Artists

From Albert Adams to Portia Zvavahera, Strauss & Co maintains a detailed database of every artist sold at auction since 2009. Whether it is painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, ceramics or new media, this searchable database lists by artist every lot offered and provides aggregated data useful to collectors. Famous South African artists like William Kentridge, JH Pierneef, Alexis Preller and Irma Stern are introduced with helpful biographies along with the best contemporary artists.



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Helena Hugo

South African 1975- 


Helena Hugo has been a full-time artist since graduating from the University of Pretoria in 1996. She focuses on pastel drawings, but her mediums also include oils, fibre arts and occasional experiments with photography. Her highly finished, detailed, expressions of people are mostly depictions of South African and migrant hand labourers. Her fibre artworks are most often made from reappropriated clothing previously worn and owned by South African and migrant labourers. Although her past thematic content has always been centred around ‘work’ as an important element of our physical survival and psychological well being, it also had an underlying investigative probing into our universal human condition, our transient, fragile nature and the cycle of birth, death and resurrection. Recently she began to explore our fear of death, of disappearing or of lacking significance and how it sometimes manifests in destructive behaviour towards other humans as well as towards animals and nature. Currently she is working on a body of work exploring the ambiguous and changeable nature of power. She has exhibited her work widely in South Africa, in London, Holland, France, America and China. Art works have been bought by corporate collectors like Standard Chartered Bank, London, The University of Johannesburg, The Johannesburg Eye Hospital, Vulisango Holdings, The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, Ukwazi Mining Industry Consultants, UNISA, William Humphreys gallery, The National Museum of China as well as private collectors around the world.

“Women are traditionally viewed as protectors of children and caregivers to those weaker than themselves. In Greek Mythology, Gaia has the more portentous role of personifying earth itself, the giver of all life. In this portrait, seemingly soft and gentle “woman” is subtly portrayed as able protector of self, other women and even of man – not just the boy child, but the grown man, having in her the power to aid him emotionally, but also physically if needed. She has self-reliance and wisdom, not only intuitive spiritual wisdom, but also intellect and logic.”


8 lots offered      62.50% sold      ZAR 143 660
 

  Including Premium and VAT Results include Buyer's Premium and VAT
Helena Hugo; Protectress II
24 Oct 2022
Sold for ZAR 20 000
Helena Hugo; Seamstress
10 Aug 2021
Sold for ZAR 34 140
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Helena Hugo; At the Mine
8 Jun 2019
ZAR 15 000 - 20 000
 
Helena Hugo; Man in a Black Jacket
8 Jun 2019
ZAR 30 000 - 40 000
 
Helena Hugo; Man in a Striped Shirt
8 Jun 2019
ZAR 30 000 - 40 000
 
Helena Hugo; At the Brick Factory II
20 May 2019
Sold for ZAR 36 416
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Helena Hugo; Plantation Worker
13 Nov 2017
Sold for ZAR 34 104
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
Helena Hugo; The Tough Cookie
30 Nov 2013
Sold for ZAR 19 000

Results in green indicate post sales.