Posted on Tue 12-08-2008
Cecil Skotnes, A Private View
Story by Caroline Kaminju
'In the land of the blind' - pencil on watercolour paper - Photo by Heritage Agency
The exhibition with the theme - Cecil Skotnes: A Private View, showcased a private view of Skotnes work including his intimate works like drawings, cartoons, prints and painting on paper, that has molded him into an iconic legend in the South African art world. Also on display were Skotnes’ letters and documents which were collected by his wife Thelma (for the last ten years), sketchbooks, notes from fellow artists, stamp designs from 1966, objects such as wood engraving tools from his studio, Skotnes’ personal memorabilia like bowties and visual dedications from Skotnes to his wife Thelma. The show has been curated by his daughter Pippa Skotnes also an artist and teacher at the Michaelis School of Art in Cape Town and Thomas Cartwright of the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Curating the Archive.
Skotnes began as a painter but later switched to printmaking in 1954 after he met a German goldsmith and art collector Egon Guenther who encouraged him to take up a career in art by making prints. He started off with the traditional abstract landscapes in horizontal format but later incorporated what he calls the ‘spirit of Africa’ in his pieces. 1957 saw Skotnes have his first solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Centre and he represented South Africa at Sao Paolo and Venice Biennales a year later.
Cecil Skotnes in his studio - Photo by Paul Weinberg
It was while teaching at the Polly Street Art Centre in Johannesburg, where he was also the director, that Skotnes developed what became his trademark of making incisions on wood panels and painting them. His printmaking technique known as the linocut which he introduced at the centre in the early 60’s has become a cornerstone of what is known as ‘township art’. It has thus served as a great inspiration to many artists. The Polly Art Centre was the only place “apart from a few private galleries – where black artists in Johannesburg could pursue their art and exhibit their work”.
The Assassination of Shaka-(1973) and the - White Monday Disaster- were exhibitions that Skotnes had in collaboration with poet Stephen Gray. Both exhibitions were held at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg and they took the form of a ‘block book’ which meant that the content of the work was conveyed simultaneously through print and words – Skotnes did the prints and Gray the poems. Both shows were sold out as art collectors ‘frenzied buying and reselling occurred on the spot’ says Gray. In 1974, the 'assassination of Shaka' was published in a large format book.
Skotnes also used art to express love to his wife and family. For instance, - For Thelma - (1992) is a beautiful drawing of a bird with the inscription “My darling a very beautiful Christmas and wonderful things in 1993. Love me”. Another one dedicated to his wife was inscribed: “For Thelma whom I love because she is beautiful and the light of goodness shines in her. I am fortunate”.
Skotnes, born in East London, South Africa, studied painting in Florence Italy after fighting in World War II with South African troops. He returned to South Africa and joined the University of Witwatersrand to study art in 1947. He resided in Johannesburg and later relocated to Cape Town in 1978 where he still resides. In 1963 Skotnes was instrumental in establishing the Amadlozi or “spirit of our ancestors” group which comprised of Guiseppe Cattaneo, Cecily Sash, Sidney Kumalo (a Polly Street Art Centre alumni) and Edoardo Villa.
Skotnes, a pioneer in print making in South Africa, contribution to art has seen him receive many awards like the Chamber of Mines and South Africa Gold Medals in 1965 and 1968 respectively. Additionally, he received three honorary doctorates from the University of Cape Town, Rhodes and University of twatersrand. In 2003 he was honored with a National Order, the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold for his "exceptional achievement, and the deracialisation of the arts, and for outstanding contribution to the development of black artist.
The exhibition is sponsored by Standard Bank which continues to play a significant role in showcasing South African art.
'Head' by Cecil Skotnes - photo by Heritage Agency
