Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present

Live Virtual Auction, 19 February 2024

Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present
About the Session

From Thomas Baines to Jake Aikman, Curatorial Voices: African Landscapes, Past and Present will showcase art by pioneering modernist and trailblazing contemporary artists, spanning 175 years of visual landscape painting on the African continent. This comprehensive auction reveals a nuanced understanding of the diverse cultural, historical, and environmental contexts that have shaped artistic representations of the landscape. Through an examination of various themes, the auction seeks to engage viewers in a dialogue that transcends time and space, connecting past representations to contemporary perspectives. The auction attempts to engage with the diversity of artists that have shaped and continue to shape the depiction of Africa through time.

The auction invites viewers on a captivating journey through the artistic expressions that mirror the multifaceted nature of African terrain. Through meticulous  curation and insightful analysis, the catalogue aspires to be a valuable resource for scholars, art enthusiasts and anyone eager to embark on a thought-provoking exploration of Africa’s rich and complex artistic heritage.

Curatorial Voices
Recognising the dynamic discourse surrounding African Landscape, both past and present, the auction features texts by invited contemporary curators responding to the auction selection and themes. As external voices, they provide critical insights into the complexities of the landscape theme. By amplifying these contemporary perspectives, the exhibition seeks to bridge the gap between traditional representations and the ever-evolving discourse on the role of African art within the global art market.

Azza Satti, Independent Curator, Kenya
Azu Nwagbogu, Founder and Director of the African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), Nigeria
Camilla van Hoogstraten, Head of Sales, Latitudes Online
Ugoma Ebilah, Curator, Gallerist & Founder of Bloom Art
Nkgopoleng Moloi, Independent Curator, South Africa


  • Walter Battiss; Ten People in the Mpipi Tree, tapestry
  • Walter Battiss; Ten People in the Mpipi Tree, tapestry
  • Walter Battiss; Ten People in the Mpipi Tree, tapestry


Lot Estimate
ZAR 300 000 - 400 000

About this Item

South African 1906-1982
Ten People in the Mpipi Tree, tapestry

signed; signed by Giles Battiss, dated 1985, numbered 1/3, inscribed with the artist's name, the title, 'The Stephens Tapestry Studio', and the weavers' names (Lillian Simelane, Margaret Zulu, and Marguerite Stephens) on a label sewn to the reverse

mohair wool and tapestry thread on tapestry canvas
193 by 237,5cm, unframed

Notes

This lot has been selected by Curatorial Voice: Nkgopoleng Moloi.

Literature

Karin Skawran & Michael Macnamara (eds) (1985) Walter Battiss, Johannesburg: A D Donker, the original oil painting illustrated in colour on the dust jacket.

View all Walter Battiss lots for sale in this auction



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