Kirby van der Merwe
Singende Bos 3 (Singing Forest 3)
About the SessionThe Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Benefit Auction forms an integral part of Strauss & Co’s ongoing partnership with one of South Africa’s leading arts festivals. Now in its fifth year, the auction reflects a shared commitment to supporting the visual arts and creating meaningful opportunities for artists and collectors. Held at Stellenbosch Town Hall and accompanied by a curated preview exhibition, the auction brings together works by both emerging and established artists. Its intention is to encourage new and seasoned collectors to engage with and invest in South African art, while expanding the market and improving access to the work of leading local artists. At its core, the auction places artistic excellence at the centre while seeking to create greater visibility and recognition for contemporary artistic practice.
LOT 15
Kirby van der Merwe
Singende Bos 3 (Singing Forest 3)
About this Item
signed and dated; signed, dated and inscribed with the title on the reverse
Notes
Kirby van der Merwe was born in Paarl in the 1960s. He showed an early aptitude for art, taking it as a school subject and later enrolling at the Michaelis School of Fine Art for a year. After studying at Hewat College, he worked as a teacher, cabinetmaker and artist, working in painting, sculpture and ceramics. It was as a young artist in Onrus, through his friendship with writers Uys Krige (1910-1987) and Jan Rabie (1920-2001), that he began writing. In 1998 he received a merit award in the Bellville Art Association’s New Signatures competition for artists who had not yet held a solo exhibition, and in 2000 he won its sculpture category. Van der Merwe is equally known as an award-winning Afrikaans writer and journalist: his debut novel Klapperhaar Slaap Nie Stil Nie appeared in 1999, and his second, Eugene (2022), won the Eugène Marais Prize and two Rapport prizes in 2023. His journalism has earned a Mondi award and ATKV Media Feathers.
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