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


Sold for

ZAR 234 500
Lot 5
  • Jake Aikman; Muse (Atlantic)
  • Jake Aikman; Muse (Atlantic)


Lot Estimate
ZAR 250 000 - 350 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 234 500

About this Item

South African 1978-
Muse (Atlantic)

signed and dated 2011

oil on canvas
179 by 295 by 3,5cm, unframed

Notes

‘Upon being asked why he began painting water, Aikman responded, ‘When I was at Michaelis School of Fine Art I did a series of photorealistic paintings where water was quite central to the theme. For the project, I asked my dad to climb into Dalebrook Tidal Pool in St James, Cape Town. He looked so vulnerable, and it made me think about human vulnerability in water. I also surf, which naturally created an interest in the ocean, particularly as an element you can’t control. Seeing my father in the water, his human frailty, I wanted to evoke this same feeling in a painting without the human figure.’


Martina Polley (2018) VISI, Artists we love: Jake Aikman, online, https://visi.co.za/artists-we-love-jake-aikman/, accessed 18 January 2024.

This lot has been selected by Curatorial Voice: Ugoma Ebilah.

View all Jake Aikman lots for sale in this auction



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