South African Art – Politics And Progress For The Masters?

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

South African art, its masters, world renowned paintings and grass roots artists alike
have all been shaped to some extent by the politics of social change over the past
century. Artistic practice in much of South Africa has been affected by official
policies of racial segregation, wars, economic and political migration, and an infinite
number of marginal influences that combine to form the creative identity of the artist
and their choice of subject. In the early years of British colonial rule great masters
such as Jacob Hendrik Pierneef (1886 -1957) were exiled in Holland due to the
Anglo-Boer Wars. Undoubtedly artists such as him evolved their creative genius
through painting and education abroad. These skills and influences were then adopted
by other South African painters when these old masters returned from their exile.

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

During apartheid, artistic practice and the subject matter of paintings in South Africa
took a radical shift. African art in general could be considered as activist art, always
provoking reactionary attitudes in those that view it. Much of the artwork produced in
this era is anything but passive in its visual impact or political message, its purpose
was social change! Although artists played a prominent role in the resistance
movement, politically minded artists such as Michael Maapola (1964 - present) were
persecuted, and black artists work was rarely exhibited. Much township art was
destroyed by security forces, leaving a significant gap in the nation’s cultural legacy.
Louis Khela Maqhubela (1939 - present) whose paintings are a combination of
abstract figures, symbolism, and genre scenes of everyday life, continued to exhibit
his work during apartheid. Artistic protest took the global stage at the height of
sanctions and the cultural boycott. A French based association called Artists of the
World against Apartheid launched a global appeal for artists to contribute to a
collection of anti-apartheid paintings. This significant fusion of works is perhaps
South Africa’s single most valuable international art collection once estimated at over
13 Million Rand. The end of apartheid in 1990 saw the home-coming of the
collection, and the full integration of South African artists into international artistic
community following elimination of the United Nations cultural boycott.
South African Paintings Achieve Records For Established Art Masters

Apartheid undoubtedly inspired a lot of influential art in South Africa. The liberating
voices of artists did much to capture the attitudes and opinions of people during this
time. The cultural value of these works is indisputably priceless, however what of the
monetary value? Has South African art seen a progressive increase in value since the
end of apartheid? Can South African Masters set records at auction like their
European counterparts have been doing in recent years?

The South African art market would indeed seem to be following world trends, South
African paintings have been realising fabulous prices. The art market is booming on a
global level and South Africa is no exception. In 2007, Bonhams of London
established their first-ever auction solely devoted to South African art. It saw over
$2,000,000 worth of art being auctioned, the sale included works by major South
African masters. It is a valuable indication therefore about the position of modern
South African art internationally, and that these paintings are no longer of interest
only to the domestic art market.

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

Gerard Sekoto’s works seem to be at the crest of the wave that has propelled
contemporary South African art into the leading edge of the global art market, seeing
a 300% rise in recent years. Sekoto’s self portrait shattered previous world auction
records for the artist and fetched an amazing $246,900. Given this current trend 2008
should be an exciting year for contemporary South African art. Private buyers,
collectors and museum and gallery curators from the USA, Europe and beyond have
all registered serious interest in Bonhams’ forthcoming sales in 2008.

The Evolution - Nurturing The New South African Art Masters

Who will be the masters of tomorrow?

It is evident that artistic practice in South Africa has been affected by racial
segregation, wars, and political migration, but what of the artists themselves? Apart
from rendering future influences in creative style and expression through their
paintings, what else have they done to nurture the next promising generations of
South African masters?
Gerard Sekoto has been described as: “South Africa’s pioneer of urban black art and
social realism”. Following his death in 1993, The Gerard Sekoto Foundation was
formed. It was Sekoto’s expressed wish that his Estate should be used to uplift art
education for young South African children. He knew that formal art education was
not offered in schools during the apartheid era, and The Foundation goes some way to
rectify the wrongs of the past. South Africa will someday celebrate its new masters,
due to the efforts of institutions such as The Foundation, The National Arts Council
and workshops run by Thupelo. However let’s not just dream of the future, what of
the present day?

Contemporary art emerging from South Africa is exciting in its breadth and
expression. Any creative works to come from a nation with such a unique and varied
history deserves unrestrained attention. One should not just think in terms of safari
and wildlife paintings. Although a commercially popular genre this does not come
close to characterising the depth and variety of works currently been created by
educated and professional artists in South Africa. Browse through our galleries and
you may just stumble upon the next South African Master!