Antje Krog's Studio, Cape Town

Notes

In 2015, Linda Waber drew in Antjie Krog’s studio – or more accurately, her writing workshop – which was a particularly exciting experience for her. Having conducted research beforehand, Waber knew that Krog had translated Long Walk to Freedom (1995) by Nelson Mandela into Afrikaans and was already deeply impressed by her literary work. During their conversation, Waber learned that Krog’s role models included Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Moshoeshoe I, the first king of Lesotho – figures subtly referenced in the resulting studio drawing and recognisable once this context is known. Waber’s studio drawings are created using a mixed-media technique involving black ink, brushes, pastel chalks, and various pencils. For the works made in South Africa, she used Japanese paper, chosen for its durability and suitability for travel; she had previously visited Japan on a scholarship in 1970 and exhibited there several times. Waber has exhibited in South Africa twice, in 2010 and again in 2015 at the Irma Stern Museum. Two books have been published documenting her Studio Drawing series, covering all works up to 2003, with the drawings also featured in other publications and represented in collections, particularly in Austria. Professor Rudolf Leopold – the notable collector of Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt and founder of the Leopold Museum in Vienna acquired around 50 of Waber’s studio drawings during his lifetime, which are now housed in the museum or held by the Leopold II Foundation.