This Grade 12 Visual Arts guide explores the impact of African art and heritage, focusing on centers like Polly Street and Rorke’s Drift. It examines how these centers fostered South African art, blending traditional African themes with contemporary styles. This summary is ideal for understanding...
POLLY STREET RORKES DRIFT
I. It was an urban centre. The centre existed in I. This was a rural art centre. It was established in the
the heart of Johannesburg. KwaZulu-Natal countryside, near the site of the
II. It attempted to reunite westernized African historic battle of Blood River.
people with their heritage. II. The people that it served were mostly rural, and
III. The students and teachers were all men less westernized than those in Johannesburg.
IV. It taught Fine Art, not crafts. III. Many students there were women, particularly in
the weaving and pottery departments.
IV. It specialized in teaching crafts like weaving and
pottery in order to provide the rural people with a
source of income. At one stage of its history there
was also a Fine Arts department that taught
graphic techniques, especially lino printing and
etching.
Establishment:
This because it was situated in Polly Street in the The full name of this centre was The Evangelical
south of Johannesburg. This centre ran a school Lutheran Church Art and Craft Centre at Rorke’s
for young African men to further their art Drift, Natal. The centre was started in 1962 by
studies. These classes took place in the evenings Swedish missionaries, Peder and Ulla Gowenuis.
as they were not in a position to attend art
school full-time. The art classes were only one of
• It had started as an occupational therapy
the activities at the centre, because of the
project at the Ceza Mission Hospital near
enthusiasm and hard work of Skotnes, they
became the most important activity there and
Nongoma in 1962 to teach marketable skills like
the most important activity for which the centreweaving to rural women, assisting them in
is still well known. becoming economically independent. The men,
not wanting to weave, focused on carving skills –
Polly Street was established by the government, lino cuts.
but it was poorly funded. A small salary for
Skotnes and the space in which to operate was
all that was provided. However, over the next ten
years Skotnes managed to gain the support and
con!dence of Black artists, of some white artists,
of the Johannesburg city council, and of
companies that sponsored his e"orts, churches
and commercial art galleries. Because of this
network
The Importance of Polly Street.
• Polly Street produced the !rst generation of
professional black artists.
• The Township style of art began here.
• South African shifted to become focused on
African art rather than Western art
, Focus:
Skotnes was an inspiring teacher who taught: The aims of the centre:
• The fundamentals of design and technique as a.) To develop and encourage the unique art heritage of
they were then taught in Western art institutions Africa
• He also introduced his students to the
outstanding qualities of traditional African art, b.) To help African artists and craftsmen to develop
particularly West African sculpture. their talent and to !nd pro!table outlets to sell their
works.
Students were taught:
• Life-drawing c.) To raise the standard of living for the rural people in
• Still-life painting Natal by giving local people work and an income from
their work.
• Landscape study
• Focus was on skills that could provide pro!ts – basket
• Abstract design
weaving, tapestries, ceramics. These goods were
encouraged to have a purpose.
Mediums they used:
• Charcoal
• Printmaking very important! Rorkes Drift gained
• Pencil notoriety. Predominantly black and white on lino.
1967 an etching press was acquired – move towards
• Watercolours art.
• Oils
The centre generated income, especially from the sale
of weaving and was soon able to pay for its own
Artists were encouraged to see Polly Street as a
expenses. The running of the school, including the Fine
‘workshop’ rather than a ‘school’, as they were
Art department, was paid for by pro!ts made by the
free to create designs in any way they chose.
sale of weaving. Much of this work was marketed to a
Artists were encouraged to become self
su#cient professional artists as soon as possible, middle-class market in South Africa, which in the
1960’s, came to appreciate the value of hand-crafted
as they could not a"ord the luxury of several
goods. A substantial portion of the work was exported,
years of experimentation before beginning to
particularly to Sweden and other parts of Europe and
sell their works.
to the United States of America.
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