Day Sale

Timed Online Auction, 2 - 16 September 2024

Day Sale

Sold for

ZAR 22 278
Lot 56
  • Jake Aikman; Here and Now/Janus Atlantic
  • Jake Aikman; Here and Now/Janus Atlantic
  • Jake Aikman; Here and Now/Janus Atlantic


Lot Estimate
ZAR 20 000 - 30 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 22 278

About this Item

South African 1978-
Here and Now/Janus Atlantic

signed, dated '22, numbered 16/30, inscribed with the title in pencil and embossed with the South Atlantic Press chopmark in the margin

woodcut on washi paper fixed to Fabriano, 300 gsm
image size: 55,5 by 110,5cm; 75,5 by 131 by 3,5cm including frame

Provenance

South Atlantic Press, Cape Town

Private Collection

Notes

"Janus, the ancient Roman deity, presided over doorways and beginnings. Often depicted with two bearded faces situated back to back on a single head, gazing in opposing directions, he also symbolized the sun's rising and setting.

In his role as a god connected to time and transitions, Janus embodied the dichotomy of looking both into the past and the future. Notably, he lacked a representation for the present, which was indicative of the present being the intermediary phase between the two. The Roman perspective didn't conceive of the present as an independent moment, but rather as a fleeting passage from future to past.

The two woodblock prints are distinct carvings, each mirrored and precisely aligned, with a slender gap deliberately maintained between them. This gap symbolises the juncture between the past and the future, aiming to draw the observer's attention to the immediate moment. The artistic intention behind this composite print is to provide a contemplative space encompassing reflections on the past, engagement with the present, and thoughts about the future."—Jake Aikman, 2023.

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