See local art – and its evolution
ART FAIR: EXPERIENCE A WIDER SPECTRUM OF IRMA STERN IN JOZI
Strauss & Co has embarked on a series of exhibits of prominent SA artists. Adriaan Roets
Cultural exchanges happen often – and art is often on the forefront of those exchanges. Travelling exhibitions importantly share history and also elevate artistic reverence, thanks to the way they introduce an audience to a specific artist, an artistic movement, or simply artists who were able to capture a certain era.
It fits into the global context, where you are able to see the influence of masters on a local artistic scene. In SA, exhibitions featuring work by big name artists do happen.
Take for example last year’s successful Andy Warhol exhibition at Wits Art Museum, or Henri Matisse: Rhythm and Meaning at the Standard Bank Art Museum in 2015.
But our exposure to global icons are rare – and both these exhibits only featured a limited insights into both artists.
When speaking to friends, especially those who travel to interesting cities across the world and aren’t necessarily art lovers, some of the first stories they tell on their return is about their visits to various museums and what artists they were able to see.
Those stories always share one important message – we all appreciate art, even more so when we have the opportunity to see the work of important figures in the art world.
Last week on a change trip to Rome the importance of making time for artists struck home again when the pay-off for trading a tour through the Colosseum to visit Complesso del Vittoriano at the Rome Museum for an exhibition of Claude Monet, was a reminder of how great the opportunity is to see work that defined a movement.
Monet is the father of impressionism. His ability to create depth without detail, his skill at capturing different light on canvas or his ability to create impressive, wholly immersive landscapes, are easy to understand, but to experience it face-on is a true joy.
This exhibition showcases 60 works by Monet which were originally kept at Giverney, his last home. The work was donated to the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, by his son Michel.
Starting with his caricature drawings from when he was young, the exhibition aims to walk you through his eras but the focus remains on his plein air painting, which was one of his life religions.
Weather, sun and transforming colours all resulted in Monet dissolving rational unity into scenes that are capturing and concise. His series of water lilies uses the same scene but each canvas is strikingly different.
The ability to make side-byside comparisons is why this exhibit was such an important personal experience, because once back in SA the difficulty again sets in to have this sort of artistic exchange.
Last week it was announced that the RMB Turbine Art Fair in Johannesburg will this year feature a collection of Irma Stern as part on a singular exhibition by Strauss & Co. Last year the company filled an entire exhibition space with a selection of Pierneef landscapes from a single owner.
A cohesive exhibition like this allowed visitors to experience a wider spectrum of the artist, not just one canvas or frame you can readily view in many private and public spaces around the country. Last year’s collection is considered the finest collection of Pierneef landscapes.
It is important to understand local art and how it evolved; how Pierneef used different paint to capture unique African scenes and how it influenced local art.
Much like experiencing Monet in Rome is important, experiencing a larger exhibition of a local artist is even more so.
The Irma Stern exhibition will feature a selection of still lifes.
Organisers say that it’s part of a dual mission of the Art Fair to promote emerging artists and encourage art collecting.
Strauss & Co has embarked on a series of exhibitions by prominent SA artists to show budding art collectors what they can achieve if they select their art wisely.
The Stern still lifes from private collections is titled Is there Still Life? Not only is Stern the bestselling artist on the secondary market, but her still lifes serve as inspiration for a group of contemporary artists as well.
Strauss & Co launched a competition among students at tertiary art schools in Gauteng to submit a still life in a medium of their choice. These works will be exhibited alongside the Sterns and will be on sale.
Cultural exchanges happen often, and art is often on the forefront of those exchanges – even in South Africa.