Willem Pretorius
On The Road Again
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 47
Willem Pretorius
On The Road Again
About this Item
signed and dated; inscribed with the artist name and dated Aug 2025 on the reverse
Notes
Willem Pretorius grew up in Stella, on the edge of the Kalahari, and obtained a Diploma in Graphic Design from the Pretoria Technikon (now Tshwane University of Technology). He moved from Pretoria to Rosendal in the Eastern Free State, where he began working as a full-time artist and continues to live. Working in oil on canvas, Pretorius paints in a style best described as contemporary or observational realism. His subject is the South African platteland and its changing landscapes, drawn from the small towns he knows as a local and from the many road trips he takes with his family, forming a kind of visual diary. He is drawn in particular to the way nature reclaims man-made structures, finding beauty in decay. Pretorius has been a top 40 finalist in the Sanlam Portrait Award five times, placing fourth in 2019 and second in 2023. His solo exhibition Hier en Nou was held at the Tina Skukan Gallery in 2023, and his work is in the permanent collection of the William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley.
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