Reaching out for Art - September 4, 2009

It is easy to buy art; especially here in Hermanus. We have twenty-six galleries and art spaces between here and Onrus and more are opening by the day- or so it seems. At our Whale Festival you will usually find an informal display of the works of our many local artists and painters-for-pleasure. Art routes in the country are becoming popular. Collectors and dealers peruse the glossy catalogues of the big auction houses with their regular sales of desirable works. (Sometimes the photography is so good that the work itself is rather a let-down.)

Selling

But what about the time when you want to dispose of art? There are a number of options. Take advice from your favourite gallery – If a piece is by a known South African artist, the gallery may wish to acquire it for stock or perhaps accept it on consignment to sell. Commission is negotiable. The newly-established WhaleRock Auctioneers who advertise on the ArtsPage, have regular sales, the next one on 10th October and they are local , no great traveling involved. They deal in the South African Masters but may also accept works from lesser names which houses like Stephan Welz/Sotheby’s, Christies, Bonhams and Strauss and Co will not handle.

New internet site

Then there is the internet; more and more people are becoming comfortable with trading on the net. There are the better-known websites like e-bay and gumtree which can be quite addictive. And now, based in Hermanus, Jason Children and his partners have yesterday launched a website www.theartmarket.co.za which they describe as South Africa’s first on-line selling and auction site dedicated purely to art.

From left to right: Steven Dayson, Jason Children, Roslynn Shaw



Jason says “The site will allow artists, galleries and art enthusiasts to reach a broader market when selling or auctioning their art. By reaching a larger target audience, prospective sellers increase their chances of a sale. Sellers also create excitement by utilising the auction option within the site, which in turn creates a platform for faster sales.

Art buyers will have a site dedicated to art allowing them to browse, bid on or buy art from many different categories. Forums within the site will create communication between users and rating systems for buyers and sellers will effectively mean that users of the site will police themselves.”

Focus on art

When I asked Jason what the advantages of his site were, compared to long-established international sites, he pointed out the focus on art – one does not have to plow through a million other items that are on offer if it is specifically art you are looking for. And we locals have the additional advantage of seeing the developer of the site face–to-face. It is a home-grown product that has every possibility of taking off like a rocket into the webosphere.

I have tried the registration process (one has to register before one can buy or sell) and it was not too daunting. Certainly there are nine pages of Terms and Conditions and a further two-page Privacy Policy that you should look at, but I know from personal experience how adept ArtsPagers are at speed-reading.

The site is well presented and easy to navigate. Thumbnail pictures of the art are offered under many categories and a mouse click brings up the detail. Items may have a “Buy now” price quoted, as well as being up for auction bids for a period that the seller nominates.

Go-between

The Artmarket website acts only as a go-between. The actual payment and delivery of the item is arranged between buyer and seller. Credit card details are made available to the seller once a sale is confirmed. At the same time the Artmarket will debit its agreed commission to the seller. This is pitched at an attractive level and no charge is made until a work is actually sold. Traders are required to rate the service they experience with each other so regular users should soon build up a reputation for sound dealing practice. Ratings are disclosed on the site.

Some local galleries are already using the site and when the time comes that I must make space for fresh acquisitions, I too will try it. Most works of art that one buys are for keeps but there is from time to time the mistake needs to find a new home, or a cash crisis that means the inherited Gregoire has to go. Why not offer it on The Artmarket and try your luck?

And keep your news and views coming to niblos@telkomsa.net.

SKETCH - SHEILA NOWERS

Sheila Nowers

Vermont-based Sheila Nowers lives in a comfortable and rather imposing house she designed and built. “When I have time on my hands, I like nothing better than to design houses. I must have done hundreds!” Though few of them have been realized in bricks and mortar, it is easy to understand that this accomplished artist relishes the detail which goes into architecture. The first thing that strikes one in Sheila’s work is the detail. She works in gouache/water colours to a small scale , 15x13 mm is a typical size (“not miniatures, really, they are a different art form”) and with an incredible eye for minutiae – the cat curling its tail around a leg or looking, as cats disconcertingly do, directly at you. There’s wry humour there, too; or perhaps whimsy, as past gallerist Karen McKerron puts it.

Her training was in graphics and she took her BA at UCT (Michaelis). Textile design in London followed, then illustration, mainly freelancing in magazines back in South Africa. The Eighties saw her making her mark with postage stamp design – some thirty commemorative issues of South African stamps. Solo exhibitions at Karen McKerron Contemporary Art in Johannesburg, Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg and Cape Town, The Lookout Gallery in Plettenburg Bay; and her works are in the SA National Gallery and other leading public and private collections.

Portrait of ERIC GALLO by Sheila Nowers

Sheila works four to five hours a day most days, no retirement in sight; her work has great charm in its apparent straightforwardness. The size is not an affectation or something she has chosen. To work on a larger scale becomes forced. “For me, my works take on the proportions of the Sistine Chapel ceiling” she says with a chuckle. “Mostly portraits these days and often commissioned works.” She describes herself as gregarious and has an admitted reputation as a conversationalist of note. Yet others have commented on her keeping a low profile. Time for a show in Hermanus, Ms Nowers. We need a chance to view (and acquire) your gems and share your conversations.

Spier Contemporary calling! - August 21, 2009

Good news for all, and I mean all, you artists out there. Spier Contemporary 2010 is calling for submissions for their biennial show in March 2010, taking place this year in the City Hall, Cape Town and moving on to Johannesburg and Durban. You can enter up to five items and the cut-off date is 30 October. You need to be 21 but no professional training is required and the entry process is by e-mail. Check the website www.spiercontemporary2010.co.za for the details.

Spier intends that the works be for sale (if the artist so wishes) and takes no commission; AND they give you R4 000 for each work selected for exhibition by their curatorial team, whether or not you are a prize-winner. So where are the drawbacks? Well, there were 2500 entries last year and only around 100 could be selected. Just a couple of months to go. Let’s have a good representation from Hermanus, art destination of the Western Cape.

Contrasts

Bellini is opening tomorrow at 18h30 with a trio of artists showing landcapes - Louis Ströh van der Walt, Elizabeth Miller-Vermeulen and Stellenbosch-based Vernon Swart, whose work “Franschhoek Vineyard” is illustrated.

Vernon Swart - Franschhoek Vineyard, 60cm x 40cm, Mixed media

This innovative gallery is on the move and an announcement may be made at the exhibition. While the regular patrons of Willie’s Cappuccino-Bar may miss the salty tang in the air, I am told their proposed new premises are bang in the centre of our gallery route.

Comings and goings

Since ArtsPage started nearly three years ago, I have had to add artspace after artspace to my database, and delete only two. This is really good and I encourage our galleries to byt vas and make the necessary adjustments to hold on through the winter. A leading gallery in Cape Town, Bell Roberts, closed its doors last month and in Johannesburg another long-established gallery has done likewise. But our mayor’s succinct comment at the opening of Gallery La Marey was straightforward: I did not make notes, the opening was far too buzzing for that, but essentially he said “Those businesses which deliver service will flourish – the ones who do not do so will disappear.”

The passage through from High Street to Chilli Pepper has been officially named “High Street Close.” It is home to a new gallery showcasing the works of Deidre Winer. More about this international arts person soon.

Johans Borman Gallery

Emphasis on this page is on local gallery news but Borman was a leading gallerist in Onrus for a good few years so it is appropriate to offer congratulations on his 10-20 Exhibition in Cape Town. He is celebrating twenty years in the art business, ten of them in Cape Town at his Upper Buitengracht Street gallery.

One of his protégées, Hennie Niemann Jnr, achieved a remarkable price for a recently-executed small portrait sold at Stephan Welz/Sotheby’s August auction in Johannesburg. The work, estimated at R12-16 000 must have been fiercely contested as the successful bidder paid nearly four times the top estimate. At the same sale, an attractive study in oils “Lisianthus in a Glass Vase” by well-known local arts personality Louis van Heerden was sold for R31 000.

Galerie Gregoire

At the gallery in Main Road, Onrus are some fifty works on loan to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Gregoire Boonzaier. Gregoire is indeed an icon who by his talent and prolific output won a special place on the living room walls and in the hearts of many. He was co-founder of the New Group together with Terence McCaw and Walter Battiss in 1938, breaking new ground in a conservative and parochial SA art scene. His long life and the fact that he remained creative until the end has meant that his works often appear at auction and new generations of artlovers get to hang a Gregoire of their own.

The exhibition has been arranged around themes and the display of drawings paired with linocuts enables a comparison of technique and mood to be made. Clearly not all of his themes can be shown but there is more than enough to delight. ArtsPage joins the artist’s son in expressing appreciation to owners who have made available choice works for this show which runs till 31 December.

Tretchi orchid

Another icon, South African by adoption, was Vladimir Tretchikoff. It appears that the work billed in the catalogue for the much-publicised Brett Kebble art auction as “Lost Orchid” was indeed not the original but may still have been by the artist. The buyer might need a bit more assurance than that to go through with the R3million sale.

Keep you news coming to me at niblos@telkomsa.net

Festivals near and far - August 7, 2009

Kalfiefees is in full swing this week-end, mostly theatre but lots of music and the visual arts, too. The Missions House Gallery in De Villiers Street, Onrus, is staying open till 18h00 each evening and is offering theatre guests a glass of sherry if they pop in before the evening performances. What’s to see? Well, among others, crisp new works in acrylics by Sharon Welman - intriguing compositions of shells; Di Johnson Ackerman’s closely-observed farmsteads and weathered timber piers; and if you are lucky, a portrait or two by popular Onrus-resident Hennie Niemann, Jnr.

Grahamstown Festival

Art also features strongly at Grahamstown each July. I have not been for several years but I asked Rodney Anderson, known for his passion for cinema, to comment on his trip last month.

“Although the primary magnet for our visits to Grahamstown National Arts Festival is the fine Film Festival curated by Trevor Steel-Taylor, we always visit as many of the fine art and sculpture exhibitions as we can within the time constraints.

Highlights in fine art were for me Jennifer Ord’s exhibition entitled “Obelisks and Epitaphs” a showing of mixed media works by the “hand maid / crone” ( her words). Her work, besides its complexity and innovation, shows great artistic craftsmanship with care in detail and great subtlety. The pieces included two-dimensional constructs and large sculptures and were produced in association with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

White bulls by Jennifer Ord

Nicholas Hlobo

The Standard Bank young artist awardee Nicholas Hlobo’s installation of strange large black rubber / lace and ribbon blobs grouped like odd black monsters in a dim red lighted room reminded me of bizarre creatures from an Ed Wood science fiction movie of the Fifties. They obviously were not to everyone’s taste despite his unique vision. [Hlobo’s show at Michael Stevenson Gallery in Woodstock has just ended. He has also been seen at the Tate Modern in London and featured on the front page of last week’s Sunday Times Review– a name to watch. PC]

Johan Badenhorst exhibited two- and three-dimensional works depicting swallows and hawks etc., in exuberant reds against grey back ground which caught my fancy.

The collection of modern Shona stone sculptures from three sculptors at the Provost impressed. Their unusual contemporary themes and an outstanding choice of indigenous stone with textures, striations and forms set them well apart from the usual repetitive tourist concepts.

Graham Jones’s sculptures, principally of animal heads mounted on modified tall wooden plant stands, drew attention to his angst regarding the industrial animal husbandry that is driven by the human consumption of meat. (This theme, interestingly, also appeared in the film The Lives of Animals by Alex Harvey .UK 2002) With animal heads of wood, stone, found objects with mixed media colourisation he created stark and poignantly-beautiful sculpture forms.

Maureen Quin

On the way home via Alexandria we had the pleasure of visiting the impressive sculpture garden and studio at the home of one of South Africa’s most talented sculptors, Maureen Quin. Some of the works, like “The Hunt,” were also part of a series that has taken a decade or more to complete. Mrs Quin was friendly, warm and forthcoming and offered us a personal insight into the themes and the artistic visions which gave rise to the many wonderful bronze sculptures and art pieces on view. See www.quin-art.co.za.” [Walker Bay Gallery has some of her works. PC]

Great to have this first-hand account of Rodney and Ebeline’s visit to our most important arts festival.

SNIPPETS

• Rossouw Modern’s satellite at Greyton is showing scenes in oils of Greyton by our Hermanus artist Annemarie Du Plooy. “In nature, when sunlight is added, the way colours change – it’s amazing!” says Annemarie.
Annemarie Du Plooy - Greyton Doorscape, oils

• Pierre Rossouw (no relation) has recently joined Rossouw Modern and will be on duty (with his own paintbrush in hand) at Greyton. And Elsie Minnaar is back, just for an hour or so each day, after her gruesome car accident. Major surgery has not dimmed her spirit and it is good to see her around again.

• If you are going to see the flowers up Nieuwoudtville way, do not miss “Flowerscapes 2009!” a show by Dale and son Mel Elliott with over 100 paintings celebrating nature’s colours. At Die Smidswinkel Restaurant till 12 September. The Elliotts hold regular workshops at their Villiersdorp art complex.

• Gallerey La Marey was declared officially open on Wednesday evening at their glossy Marine Square venue.

• News and views always welcome at niblos@telkomsa.net

ArtsPage 24 July 2009 Workshops, whales, arts and craft

If you want colour in your life and have a free day on Wednesday next week, 29th July, then you will not want to miss the full-day art workshop being presented by the inimitable Neville Hickman at Gansbaai. Neville is an old friend of ArtsPage, in fact he was the first gallerist to identify totally with its aims and the vision of Hermanus as Art Destination. Designer of that magic Whale Fest logo, a composite jester’s cap and whale tail which served for several years to brighten up our Septembers, Neville shared a studio in one of the Godfrey Cottages on the seafront. He’s still close to the sea at the 5 star Klein Paradijs Guest Farm where he is Resident Artist but his workshop will be at Paul Pretorius Décor emporium in Dirkie Uys Street, Gansbaai.



Neville says “If you want to paint ‘ lekker los en vry’, exuberantly in bright, vibrant colours, to use music as an aid to make you fly, whether you are beginner or experienced artist, come!” The cost is just R100 and you can reserve your place and get more detail from Paul 079 020 8295 or Neville on 083 961 9931. If you want to get your mojo working, try some new techniques and maybe pick up some tips, this workshop promises to be casual and relaxed as well as instructive. Take your own art materials if you wish to participate to the full.

Arts and Craft
The line is so tenuous; those who know can argue for hours on definitions; what is art, what is craft? And does it matter? In the end you will just have to decide for yourself. Have a look at Wilina Drijfhout’s stained glass on her new website www.glasfeetjie.com. Or visit Lara Levey at Mila Mosaics in the newly-opened “passage” (that must be pronounced the French way) from High Street to the backdoor of Chilli Pepper. We had a buzzing, candle-lit party a week or two ago to launch the venue. There is a competition to choose the name and I am fully expecting to win the prize which is, I understand, some bottles of premium Port. Just right for the colder weather.
One of the shoplets in the quaint passage is a mini-gallery showing superb whale studies. The photographer is Dave De Beer who is also known for his wildlife and bird prints.

Kalfiefees
Supported by this newspaper, the Kalfiefees, (the annual dramatic challenge by Onrus to big brother Hermanus’s Whale Festival) is on from Thursday 6thAugust to Sunday 9th. Even if your Afrikaans is rudimentary, you will enjoy the music offerings and there is comedy - Tickle to Fine Leg, and drama/humour - David Butler giving us some authentic Herman Charles Bosman, both in English. I have not had news of fine arts exhibitions but The Mission’s House gallery in De Villiers Street always mounts a special show at Fees time.

Do keep your news and comments coming to me at niblos@telkomsa.net.

SKETCH - GALLERY LA MAREY

It was exciting, in May, to see a glossy new gallery opening in Marine Square on Mitchell Street. Now owners Rey and Marie Muller are getting ready for their official launch, by invitation only, in a week or two. Chatting to Rey, who has a background in broadcasting, I learned that they are no strangers to the art world, having a similarly-named gallery in Somerset West and one opening shortly in the Strand (where they previously were for seven years.) The picture they sent me for this sketch is a work in oils by Olga Hoffman entitled “Blouberg”.



Hoffman is part of a line-up of artists which La Marey represents, including Anna, Elzette Welgemoed, Janette Dykman, Tersia Duvenhage and Paul Schone. Paul will be at the gallery on Saturday 8th August to give a demonstration of his painting. In addition to works by the named artists, the gallery has a range of art not usually seen in Hermanus and they are proud of their bronzes by Gary Gordon and Xhanti Mpakama. There is a comprehensive offering of frames and also selected antiques to complement the art works. New local artists are not being overlooked; conscious that our Overberg artscene is vibrant, they plan to make space for artists whose work meets their criteria.

While either Marie or Rey will be on hand four days a week in peak season, the gallery will be staffed by Maryn who has retail experience in addition to a fine art training and Gamene who has also been involved in tourist accommodation and guest houses. They believe that their gallery and other new ones will help Hermanus on its way to achieving a similar status to Clarens in the Free State which tourists visit with art in mind. And the tourists are on their way, says Rey. “The World Cup will offer an even bigger slice of the pie with every tourist that lands in Cape Town, visiting Hermanus.”

ArtsPage 3 July 2009 Twenty-two to one

One doubtfully-attributed painting– in this case, a “Rembrandt” – was replaced by twenty-two other Dutch and Flemish paintings of the Golden Age when the arbiters of the day expressed concerns about the painting’s authenticity. It was the leading work in a collection (now housed in The Old Town House on Greenmarket Square) acquired in England by Max Michaelis at the turn of the last century and presented to the City of Cape Town. Mr Michaelis was later presented with a knighthood. Which is not as good as a baronetcy but nice to have if you move in London Society.
I was reminded of this tale by a reader who responded to my last column about fakes and forgeries. The work in question, “Young Lady holding a Glove” now graces the Irish National Gallery and is described, safely enough, as “School of Rembrandt”.

Frans Claerhout (1919-2002)

Sometimes I am surprised that anyone risks buying one of the often sentimental works by this prolific artist and man of the cloth. Born in Belgium, he came as a missionary to South Africa and stayed. His earlier works had a certain quality of freshness and the SA National Gallery acquired a couple in the ’60s. The artist revealed in 2002 that a Bloemfontein dealer he had known for many years had printed hundreds of copies of his work and sold them as originals. Scandal!
A local gallery owner told me of a client who, several years ago, brought in three “Claerhouts”. One he intended to keep and the other two were to be offered for sale though the gallery. He had just bought them at an auction, he said proudly, “at a very good price.” Alas, although the signatures looked familiar, the works themselves were of a very different style to Claerhout’s. The crisp advice he received was to take them right back to the hall and cancel his cheque.

Seller beware?

“Never mind ‘caveat emptor,’ it’s the seller who should beware’ said a caller the other day. He was worried that pushy buyers of art might take advantage of little old ladies who happened to have a painting by Gregoire or other bankable name on their walls. Made me think of the stories of hard-as-nails dealers who scoured the Platteland in the fifties and sixties, offering brand-new Formica kitchen tables (AND six matching chairs!) for simple country folk’s ancient yellowwood pieces, usually covered in layers of enamel paint. “What do you recommend the old ladies should do?” I asked. “Always get a second opinion” he replied. Seems sensible to me.

Derrick Benzien of Onrus Gallery and a regular advertiser to buy South African masterworks, explained how he responds to enquiries. He offers an evaluation service and then three options; one figure if the owner wants to sell outright; a sale on consignment basis with a higher price and an agreed commission to be deducted; or a sale at auction through his new Whale Rock Auctioneers – for the sellers who can afford to risk a bit in the hope of maximizing the return.

It is a good idea, no matter whether you are selling art or objets or collectibles, to find a dealer in that field to give an opinion of worth. If you can get the item correctly identified and described, you are half way to getting a correct price. And of course there will be a difference between what you are offered and what the dealer will mark it up for sale.

Art Courses



At 11 Sherwood Avenue in Onrus is the studio of Pieter Vermaak, local artist and art teacher. No fakes or forgeries here, just an enjoyable time with a congenial teacher. The most recent three-day course finished yesterday. My picture shows Pieter and his students with popular model Rosie in the centre. You can reach him on 082 460 2959.

Keep you news and views coming to me at niblos@telkomsa.net.

SKETCH - UWE PFAFF

Self-portrait with school of thought going through my head


It’s a distinctive name for an artist in South Africa. Useful, if you intend to market your art properly. Uwe says he’s not that good at marketing himself. This is surely just modesty because he has a slick website www.uwpfaff.com and his dry sense of humour, enthusiasm and no-nonsense approach make a winning combination.

I knew him by his stainless steel sculptures, highly polished with a microns-thin nickel coating, pierced like an oversize jigsaw puzzle before the pieces fit together; positive metal and negative black space. The themes are figures, fish, any symbol that fits this inventive artist’s mindset.

His designs are hand-drawn, converted to computer and flame-cut from sheets of stainless steel. The larger pieces are limited editions of 5 to 7, the smaller figures run to 12. Finishing is a personal matter – time-consuming, effortful but satisfying for the artist who is reluctant to delegate this chore. I mention Damien Hirst whose works are largely constructed for him. Uwe is unimpressed. For him, the polishing process bonds him more closely with each piece. He would like his sculptures to catch the eye, to talk to you and to provoke response.

A mechanical engineer by training, Uwe (pronounced Oo-vay) came to this country from Germany in 1970 and worked in industrial design. Five years later he took his first painting and sculpture classes. Later, after time at the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Woodstock, he was selected for the 1982 Cape Town Biennale, with both an etching and a sculpture in soapstone. He has also worked successfully in wood, paints, ceramics, Perspex and glass as well as metal.

“My ‘metal pictures’ have done well for me” he says. He has even explored their ringing tones when struck - the search and experimentation urge is built into this man for all seasons. “Many artists have become expert at a tangent of their creativity but the formula that works becomes the monkey’s paw in the bottle of their own growth.” Painting is due for a come-back, he feels. Bold colours and primitive symbols are calling to be put down on paper again.

Uwe has his studio at Stonehaven, artist Gail Catlin’s atmospheric lodge above De Bos Dam. The lovely rambling stone house was threatened by fire recently but survived after some tense hours. I would be surprised if elemental fire-blackened objects do not find an echo in Uwe’s work somewhere.

His sculptures are sold internationally but you will also find them Cape Town; in Hermanus, Walker Bay Art Gallery has a display of representative pieces. Works have been acquired by the Friends of the SA National Gallery, and for the Sanlam, Sasol and Rand Mercant Bank collections, among others. Perhaps we can persuade him to have an exhibition soon. Hermanus needs to see more of the varied art of Uwe Pfaff.

ArtsPage 19 June 2009 Let the buyer beware…

“A little learning is a dangerous thing;/Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring:/There, shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,/And drinking largely sobers us again.”
So said Alexander Pope (1688-1744) and I am not going to disagree. Particularly when it comes to art and spotting something that is not quite “right.” You really do need a lot of learning. There is simply no shortcut to checking an artwork’s authenticity if the artist is not around to verify it. Provenance becomes vital; how did the work reach you, who were the previous owners, has it passed through the hands of a reputable dealer or auction house? Appearances alone can be deceptive – perhaps even intended to deceive.

Fakes and forgeries

When an artist’s work begins to command high prices, there is often a temptation among the less scrupulous to cash in on the less knowledgeable. Or the greedy. Or the gullible. We want so badly to believe we have discovered an overlooked masterpiece that we ignore the obvious warning signs. If you are going entirely on the name, you may lose out. After all, the best artists have off-days and their lesser works are never going to be worth top dollar. Local expert Hennie Niemann says, “Buy a good painting, not a good name; then, even if it is not by whom you think it is, you still have a decent work to enjoy.”

Where do fakes come from?

Someone who has a talent for copying may decide to reproduce a picture or make a painting in the style of an established painter and add the required signature. A quicker way is to discover an authentic painting, perhaps a bona fide student’s copy done to practice technique, perhaps a work by another artist in a similar style, and forge a signature. In a few cases, the picture may be authentic but the artist, for reasons of his own, may not have signed it. Then the temptation is strong to add a signature and increase the value. Alas, if discovered, it has the opposite effect.
With lithographs, the work may be essentially identical, just an edition number and signature is added. I am referring to contemporary fakes of contemporary artists – when it comes to Old Masters, the game is upped and there are technical ways of checking the composition of canvasses, paints etc and processes like x-ray and spectroscopic examinations may be employed.

Tretchikoff under the spotlight



“The Lost Orchid”, an oil by SA Master Vladimir Tretchikoff , (illustrated) was sold for R3,2million at the much-hyped Brett Kebbble Auction last month in Johannesburg. Doubts have been cast on its authenticity and the auctioneers are remaining non-committal until their expert, a professor from the University of Pretoria, has given an opinion. Members of Tretchikoff’s family are being consulted, too. Undoubtedly the provenance will be closely checked, as well as comparison of the brushstrokes and signature against any other reproductions of the work in books of reference. There is a lot at stake.

Domsaitis (1880-1965)



Pranas Domsaitis (his Lithuanian name) was born as Franz Domscheit in East Prussia and came to SA in 1949. Already established as a painter with German Impressionist/Expressionist influences, his works were often religious and , in SA, moody Karoo landscapes, with occasional flower pieces. He tackled the same subject repeatedly and at his death there were several hundred works of varying quality and completeness in his studio. It was rumoured that his wife arranged for the finishing touches and even the signatures on some works as dealers were offered canvasses with moist paint several years after his death.

The illustrated painting, which cropped up some years ago in an auction house catalogue, was spotted by the eagle eye of Hennie Niemann as being an identical copy of an oil in the SA National Gallery –“Stormy Landscape.” A late work, the whirling crowds were described as symbols of the human spirit, contrasting with the two houses, symbols of life on earth. The National Gallery had issued prints of this work so Niemann was able to compare and note the uncertain treatment of the clouds and the doubtful signature; he drew this to the auctioneer’s attention and the work was not offered for sale.

I am indebted for this tale to Mr Niemann, a partner in the Onrus Gallery and acknowledged for his experience, particularly in respect of local artists like Gregoire, Wallace, etc. And as I have a work by Domsaitis, almost indistinguishable from one sold at auction some months ago in Cape Town, I am debating whether I should let him pass judgment on it. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.


The future of fakes

Sad thing is, once a fake/forgery is identified, a reputable auctioneer will quietly withdraw it from sale and return it to the owner. It is not destroyed or indelibly marked FAKE so, after a while, it will probably appear in a small town sale and seek another willing innocent buyer. There it will remain, for years, perhaps decades, until the heirs of the owner (who may even have fought over the “famous name” work) again offer it for sale.

Claerhout, Pierneef, Gregoire Boonzaier, Tinus de Jong, even Nelson Mandela – anyone whose work is attracting high prices, distinctive and not too difficult to copy, may have admirers who wish to relieve you of your art money. So do take expert advice in private deals or buy from a reputable dealer - and remember the golden rule “If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is…” Caveat emptor!

If you have any personal stories about art fakes, let me know at niblos@telkomsa.net.

SNIPPETS

• The Mission’s House Gallery, Onrus, will reopen on 27th June after their winter break.

• Whale Rock Auctioneers held a successful fine art, carpet and collectibles sale on 6 June at their Hermanus rooms. Noted Cape Town auctioneer Kenny Finberg held the hammer and the highest price of the day was for a Hugo Naudé seascape.

• Mila Mosaics, (owned by Lara Levey who shared her expertise for the exciting murals at Enlighten Trust), is moving 1 July to the funky new courtyard at 3 High St between Melony’s and Haute Rizelle – or you can enter through Chilli Pepper at 10 Mitchell Street. Art, mirrors, mosaics and craft material.

• The SA Art Information Directory 2009 is now available – R169 from info@saaid.co.za or call 021 424 7733. A cross-country list of galleries and art events. Compiled by the publishers of the splendid SA Art Times, free each month at selected galleries.

• Bonhams’ next SA art sale is in London, 13 & 14 October – contact Penny Culverwell on 011 783 1813 or sapictures@bonhams.com.

• Stephan Welz/Sotheby’s are inviting consignments for their Cape Town sale, 20/21 October. SA paintings, furniture, silver and ceramics. Call 021 794 6461

ArtsPage Friday 5 June 2009 - Drums of Africa

Oh the excitement! My mailbag was overflowing this fortnight as readers e-mailed me (and my editor) commenting on the ArtsPage and on the art scene in our area. And not a single letter from “Disgusted” of Sandbaai. Well, I must be doing something right. Or not, depending on your standpoint.

Getting to know about art

Certainly the galleries are feeling the winter pinch and even the most forbidding will be pleased if you drop in. To build one’s art knowledge, there is no better way than to browse regularly at our better galleries. Start at Abalone where you will find the newly-hung series of Cecil Skotnes woodcuts dating from 1976, available individually in simple frames – he captured Africa in bold and idiosyncratic forms and colours. Check out what the galleries are offering. We have a glorious range from classic to kitsch. Exposure will train your eye and mind to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Grande Provence

To Franschhoek on Sunday in the company of Karen McKerron, 18 years a leading gallerist in Johannesburg and now living an art-surrounded life in Eastcliff. Franschhoek is out of range of the ArtsPage but I like occasionally to mention it to alert our galleries; there is the lingering threat that the pretty wineland town could overtake Greater Hermanus as Art Destination if we do not get our message across by joint marketing. They have a superb sepia brochure , just a one-page A3 sheet, but stylishly presented and showing a diagrammatic art route surrounded by pictorial advertisements. Where we have whales, they go for the French connection with food, book fests and music.

Maritz and Dhont



We were on our way to see Jacques Dhont’s eco-sculptures and Nicolaas Maritz’s enamels on board, at Grande Provence’s lofty exhibition space. A treat, and on show till 30 June. According to Dhont, his powerful sculptures of woven wattle bark are portraits of contemporary life: reflections on modern man as a scavenger; the relentless passing of time - forewarning about man’s troubled relations with nature. “The Earth has become an island prison where man may be concerned and become extinct because of a terrible lack of insight, energy and effort.” In the context of this environmental catastrophe, the sculptures seem quaint and nostalgic: a tribute to human folly.


Maritz is an established artist with works in most of the major national collections. His landscapes are stylized and his large abstracts hint at musical rhythms. The works of sculptor and painter work well together, their earthy tones resonating in the airy gallery. In opening the show, Catherine Du Toit said that what she personally admired in both Nicolaas and Jacques was their indomitable spirit, their commitment to their own artistic vision. “They are not driven by commercial, political or sociological objectives. They make art, not ‘documentary evidence’ as Nicolaas puts it, because it is in their nature to do so.”

Recycled dreams



Izibini Life Lounge is the name of the quaint studio on Voëlklip’s lower Main Road ( 10th Street). It occupies the premises known as the Old Post Office and was, in a subsequent reincarnation, a popular steakhouse. Now outside on the pavement you will spot weird and wonderful artifacts made up of scrap iron, driftwood, the detritus of our modern world. It is the passion of the owners, architecturally-trained “AD” Strydom and artistic Yolanda, to take unconsidered trifles and add their magic touch to create pieces of decorative art. The circular mirror fragment is set in an angry sunburst of metal – octopus-like; the chandeliers of white-sprayed found objects; the distinctively-backed barstools – you will recognize them when you see them. And the braziers, whether you call them braai drums, patio warmers or good old konkas will be a talking point. No concession to “Beach Palace Interior” design, the items are rawly honest. Not for the fainthearted!
But hey, they also serve good cake and serious coffee so if you think this is Baghdad Café come to Hermanus, you could be on target. The “second life” they give to their objects is vibrant and distinctive and very much of Africa.

Another Gallery?

Well, almost. It is the spacious auction rooms of Whale Rock Auctioneers at Adam Street, Hermanus Business Park. When they are not actually displaying their items for auction, (and the next art, antiques and collectibles sale is from 10h00 this Saturday), there will be a changing display of artworks on show. The catalogue for tomorrow’s sale is on the web at www.whalerockauctioneers.co.za.

Remember that your news and views are always welcome at niblos@telkomsa.net.