Street Scene

Notes

"… what goes on in the studio… is a jumble of meditation, instantaneous decision, change of direction, memories dredged up and astonishment by what is happening on the surface before one…"— Robert Hodgins on painting in his studio, in an interview with Ivor Powell, 1996¹

The present lot is typical of Hodgins’ oeuvre. Executed in oil and graphite, the work possesses an almost watery quality that reflects Hodgins’ consistent attempt to blur the boundaries that
might otherwise constrain his art, whether in content, concept, or medium. This boundary breaking approach was always infused with a sense of satire and absurdity.

The present lot depicts an armed hold-up featuring two figures confronted with each other, one wielding a firearm. Like many of Hodgins’ works, this lot can be read as a form of social
commentary. Yet despite addressing the serious subject matter of violence, Hodgins maintains his sense of the comic, rendered with remarkable subtlety, creating a tension between the grave and the humorous.

Often, Hodgins represented historical events, images, figures, and cultural impressions. While the human form frequently served as his subject matter, it was his masterful use of colour, space,
and form that drove his compositions. In the present lot, an unusual diagonal composition suggests how different elements engage in dialogue with one another. The painting emerges
as an examination of the human condition, addressing the construction and confusion of contemporary urban life. Yet Hodgins did not allow pessimism to dominate entirely. Through the present lot one finds a duality that captures the complex reality of the South African experience.

^1. (2022) Robert Hodgins: +/-, Exhibition Statement, Goodman Gallery, online, accessed 16 August 2025.

Provenance

Obert Contemporary, Johannesburg.

Aspire, Johannesburg, 5 February 2018, lot 43.