Various Artists
GIF IV
About the SessionThe painter Robert Hodgins once told me, “No statue has ever been set up in honour of a critic!” He was admiringly quoting the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The bon mot has a sting, but as a statement of fact is untrue. There are two public sculptures in France honouring Denis Diderot, the father of western art criticism.
Anyone interested in the history of art criticism in South Africa will know that, for a period, Hodgins was an art critic – at Newscheck magazine, from 1962 to 1966. He succeeded Esmé Berman. What, you wonder, does any of this have to do with my selection? Firstly, some of the artists in this selection – Walter Battiss, Carl Büchner, Richard Cheales, Braam Kruger – worked as regular art critics. Others – George Hallett, William Kentridge, J.H. Pierneef – jobbed as editorial illustrators for news media and publishers. Some – Battiss and Peter Clarke – were even competent poets.
It was as an art critic – not an aspiring littérateur – that I met many of the artists in this selection. At some point over the last quarter century (yikes!), I have written about many of the artists presented here. Talking with artists has been my art education. Peter Clarke impressed on me the value of penmanship. Alice Elahi vividly recalled the atmosphere of studying under Maurice van Essche in the late 1940s. Hylton Nel and Jeanne Gaigher helped me understand post-impressionism and its many offshoots. Santu Mofokeng introduced me to avant-garde Japanese photography. And so on.
I owe a debt of gratitude to each for my eccentric education.
—Sean O'Toole
ZAR 5 500
About this Item
A portfolio of 27 prints, from an edition consisting of 101 copies, each signed by the artist and numbered 35/101, inscribed with the artist's name and the medium on the preceding page
Notes
Typography and letterpress printing by Mark Attwood, hand bound by Jacky Tsila and Hazel Sibande at The Artists' Press, the clamshell box made by Jana Pepin.
Artists include: Simon Attwood, Ernest Bellingan Scott, Hanneke Benadé, Conrad Botes, Johann Booyens, Joni Brenner, Alfons Bytautas, Sheila Flynn, Anne Desmet, Jared Ginsburg, Daniel Hewson, Laurel Holmes, Anton Kannemeyer, Noeleen Kleve, Maria Marais, Marguerite Neethling, Luan Nel, Sam Nhlengethwa, Natasha Norman, Ilse Pahl, Richard Penn, Robyn Penn, Ann Roberts, Lee Turner, Ann van der Ploeg and Diane Victor.
(1) Simon Attwood, umKhaya, hand coloured linocut, dated 2018 in pencil in the margin.
(2) Ernest Bellingan Scott, Done to Dream, hand coloured linocut, signed, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(3) Hanneke Benadé, Clutch, etching on paper, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(4) Conrad Botes, Ryk Hattingh 1957-2017, silkscreen, dated 2018 in pencil in the margin; inscribed with the title in the image.
(5) Johann Booyens, metal plate relief, dated '17 in pencil in the margin.
(6) Joni Brenner, Same-Same but Different, watercolour, signed with the artist's initials and inscribed with the title.
(7) Alfons Bytautas, silkscreen, signed with the artist's initials.
(8) Sheila Flynn, Powerline, digital print and mixed media, dated 2018 and inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(9) Jared Ginsburg, monoprint.
(10) Daniel Hewson, Local, linocut, inscribed with the title and dated '17 in the image.
(11) Laurel Holmes, Specimen, collagraph, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin,
(12) Anton Kannemeyer, silkscreen, dated 2018.
(13) Noeleen Kleve, At, etching, dated '17 in pencil in the margin.
(14) Maria Marais, Foundling, linocut, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(15) Marguerite Neethling, Altruism (sic), linocut, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(16) Luan Nel, Submersi, various stamps, dated 2017and inscribed with the title.
(17) Sam Nhlengethwa, Duet, lithograph, dated '18 and inscribed with the title.
(18) Natasha Norman, mokuhanga watercolour woodcut, signed with the artist's initials in pencil and embossed with the artist's chopmark in the margin.
(19) Ilse Pahl, silkscreen, dated 18.
(20) Richard Penn, Stream, open bite etching, dated 18 and inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(21) Robyn Penn, Proxy, mezzotint etching, signed with the artist's initials and inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(22) Ann Roberts, Venus, etching, signed with the artist's initials, numbered 35/101 and inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(23) Lee Turner, lithograph on relief print.
(24) Ann van der Ploeg, On Stools on Unequal Height, mokuhanga watercolour woodcut, inscribed with the title in pencil in the margin.
(25) Diane Victor, Brothers in Arms, lithograph, signed, numbered 35/101, inscribed with the title in pencil and embossed with The Artists' Press chopmark in the margin.
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