Notes

Erik Laubscher is best known for his landscapes depicting parts of the Overberg, Swartland, Koue Bokkeveld and Northern Cape. His signature style involves using bold, geometrical bands of colour to depict these landscapes. Initially influenced by European painting, he later realised that these styles were insufficient in capturing the essence of South Africa’s scenery. Laubscher developed a highly personal and emotive approach, emphasising his emotional response to the actual places he painted. He began observing the interaction between man-made and natural shapes in the landscapes, and translated these elements into a ‘Hard Edge’ style, simplifying forms and intensifying colours for enhanced visual and expressive impact.¹ Graanlandery, portrays a landscape with distinct outlines and flat bands of colour that extend over the sides of the stretcher to evoke a sense of continuity. An autumn ambiance is evoked through an interplay of warm yellows and cool greys showcasing the artist’s fusion of formalism with a profound connection to his depicted landscapes.

^1. Hans Fransen (2009) Erik Laubscher: A Life in Art, exhibition catalogue, Stellenbosch: SMAC Gallery, page 95.