Notes

"Trance Images of the Richtersveld was a watershed exhibition. The exhibition was opened by Professor David Lewis-Williams, the internationally acclaimed cognitive archaeologist from Wits University. It was the first time Lewis-Williams had agreed to open an art exhibition - an endorsement of major importance. His participation cemented Robert Slingsby's status as the only notable contemporary artist, since Walter Battiss, to consistently integrate South African rock art into his creative practice.

For over forty years, Slingsby conducted his own field research in the Richtersveld, documenting its fragile rock art heritage. His ongoing efforts have led to the development of creative narratives that not only engage with the petroglyphs themselves but also reflect the suffering, marginalisation, and historical neglect of the indigenous communities - whose ancestors created these artworks and who still live in the region today."-Janis Slingsby, 2025

With thanks to Janis Slingsby for assisting with the cataloguing of this lot.

Exhibited

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Trace Images of the Richtersveld, 1989.