Black Artists of South Africa
Two incredibly respected artists in the South African scene are George Pemba and Gerard Sekoto. Both of these men have taken little interest in formal studies of modern art as influenced by the European schools and artists, and have focused on the depiction of the environments and the realities of life in their country through expressionism that is forceful and direct. Sekoto’s paintings from the beginning of the 1940′s focused on the scenes of the street, the environment and the buildings such luxury hotels. South Africa city life was expressed without too much of the human elements being present in his work. It was during this time, that he became the first black artist to be picked up by Johannesburg’s Art Gallery. He began to introduce the human elements later, but the figures are often downplayed. He left Africa in 1947 and began working in Paris, however he was ill much of the time and lived the rest of his life in poverty, never again reaching the successes that he had in his homeland.
Pemba, never left his village in South Africa, Motherwell Township. He painted his entire life, into his nineties, but only received recognition when the public began to notice the works of black artists of South Africa. Pemba painted the people, the poor leading their lives in a simple manner. He was a humble man, painting humble people and managed to bring their humanity through to the canvas in the most fundamental of styles and feeling. These two men influenced and inspired those that followed them. The Polly Street Art Center was established in Johannesburg gave new artists the access to create the ever emerging South African style. Oil paint was impossible to obtain during the years of apartheid and the artists found other ways, such as pen and ink drawing and wood sculpture to express themselves, often with passionate results, fueled by the times and the political atmosphere that they were living within. These are moving works, powerful and human and will continue to inspire artists for many years to come.
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