This guide provides insights into early South African art, emphasizing the works of key figures like Irma Stern and Gerard Sekoto. It covers the influence of expressionism and how early South African artists portrayed themes of identity, social issues, and everyday life
IRMASTERN (1894-1966) -mainly bought back
by Irma Stern and
[iii jil in
Maggie Laubscher
> reacted
strongly against acadism includes .
o f the
Academy -Subject matter :
personal , confrontational ,
-
influenced by expressionism, however emotionally charged
preffered painting things she s aw
>
technique paint texture-emotive
:
simplification
,
rather than concepts GERARD SEKOTO (1913-1993)
distortion
composition
, bold strokes
bold forms
> :
claustrophobic flat strong
by simple ,
,
fascinated
,
I
> largely self-taugh and one of the few diagonals little illusion
+ spiritual content (primitive art) , .
black South africans w h o chose painting as a career
"
characteristics of her work
:
art form that grew out of a need
govern
>
- > In SA his m a i n focus was on black Urban life
to alleviate the effects repressive
·
subject matter :
central theme of In t h e days prior
to official legislation
artists
contrasting moulds
and its
and - f aparthied
(1948) legislation -
early black we re
life
lifes also not represented by museums
facets-mostly people and still , dubbed the ploneer of Township art a s his work
textural and focused oh people going about their
dally activities
- technique :
,
loose
Yellow houses ,
paint , u s e of outlines
had respect for t h e people h e painted as they
Sketchy , thick -
he
and a combination of line + colour
never appeared anguished/dissatisfied with their ↑ Street i n Sophia
oppression town
lives as the victims of (1940)
>
- composition rejects traditional
:
Figures foregrounded little
Space ,
Song of the pick (1946)
depth visually i n t e n s e extends out
,
feelings
,
Sekotos about the codition
of frame (western influence)
t s h ow
- rarely painted w h i te people unless to show resentment ,focus o n foreman, and diagonals
The Eternal Child (1916) create a sense of tension , repetion of workers shape gives the work a rhythmic
+
expresses suffering during feeling their faces or their
war time - subject is softened , as we do n o t see sweat on
agonising expressions
+
paint applied loosely +
Characteristics:
senuosly
> > importance :
+ simple distorted
want
intense colour - atmosphere mood -wasar tist who raised
forms ,
of light Shadow + monumental forms
an
· harsh contrasts o strong
create a sense of many questions about a f ro
oloose lively , thick paint distor tion-lack of training
entity andcurocentlya
, -
vulnerabilityemotion a ·
simple subject matter taken From academy
Selection employed SA .
+ heightens
in art
From h i s ow n life
of elements
WALTER BATTIS 1902-1982)
-expressive use
Ramadan (1945) uences :
+ focus the exotic' and
on local +
indigenous
:
-
the that not
beauty wa s
+ South African Landscapes
dependant o n the external
+ The African mystique
- use of glowing gold tones
+ the san people
- har monious atmosphere
t organk c u r ve creates unity
. o european t international
and Art ar tists
-
figures h ave solidity and + 20th Century
+ The middle east-arabic
3D space
occupy Script and egyptian symbols
> characteristics .
&
contributions :
persued subjective path forms
plification of
&
way for
new artists,
that help forge the
of
+ approches - stylisation figures
bought new techniques ,
modified how we look at o u r fellow + war m
+
earthly colours
beings of different culture, race or tribe - repetitive images and
layer concepts of Bushmen
-
subject matter of San mythology
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