism is the concept of giving human characteristics to other animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts. Anti-gravity architecture: In Deconstructivism there is a sense of unpredictability and controlled chaos. Buildings seem as fragmented and look as if they defy gravity. Apartheid: The policy of the National Party who came to power in 1948 in South Africa. The idea was to separate the different races. This policy ended with the first democratic elections in 1994. Appropriate: To take possession of; to take for oneself. Archetype: The original model or prototype and the perfect example of something. Architecture: The art and science of designing and constructing buildings.

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Art Brut is the French term for raw art or rough art, which refers specifically to art created outside the boundaries of official culture, for instance in asylums. The English term ‘outsider art’ is applied more broadly to include self taught artists with little or no contact with the mainstream.

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Art elements: Line, texture, colour, shape/form, tonal value.

Arte Povera literally means poor art in Italian and is a modern art movement. The term was introduced in Italy in the late 1960s when artists took a radical stance, attacking the values of established institutions of government, industry, and culture, and even questioned whether art as the private expression of the individual still had an ethical reason to exist.

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Art-for-art’s sake: The English rendering of a French slogan, from the early 19th century, ‘l’art pour l’art’, and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only ‘true’ art is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function. Art not made on assignment, e.g. contemporary artists have the freedom to give expression to their ideas etc.

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Assemblage: An artistic process whereby discarded objects are put together to create 2D or 3D compositions. Asymmetrical: Balance achieved when different elements are positioned off-centre to one another because they demand the same amount of visual emphasis. An autobiography is an account of the life of a person, written by its subject. Automatism: Direct creation from the subconscious as seen in Surrealism, e.g. using doodling, automatic drawing or other methods to start the creative process. Avant-garde: Forefront of newness; artists who create new approaches, styles or techniques. Is ‘Ahead of its time’ and often unacceptable in its time. B Bauhaus: 1919–1931, Influential German art school with the ultimate aim of creating a better living environment for everybody by the unity of art, architecture and design. Its design principles were based on geometry and the machine. Background: Section in an artwork (2D) that seems to be the farthest away from the viewer; section or area behind an object.


431 Balance: Well-proportioned or equally distributed arrangement of elements; achieved when opposing elements are harmonious within a composition; quality of stability and equilibrium; achieved when position and focus of vital parts of an artwork is controlled; balance can be symmetrical / asymmetrical / radial. Biomimicry: Examin natural systems to emulate them in design to make designs more sustainable. Biomorphic: Associated with forms and shapes found in nature (also see the term ‘organic’). Blaue Reiter (the Blue Rider): A group of German artists such as the Russian Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee who were concerned with subjective feelings and spirituality. Body art: An art form where the body is the primary focus. The artist usually uses his / her own body but the artist could also use hte bodies of other people. It includes many Performance Art pieces as the performative element usually centres on choreographed bodily movements. Bohemian: Originally a description for gypsies (from Bohemia), later it was used in artistic circles to describe those who consciously set themselves apart from bourgeois society.

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Bourgeoisie is a French term refers to the middle class and its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes. Bourgeoisie describes a social class “characterised by their ownership of capital and their related culture”, a culture of controlling the means of production and preserving the value of property.

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Brücke (The Bridge): A small group of German artists led by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner who emphasised violent colours and distortion in their paintings and woodcuts to protest social conditions prior to World War I.

Cantilever: Reinforced concrete areas without support.

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Censorship: The suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive or inconvenient to the general body of people as determined by a government, media outlet or other controlling body. Centralisation of composition: Whereby the most important figure was placed in the middle of the composition. Ceramics: Object made out of clay that changes quality when exposed to heat; 2D surfaces like tiles; 3D objects that could have the sole purpose of being sculptural and decorative or functional like a bowl. Characteristics: A unique combination of qualities that specifically represent an artist or art style; qualities which make themdifferent from the rest. Chiaroscuro: The interplay of light and dark in a painting and the skill shown by the painter in the management of shadows. Strongly lit figures or objects contrast dramatically with a dark background. Chronological order: The true order or sequence in time. Circa (Latin): Used with a date as in c. 1270. It means around or approximately. Cloisonism: Outlines usually in blue or black of bright colour areas. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

432 Cold Colours (or cool colours): Colours like blues, purples and greens. They seem to recede towards the back in a painting. They have a calming effect on the viewer. Collage: Images, patterns and textures pasted onto another surface. Colonisation: Took place during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century when European countries sought raw materials. Africa was divided by the European countries into countries as we know them today, without considering the indigenous people. Since the 1960s, African countries have declared their independence. Colour harmony: Colours next to each other on the colour wheel which work well together or are in harmony. Colour palette: A specific group or range of a variety of colours, identified for use in a specific project; the range of colours can be contrasting, complementary or monochromatic. Colour value: The lightness or darkness of a colour.

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Colour variety: The use of different colours.

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Colour Vibration: When using two highly contrasting colours, the touchline / borderline reflects a perception of vibration and movement. Colour wheel: Shows the relationship between colours such as primary colours, secondary colours and complementary colours in an organised way around a circle / circular chart; used in the study of colour theory.

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Colourfield painting: Characterised primarily by large fields of flat, solid colour spread across or stained into the canvas creating areas of unbroken surface and a flat picture plane. The emphasis is on the large fields of colour rather than gestural brushstrokes and the action of painting. This style of painting was developed under the influence of European Modernism and was a pioneering aspect of Abstract Expressionism.

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Combine paintings: A term that Robert Rauschenberg used to describe his artworks which combine real objects, painting and photographic images. Commodification: The transformation of goods, ideas or anything which have not been regarded as goods, into a commodity which is a marketable item that is produced to satisfy needs or wants. Compare: Point out differences and similarities in an ordered sequence within the same argument. Complementary colours: Colours situated opposite each other on the colour wheel like red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange; a primary colour is the complementary colour of a secondary colour (mix of two primary colours). Composition: The combination of art elements to form a pleasing whole. The arrangement of colours, forms, shapes, etc. must form a visually pleasing or stimulating unity. The artist is the person who has put these things together which is called composing. The final result of composing a drawing, painting or sculpture is called a composition. Community Arts Project (CAP) emergence in 1977 coincided with the rise of the Black Consciousness movement and the new, more determined upsurge by urban youth against Apartheid, symbolised by the student uprisings of 1976. CAP’s members spanned a range of anti-Apartheid organisations and political persuasions. It was also a project subscribing to non-racialism and was aimed at constituting communities of a post-Apartheid future. Open to anyone with an interest


433 in creativity, CAP’s particular mission was to provide accommodation, facilities and arts training for marginalised artists and learners and to develop the cultural voice of Cape Town’s oppressed communities. Concept: The idea/s behind an artwork. Conceptual: Art that expresses ideas. Conceptual Art: A term that was coined in the 1960s referring to a wide variety of art forms which no longer took the conventional form of the art object. The main element of conceptual art is that it presents the viewer with an idea about art so that the nature of art may be considered and questioned. Conceptual skills: The skills to conceive an original idea or plan; advanced way of thinking with regards to analysing, observing and interpreting objects, people and situations. Conceptualise: To come up with an idea. Concrete Brut: The use of off-shutter concrete in a sculptural way that is rough, unpainted or unclad.

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Conservator: The person in a museum or a gallery who looks after and preserves the art collection.

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Contemporary: Usually seen as the art from the 1970s to the present; art that is cutting-edge and non-traditional. Content: Subject and meaning of the artwork.

Contemporary art: Usually seen as art from the 1970’s to the present that is cutting-edge and nontraditional.

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Context: The social and historical background. It is important to know as much historical background to artists and artworks as possible so that our understanding of the work is enriched. Contour line: Line that follows the edge of forms; the outline of an object.

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Contrast (variety): Placing opposite qualities of line, colour, texture or shape together to create contrast and variety, for instance the high contrast and differences between very light and very dark areas in an image. Contrasting: Opposites put together, can be different shapes, lines, textures, colours; objects that have very different qualities from one another. Controlled: Not spontaneous; well-planned and executed; having complete control over the outcome / result. Creative Process: The stages of creative artworks, for instance research, experimentation and reflection. Creative thinking: An advanced way of thinking; does not think only of the obvious but also considers a variety of ways and angles to solve a problem. Cubism: Early 20th-century movement dominated by Picasso and Braque; analysing forms from different viewpoints and liberation of representative portrayals. Analytical Cubism broke down real objects into different parts. Synthetic Cubism built up recognisable images from abstract parts using ready-made materials such as newspaper. Curator: The person in a museum or a gallery who recommends what artwork should be bought, what should be exhibited and how, and who researches and writes about the artworks.


434 Curtain wall: A thin non-load bearing wall such as the large expanses of glass which cover many modern buildings. D Dada: 1916–1921. An anti-rational, anti-aesthetic movement that started as a protest against World War I. The artists wanted to shock and created works from unconventional materials or based on the use of chance, i.e. Duchamp, Arp, Schwitters. De Stijl: 1917–1931, Holland, artists used geometric abstract shapes and primary colours to portray universal harmony. Mondrian, Van Doesburg, Rietveld. Decolcomania: Colour applied on a sheet of paper and another sheet pressed down lightly on top and then carefully lifted just before the paint dries e.g. Ernst in Surrealism.

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Deconstructivism: Architectural style from the 1980s onward which attempts to view architecture in bits and pieces. The basic elements of architecture are dismantled in buildings that may seem to have no visual logic and appear to be made up of unrelated, disharmonious abstract forms, e.g. Frank Gehry.

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Decorative: Artworks where pattern or decoration is emphasised e.g. Matisse.

Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions which affect their lives. Design Principles: Balance, contrast, unity, rhythm / movement, proportion, focus / emphasis / dominance, composition and layout.

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Design: To create a detailed plan of the structure of something focusing on the appearance, convenience and efficient functionality of the final design; to make something in a skilful way; to invent something for a particular purpose; a drawing or graphical representation with the purpose of indicating function and how to assemble or make it.

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Diagonal lines: lines that slant, e.g. that run from the bottom left corner to the top right corner and vice versa Digital Art: Any art form that has been influenced by computer technology. It started off as 2D artworks created by using of a computer but has now evolved to interactive art the production of which allows the audience some form of influence on the final image or development of the artwork. Digital design / media: Print, television, film and video, internet, animation, web design. Dimensional: One can move around it or the illusion that one can move around it. Dimensions: Measurement of any sort (height, width, length, thickness etc.; can refer to space. Direction: An actual or illusionary line that an object or element seems to be moving along or is pointing at. Directional Line or Shape: When placement / position of these elements projects a clear sense of direction which guides the viewer’s eye to a specific visual path / direction. Discarded object: A natural or man-made object such as driftwood, fabric or a bottle, which unaltered, is either exhibited as an artistic object in its own right or incorporated into a work of art.


435 Discuss: Present your point of view and give reasons for your statements. Distortion: When the original shape of an object or an idea is altered, for example exaggerated. Duality means being twofold and is a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses. Divisionism: From Impressionism, whereby pure colours are placed next to one another to be mixed optically from a distance; division of brushstrokes. Domba is the last phase in the Venda girls’ initiation. The notable feature of the domba is the domba dance performed by the group of initiated girls. The dance symbolises the mystical act of sexual communion, conception, the growth of the foetus and child birth. Dominance: When one object dominates another in an artwork; e.g. big versus small, bright versus dull, textured versus plain. The dimensions of an object can be 2D (flat or the illusion that it is flat) or 3D.

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Donors: Individuals, businesses or institutions who give works of art to museums. E

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Earth Art or Land Art: A part of the wider Conceptual Art movement. The artists started to work directly in the landscape by sculpting it or using natural materials to create structures. The works are usually documented photographically. Some artists brought man made elements into the landscape as part of their earth art installations while others brought elements of nature into the gallery or museum space.

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Eclectic: To borrow, select or choose from various sources; a combination of styles.  Eliminate: To take away or erase.

Elitist: Belonging to a group of people with privileges others do not have.

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Emblematic is a visible symbol for something abstract or it is an illustration of a type. Emphasis: A focal point will, for instance, emphasise the object or section of an artwork; created by specific colour, texture, line etc. that is usually in contrast or stronger in quality to the rest of the objects or sections in the artwork; use of elements in a specific way so that it asks for concentrated visual attention. En plein air is a French expression which means “in the open air” and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Encaustic: Pigment mixed with wax e.g. Jasper Johns. Ethnic refers to a group sharing cultural characteristics such as religion, language, traditions, cooking, etc. Evaluate: To estimate the value of something according to set criteria. Exotic: Something that is strikingly different and foreign. Often it suggests distant countries and unfamiliar cultures. It is different and unusual. Exoskeleton: External screne - like support of a building. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

436 Explain: Clarify and give reasons for your statements. Expressionism: Permanent tendency in art in which the emphasis is placed on the expression of emotions and feelings of the artist. Characteristics include distortion and exaggeration. Expressive: An energetic and sometimes vigorous quality of line, shape, texture or colour that reflects a certain strong emotion or feeling. Existentialism: A philosophical school of thought that became popular after World War II because people wanted to reassert the importance of human individuality and freedom. This philosophical school believed that the human being is solely responsible for giving his / her life meaning in spite of the many existential obstacles. Eye level: See ‘horizon line’.

Facade: Front of a building.

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Fantasy: Imagery existing only in the imagination.

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Fauvism: 1905–1907. A group of artists centred around Matisse whose work was characterised by strong colour and powerful brush strokes. Their work tended to be joyful. Feminism: A collection of movements which worked to define, establish and defend equal rights and opportunities for women within the political, economic and social spheres of society.

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Figurative: Figures and objects are recognisable but not necessarily lifelike. All naturalistic artworks are figurative but not all figurative works are naturalistic. Figure / Ground: Used in 2D terms; relationship between foreground (figure) and background / space around (ground); also see terms negative versus positive space.

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Fine Arts: The ‘non-functional’ art disciplines, such as painting and sculpture. Focal point: The area of interest to which the viewer’s eye is drawn when viewing the artwork. Foreground: Section in an image (2D) that appears to be closest to the viewer; section in front of the rest. Form follows function: Term used in modern architecture and design where the function of a building or a product determines its form, usually simple pure forms which are unadorned. Form: A 3D shape. A form has height, width and depth. It also refers to the illusion of volume in a 2D work. Formal Art Elements: Term used to describe the technical structure, composition and form of art; term can be divided into subsections like ‘art elements’ (e.g. line, texture, colour etc.) and design principles (e.g. balance, proportion, scale, rhythm etc.). Formalism: Diametrically opposed to Expressionism. The emphasis is on cool reasoned and intellectual art. The origin of this tendency is in Cézanne’s reconstruction of nature in basic forms and the realisation of the painting as a 2D plane and not a ‘window’ on the world. In Formalism the


437 artwork is about the arrangement of the formal elements e.g. line, shape, colour, in a specific order and not the subject they represent. In the 20th century Formalism is usually positive about the future, science and technology, unlike Expressionism. Fragmentation: To break / divide something into separate pieces / fragments. Free form: Any irregular shape found in sculpture or decoration; created by fluid curving lines. Frontal: 3D object that asks primarily to be viewed from one angle / vantage point. Frottage: Rubbings over coarse surfaces; often used as a starting point to activate the subconscious. Functional: Working properly; practical without being decorative or luxurious. Functionalism: Function of an object or building determines shape and beauty.

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Futurism: 1909–1914. Italian movement founded by the poet Marinetti. Its members rejected the past and instead celebrated the dynamism of the modern machine age and city life. Mainly interested in the portrayal of movement – Carra, Boccioni, Balla.

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Generic: A general characteristic which could be applied to any individual of a large group or class. Genre paintings: Paintings depicting scenes from daily life such as domestic life, town scenes and still-life works.

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Geometric shapes: Based on geometric, mathematical shapes, such as a circle, square or rectangle. Global: Worldwide .

Graffiti: Slogans, images and words in public places. In Italian it means ‘scratches on a wall’.

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Ground: Background or surface within which shapes or marks are created. H

Happenings: Multi-media artworks that can also be described as an art event. It often consists of a staged or pre-scripted event which requires the participation of the audience to complete the work. It is seen as a forerunner to Performance Art and developed from theatrical events which were a part of Dada and Surrealist exhibitions. Harmony: Pleasing combination of elements which make op the final composition. Heritage: Qualities, features, traditions of life used especially to refer to things with historical importance which have a strong impact on society and that have been passed on from one generation to another within a specific culture. High Tech: Post-World War II architectural style which glorifies technology and places the emphasis on complex detail, e.g. Pompidou Centre. They used ‘high tech’ building materials. Highlight: A point or area that is emphasised by brightness of colour, value or light which is reflected directly. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

438 Holocaust: A Greek word meaning ‘whole’ and ‘burnt’. This event has another name ‘Shoah’ which is Yiddish for ‘catastrophe’. This word refers to the systematic genocide of approximately 6 million European Jews during World War II in Hitler’s Germany. Horizon Line: Farthest point in the background that we can see; will also find the vanishing point on the horizon; where the sky and the ground connect. Horizontal lines: Lines that run from side to side. Hue: Refers to a colour or the shade of a colour; the actual name of the colour. Humanism: The emphasis is on what it is to be a human being – an emphasis on man’s spiritual and intellectual capabilities. Humanistic architecture: Post-Modernism architecture strives to serve man, e.g. the scale of a room should recall the scale of man. Also human connections like the fireplace as the heart of a room.

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Illusion: To convince the viewer that, that which is painted, is reality / illusionist e.g. creates (in the painting) an idea of deep space on a flat surface. Impasto: Thickly applied paint, often with textured brushstrokes.

Implied Line, Plane, Shape or Form: Suggested to the eye but not really there.

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Implied movement: To create a sense of movement in an image that does not have the ability to move; achieved through the way you use your art elements; repetition of elements can also achieve this. Implied space: 3D space projected on to a 2D surface; in other words, it gives the illusion of a 3D space but in fact it is only a 2D surface.

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Impressionism: Art movement of late 19th century in which artists attempted to capture what the eye actually sees, namely a fleeting moment. The surfaces is broken up with brushstrokes and capturing light is very important – Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir and others. Indigenous: Originally from the country in which it is found, rather than being imported. Innovation: Creation of new things; introducing a new method or idea of doing or making. Inorganic: Man-made, machine or mass-produced products / objects; regular and symmetrical shapes. Installation Art, also known as Environments: Multimedia artworks or assemblages designed for a specific place to be installed for a period of time. The spectator usually has to walk through a whole room or gallery to be able to experience the art work completely. Intellectual Property: The unique ideas, thoughts, inventions and writings of a person. Intellectual: With thought; opposite of emotional. International style: The characteristic Modernist building style of Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and others. Characteristics include the skeletal structure, standardisation and absence of decoration.


439 Interpret: Analyse and evaluate (give an informed opinion); contextualise and substantiate with specific examples. Inyanga is a traditional South African healer who specialises in herbal medicines and potions Irrational: Unreasonable, opposite of rational. Isivivane: A cairn of stone. Isolate: To make something stand on its own or away from other things. J Juxtaposition: To put things next to one another in order to show a contrast or a new relationship between them.

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Kinetic Art: Depends on motion for its effects. Artists who began this movement explored the effects of movement as early as the early 20th century by introducing the element of time and reflected the influences of machines and technology in art – Tinguely, Takis. Kitsch: False, sentimental and pretentious in style and/or in bad taste. L

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Lateral Thinking: Unconventional approach to solving problems; not using traditional or logical approach.

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Less is more: Mies van der Rohe’s statement used in Modernist architecture where absolute simplicity says more than complex decoration. A building should be made from as few materials as possible such as only glass, steel and reinforced concrete. Less is more is a bore: Venturi’s statement about Post-Modernism architecture which used eclectic sources and decoration to express the richness and ambiguity of modern life in opposition to the simplicity and clarity of Modernist architecture. Line: Element understood in terms of length and direction. Literal interpretation: When you interpret something directly, the way it is perceived by all, not an abstract interpretation. Local Colour: Natural colour of an object or material. Low saturation: Colours with no vibrancy; dull colours; little pure colour left. Luminosity: Giving off light; could be actual or an illusion. M Magnify: To make something bigger. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

440 Man-made objects: Any object that is produced by humans; can be hand-made or mass-produced by machines. Maquette: Smaller scale model / prototype of the real 3D sculpture, building or construction. Mark making: Spontaneous making of marks on a surface using any drawing materials; do not represent anything concrete; different drawing materials and application / methods will result in different textural, linear and visual appearance or qualities. Mass: Suggests weight, density or 3D form of object or area. Measurements: Size and distance. Medium (plural is media): Refers to the material used for making an artwork. (It can also refer to the liquid ingredient of a paint e.g. water, linseed oil, etc.).

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Metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or action is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. It is figurative language for instance “drowning in money”. Methodology: The way in which an idea or problem is approached.

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Mexican Muralism: This term describes the large-scale mural paintings in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s. The principal artists were Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros (‘The Three Great Ones’). They were all committed to left-wing ideas during a politically turbulent time in Mexico. Their large-scale murals on public buildings were painted to convey social and political messages to the public.

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Middle Ground: Section for instance of an image (2D) that is between the foreground and the background.

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Minimalism, Primary Structures or ABC ART: is a movement that wanted art to stand on its own and not be an imitation of something else. The art works created as part of this movement are abstract and generally based on simple geometric shapes. They used industrial materials to create their works and wanted the viewer to be aware of the most basic aspects of art such as order, harmony and simplicity. Minimise: To make something smaller.

Mixed media: When an artist uses different media, materials and techniques in one work. Mobile: A type of hanging kinetic sculpture in which the parts move. Usually movement is activated by or use of air streams, e.g. Calder. Modelling: In painting and drawing, the depiction of a 3D form, usually through indications of light and shadow. In sculpture a form is created by manipulating a soft medium such as clay. Modernism (Modern Art): The loose term given to the succession of styles and movements in art and architecture which dominated Western culture from 19th century until the 1960s/1970s. Movements associated with Modern Art include Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism, Abstract Expressionism, etc. Modernism rejects the past as a model for the art of the present and is characterised by constant innovation and experimentation. Modulation: Suggests smooth transition or change.


441 Monochromatic: Colour scheme developed from tints and shades of a single colour or hue; the use of very closely related colours in a colour scheme; derived from the same colour but shows a variation in value (lighter or darker) of the same colour which results in a range of related colours. Monumental: Large, colossal. Mood: State of mind or feeling communicated through a composition especially by using specific colours and textures. Motif: Dominant theme or main part of a composition; individual element / symbol or combination of elements that are repeatedly used in a design; can create unity through repetition of motif. Mount: Placing your artwork onto another, usually much stronger surface like cardboard in order to ‘frame’ your work for presentation purposes; mount attached to the back of the artwork leaving a visible frame around the artwork.

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Movement: Design elements organised in such a way that they attract the attention of the viewer to follow a specific direction in the composition; the spread of contrasting or similar qualities of elements throughout the composition can help to achieve movement. Multiculturalism: Incorporation of influences and images drawn from different cultures.

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Multimedia: Contemporary artists using a variety of media, often ‘new media’ such as text, audio, video, etc. to create an artwork; also refers to electronic media which store or are used to experience multimedia. Multi-point Perspective: A special linear illusion system with more than two vanishing points on the horizon for parallel lines to connect; creates spatial illusion.

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Mural design: A design applied on the surface of a wall as the prime surface.

Museums: Collect, exhibit, educate research and look after objects so that they can be studied by people today and in the future.

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Naive Art: A term used for artists with no formal training e.g. Henri Rousseau. Their work usually consists of bright colours and although their approach is naturalistic with a lot of attention to detail, they pay little attention to perspective. Narrative: A story or any account which presents connected events. They can be categorised into various sections such as non-fiction and fiction. They are found in all forms of human creativity and derive from Latin meaning ‘to tell’. Naturalism: Art that seeks to represent accurately and faithfully the actual appearance of things. (The terms naturalistic and realistic are often used synomymously; but Realism refers to a specific movement in the 19th century.) Also known as Representational Art. Negative space / shape / form: The space around the actual shape or object that is not occupied; the ‘ground’ in a figure-ground relationship; the section which is affected and controlled by a shape or form. Neo-Classicism: Late 18th century and early 19th century movement which usually used only a few


442 figures in calm, static poses derived from classical sculpture. Before the French Revolution it was seen as an art to educate the people. It became the official style of the French Revolution and Napoleon. Neo-Expressionism: Developed in the 1980s it was a reaction against the Minimalist and Conceptual movements that dominated the art scene in the 1970s. Painting as a medium was revived in this expressive painting style which was an international phenomenon. Under the influence of Expressionism, the Neo-Expressionists painted in a rough and violently emotional way using strong colours and banal colour harmonies. Neo-Impressionism: An art movement founded by Seurat and Signac where the work was meticulously planned and worked out in detail. Colours were placed in separate dabs unmixed on the canvas to be mixed in the eyes of the viewer in a pointillist technique. Neo-Pop art is not a movement as such but refers to the renewed interest of artists since the 1980s in the Pop Art of Andy Warhol and his contemporaries. Artists working in this style include Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami. Neo-Pop Art often criticises and evaluates Western Culture, values, relationships, and interactions. Their work is often humorous, provocative and controversial.

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Neutral colours: Classically refers to use of the non-colours of black, white and grey and all shades in between; have very low saturation.

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New media: Many contemporary artists use unusual materials which are not traditionally seen as art materials such as preserved animals, flour, etc.

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New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit): Took its name from an exhibition held in 1923 in Mannheim, Germany. It was a realist style that depicted, satirised and criticised the corruption, frantic pleasure and general demoralisation of Germany after its defeat in World War I, as well as the ineffectual Weimar Republic that governed Germany at the time. The movement ended with the rise of the Nazis. Ngoma drums are musical instruments used by many ethnic groups in Africa. Ngoma is the Swahili word for ‘drum’. No saturation: Shades of grey.

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Non-Western Civilisations: Initially refers to the civilisations which developed outside Europe such as in Africa, the East, the South Pacific Islands, Australasia, the early civilisations in the Americas, etc. In non-Western art, the conceptual and religious interpretation of images continued to a large extent. Non-figurative: Forms that cannot be recognised; unnaturalistic interpretation; abstract. Non-representational: Objects, forms or shapes that are not recognisable in object or context; abstract. O Objective: Free of any bias or prejudice caused by personal feelings. Objectivity is based on facts rather than thoughts or opinions; without feeling. Observational drawing skills: Skills learned while observing an object, figure or place first-hand during the activity of making a drawing. Odalisque: An enslaved woman or concubine in a Turkish harem (the separate private living areas for women, both wives and concubines).


443 Oeuvre: French word meaning the total works/output of an artist. One-point Perspective: To show a 3D object through a drawing on a 2D surface; lines move away from the viewer and connect at one focal point on the horizon (vanishing point). Opaque: Solid, not see-through; block all light. Op Art: A development in painting where artists created optical effects for the spectator which ranged from subtle to disturbing and disorienting. This movement developed in the 1960s and the artists mainly used variations of geometric shapes and colours influenced by colour theories to create unusual optical effects. Optical Colour Mixing: When placing two contrasting colours / hues side by side (juxtaposed), it creates the visual perception / illusion of colour mixing. Organic architecture: The philosophy which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world, e.g. buildings which integrate in a natural way with the landscape as in Falling Waters by Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Organic shapes: Shapes found in nature; usually ‘softer’ shapes rather than geometric shapes; freeform (irregularity of forms) shapes not restricted by mathematical precision; more natural flow in lines and shapes; can also refer to living forms; opposite of man-made objects; rounded or curved forms. Orientalism: A term used for the imitation and depiction of Eastern cultures in the West. Ornamentation: The act of applying purely decorative details or designs to buildings.

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Overlapping: Placing one surface or object, line, colour or texture over another.

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Palimpsest: When the original marks or writing on a surface have been effaced to make room for a second layer of marks or writing. Pan-African: Umbrella term for all African cultures. Perceptual skills: The level of skill in the way you perceive things around you; level of awareness. Perceptual: From the visual, how something is perceived and portrayed. Perennial: Lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time. Perspective: Depicting the 3D quality of an object, building or space on a 2D surface. Linear perspective: based on the observation that parallel lines appear to meet on the horizon at one or more vanishing points. Objects become smaller as they move further. Aerial perspective: (atmospheric perspective) when the atmosphere softens shapes and colours in the distance. When you are near a tree you can see individual branches and leaves. At a distance they appear to blend together. Photography: The process and art of recording pictures by means of capturing light on a lightsensitive medium such as film or electronic sensors. Digital photography works with light-sensitive digital pixels.


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Photomontage: A variation of a collage in which pasted items are actual photographs or photographic reproductions selected from the press and was developed by the Berlin Dada group. Photovoltaic: Panels convert solar radiation into direct current electricity. Picture Plane: 2D surface; the flat surface upon which the actual shape or image exists; any illusion of depth / 3D quality is identified to be ‘beyond the picture plane’. Pictures Generation was the name of an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in 2009 and refers to a label associated with a group of artists who are known for appropriating images from the consumer and media saturated environment to use in their artworks as part of conceptual statements about the global society of the time. Plagiarism: The wrongful appropriation or close imitation of someone else’s thoughts, ideas or expressions which are then presented as one’s own original work. Pilotis: Reinforced concrete piers that raise buildings above ground or water.

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Plane: The section of form that can be described in 2D; mostly identified for instance by the surface of a form.

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Plastic: Any material that can be moulded or shaped without adding or subtracting mass.

Pluralism: When more than one principle or idea is recognised and where minority groups in society maintain independent traditions. In Post-Modernism it is the acceptance of different styles and viewpoints.

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Pointillism: The technique of systemising brushstroke into dots in Neo-Impressionism. Polychromatic / Polychrome: Multicoloured.

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Pop Art: A movement which developed in the middle to late 1950s in Britain and America that took its inspiration from popular and commercial culture which began to dominate society at that stage. It was a reaction against Abstract Expressionism and artists used aspects from mass culture such as advertisements, cartoons and mundane utilitarian objects as subject matter to undermine and challenge traditional art. Portfolio: A collection or sample of an artist’s work. Positive shape / form / area: The actual shape (2D) or object (3D) placed in a space; the ‘figure’ of a figure-ground relationship; the area that is occupied by an object or form in 3D work. Post and Lintel (beam): The first construction method developed in the world, using a lintel (beam) as the horizontal member over a space supported at its ends by two vertical posts. Post-Impressionism: A blanket term referring to art which both learnt from and rejected certain Impressionist principles. Cézanne sought greater pictorial structure, while Van Gogh focused on his emotional response to a scene. Gauguin sought a deeper engagement with expressive and symbolic content. Post-Modernism: A loose term to describe culture from about the 1970s which rejected the historical continuity of Modernism for a condition known as pluralism. Pluralism means the acceptance of different styles and viewpoints, each having the same value. Therefore works could combine contradictions and differences. The Post-Modernist ‘borrows’ freely from the styles of the past, even


445 the Modernist past. It allows the artist the freedom to choose without identifying specifically with a style. In architecture it manifested in a revolt against the International Style and made extensive use of eclectic references, e.g. in the buildings of Michael Graves. Preferred: To like one thing more than another. Pre-Raphaelites: English movement founded in 1849 with the intention of re-capturing the honest simplicity of early Italian painters who had flourished before Raphael, hence ‘Pre-Raphaelite’. They took a lot of themes from the Middle Ages, literature and often focused on a moral lesson in their works. Primary colours: Original colours; can’t be created through mixing other colours; primary red, yellow and blue; all other colours are theoretically mixed with these three colours. Primary Contour: The outermost shape of a form. Principles of Design: Principles used to order elements of design to ensure a specific outcome / composition, for instance through the application of balance, unity, proportion or repetition.

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Printmaking: To transfer an inked image on a plate or block from one surface to another.

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Project brief: Formal written instructions prepared by a client for a designer, indicating exact instructions, expectations from the designer, requirements, goals, quality of final product and functionality or usage just to mention a few.

Propaganda: Information of a biased or misleading nature used to promote a particular political cause or point of view.

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Propaganda: Art that propagates a political doctrine and follows a certain party/state/political thought to promote an ideology, idea or cause. Often deceptive or distorted information is spread. Proportion: Comparative relationship between elements or objects.

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Public sculptures: Can be abstract or depict something specific; can symbolise national or cultural pride; the position and place of public sculptures play a vital role and add to the environment in which we find ourselves. Q

Quatrocento: A collective term used for the cultural and artistic events of 15th century in Italy. R

Radial balance: The same as symmetrical balanc, but in this case is achieved on a 3D shape like a sphere. When the sphere is cut in half both sides are exactly the same. Balance is achieved by arranging elements in a circular pattern around a central axis; balance in all directions around a central point Rationalism: The belief that reason is the foundation of everything and that it is superior to and independent of sensory perceptions. Ready-made: A term first used by Marcel Duchamp for the manufactured objects that he selected and sometimes modified to exhibit as artworks. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

446 Realism: Mid-19th century French movement which concentrated on subjects from everyday, working-class life without any idealisation or stylisation – Daumier, Courbet, Millet. Recontextualisation is a process that extracts text, signs or meaning from its original context in order to introduce it to another context. Recycled: Any part of an object used again for a similar or different purpose. Recycling: To convert waste into re-usable material. Reinforced concrete: Concrete strengthened with metal wire or rods embedded in it to increase its strength. Relief sculpture: Often a part of architecture. Distinguishes between high relief where forms are deeply carved and protrude and low relief where figures exist on nearly the same level as in a drawing.

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Relief: 3D form rising from 2D surface.

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Renaissance: Used to describe the period between the 14th to 16th centuries in Europe. The Renaissance developed in Italy during the late Middle Ages, from where it spread to the rest of Europe. The Renaissance represents a gradual shift of man’s thoughts and views of life from the Middle Ages. Resistance Art is art used as a way of showing opposition to powerholders. This includes art which opposed such powers as the German Nazi party, as well as that opposed to Apartheid in South Africa.

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Repetition: Placing the same shape, object, element or pattern over and over on the same surface or in the same space.

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Rhythm: Design elements organised in such a way that the pattern or repetition creates a certain rhythm; proportion of a variety of elements need to vary to avoid a boring design (elements like line, shape, texture and colour equally spaced, similar in size, colour and texture will create a boring design without any rhythm). Romanticism: Early to mid-19th century style which celebrated individualism, the power of the imagination and the emotions. It was a highly imaginative and subjective approach filled with emotional intensity and a dream-like or visionary quality. S

Salon: The bi-annual official exhibition of artworks in the Louvre. It was open to all artists whose work the jury, consisting of members of the Academy, approved. Most of the leading French artists of the 19th century participated in the Salon. Success at the Salon could secure an artist’s reputation and led to profitable state commissions. Salon des Refuses: French exhibition of rejected Salon works held in 1863 which broke the power of the French Academy and led to the birth of avant-garde art with independent exhibitions. Sangoma is a traditional South African healer who uses divination and mediumship. They assist their clients through psychic healing. Satirising is to ridicule or attack by means of satire. Satire is used in a novel, a play or in entertainment when topical issues, folly or evil are scorned by means of ridicule and irony.


447 Saturated colour: Most pure and vibrant state of a colour; no white added to colour. Saturation: Measurement of the intensity and brightness of a colour. Scale: Uniform and proportional reduction or enlargement of size and dimension of a form or space; usually does not reflect its actual dimension in the real world; for instance the real size of an object in relation to its surroundings. Schedule: A time frame within which a certain amount of work and/or tasks need to be completed Secondary colours: Mixing two primary colours results in a secondary colour; orange (red + yellow), green (blue + yellow) and purple (blue + red). Sensory awareness: High level of awareness using of all your senses. Sensory: Describe things that relates to the five physical senses: sight, taste; hearing; smell; touch. Shade of colour: Darker value of the same colour; colour + black.

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Shape: A 2D (flat) with a recognisable boundary.

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Sgraffito is a technique either of wall decor, produced by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colors to a moistened surface, or in ceramics, by applying to an unfired ceramic body two successive layers of contrasting slip and then in either case scratching so as to produce an outline drawing. Sikhumbuto: Place of remembrance.

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Silkscreen: A printing technique that is done using a framed finely woven mesh which supports a stencil that blocks out the ink when printing. The ink is spread over the mesh and pressed through the minute holes in the mesh with a squeegee or a cloth. The print can be made on any two dimensional surface. This technique has traditionally been used for mass-produced commercial images. Simplified: Eliminating unnecessary detail; simplified shape showing only basic details.

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Site-Specific: To design a piece of work for a specific space / location / area. Skeleton structure: A skeleton of steel ‘carries’ the whole building and makes e.g. curtain walls possible. Skin-and-bone architecture: Steel and concrete were the strength of the building (bone), while glass was the shining ‘skin’ covering the skeleton. Social issues: Issues like HIV/AIDS, crime, etc. which have an impact on the day-to-day social structures of communities. Space – 3D area: refers to distance, area and volume of the space; total area affected by a design; shape or form defined by space found around, behind, in front, below or inside an object. Spatial Orientation: The relationship between an object and its surroundings. Spatial perspective: To show the 3D qualities of a space on a 2D surface. Spontaneous: Acting without thinking or planning; spontaneous line suggests a fresh quality of energy and free-flow; it happens naturally and is not planned. VISUAL ARTS GRADE 12

448 Standardisation: Standard sizes of windows, doors, etc. to make building easier, cheaper and conforming. State: Say directly what you think – give your opinion, as well as an explanation. Static Form: A form that cannot move at all; does not even have the quality to suggest or create the illusion of movement. Static: Cannot or does not move. Stereotype: A thought that may be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things but that belief may or may not accurately reflect reality. Stereotype: A fixed impression of something or somebody which is unchangeable, regular and monotonous.

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Style: Refers to the ‘how’ question about artworks. “How has the artist depicted the subject?” “How has the artist put his/her personal mark on this piece?”

PL

Stylised: Refers to distortion of representational images in accordance with certain artistic conventions or to emphasise certain design qualities. It also refers to an artist using standard characteristics to portray an object. Only the general shape is shown but detail is ignored. Stripped to basic recognisable characteristics. Subdued: To make a colour, texture, line softer in quality; does therefore not stand out. Subject: That which is portrayed in a painting or sculpture. Can be figurative or non-figurative.

M

Superimpose: To place a layer on top of another layer.

SA

Super Realism or Photorealism: A movement which developed in the late 1960s when artists worked from photographs to create paintings that appeared to look like photographs. This movement developed with Pop Art as an influence on their choice of subject matter and therefore their subject matter is usually mundane scenes or objects from daily life. The movement is primarily associated with painting although there are sculptors like Hanson and De Andrea who used photorealist techniques to create their life-size sculptures. Surrealism: Movement between the World Wars based on dreamlike images from the subconscious – Miro, Dali, Magritte. Symbol: Character / image / figure that represents an idea, concept or emotion; communication goes beyond its original and literal form; e.g. the heart that is a symbol of love. Symbolism: (1885–1910) Emerged as a reaction to Realism and Impressionism because the Symbolists felt they ignored the imagination and emotions. They wanted to paint pictures that evoked certain moods and feelings. Symbolism was also a strong trend in literature. The Symbolist painters used mythological and dream imagery for a visual language of the soul – Redon, Moreau. Symmetrical balance: Elements positioned equally from a central point or axis; 2D or 3D form mirrored on either side of a central axis. Symmetry: Forms or elements are arranged mirror images on either side of a central axis. Syncopate: To distribute accented and unaccented lines, patterns or colours in a composition.


449

T Technique: Refers not to the medium but how it was done. For example, if you look at a painting the technique would refer to how the medium has been used. Are the brushstrokes blended and invisible or can they be clearly seen? Is it smooth, stippled or impasto? Tertiary education: The third stage in education. It follows secondary education which is high school. The first stage of education is primary education. Texture: Visual (textural quality experiencing through sight) or tactile (textural quality experienced through touch) surface; the texture of silk would feel and look different from the texture of velvet. Three-dimensional (3D): Object that has depth, height, length and width to be viewed from all angles (top, bottom, side and back) – one can walk around it. Time management: The way you plan and manage the time given to you to perform a task.

E

Tint of colour: Lighter value of the same colour; the colour + white. Tshikanda is the second phase of Venda girls’ initiation.

PL

Tonal value: Refers to the degree of light and dark in a given artwork.

Tone of colour: A specific value of the same colour; colour darkened by adding grey (black and white).

M

Transgenic: Describes the technique of transferring genetic material from one organism into the DNA of another. Trompe L’oeil: When an image or object is painted onto a surface in such a way that it creates the illusion that the viewer believes it to be the real image or object. Two-dimensional (2D): Work / design created on a flat surface.

SA

Two-point Perspective: To show 3D objects on a 2D surface using line drawings where the lines appear to move away from the viewer and connect at two focal points / vanishing points; creates an illusion of space, depth and volume. Two-toned: Two different values of the same colour. U

Unity: Collecting or placing shapes, colours, textures, line, concepts or objects with similar qualities to project a whole or unified result. Universal language: A language which can be understood by all cultures; visual language represented by symbols, icons, signs that have the same meaning no matter the culture or country, like a stop sign, airport sign, toilet signs etc. Art is often referred to as a universal language. V


450

Value Contrast: Juxtaposition (placed side by side) of light and dark areas. Value: Degree of lightness or darkness. Vanishing Point: In perspective drawings, this is the point where all receding lines will connect / meet. Vernacular: Local style of architecture specific to an era, area, culture or country style especially used in ordinary houses as opposed to large office blocks. Vhusha is the first phase of Venda girls’ initiation. The girls are initiated after the appearance of their first menstrual cycle. It prepares girls for their future roles as wives and mothers. Video Art: Began with the introduction of video as an inexpensive medium in the 1960s. It provided the opportunity of recording and documenting performances easily. Video installations have taken on many different forms and can include sound as part of the work.

E

Virtual: When something does not physically exist but is made to appear as if it does exist through the effect of something else – in this case the use of line and colour.

PL

Visual Literacy: The ability to ‘read’ and interpret visual images. Identification, understanding what we see and comprehending visual relationships is important. Visual Texture: Illusion of texture on a 2D shape or 3D form. Void: Empty space; also see negative space.

W

M

Volume: Space inside an object.

SA

Warm Colours: Colours like reds, oranges and yellows. These colours seem to come towards the viewer in space. They create a feeling of excitement. Western Civilisation: The development traced from Pre-Historic times to the present time in Europe and the colonies of European countries where immigrants continued with Western concepts. It is interesting to note that in Western Art from the Renaissance there was a drive towards optical naturalism, which continued until the 20th century. Work ethic: The way or manner in which you conduct yourself when you perform a given task; in general the level and way you organise and perform the task at hand.


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Visual Arts Grade 12 Learner's Guide

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