Notes

“If one examines the range of [Esias Bosch’s] tiles – from the simplicity of the smaller ones to the complexity of the monumental pieces and murals – it is clear that the most memorable are those that assimilate the designs, patterns and symbols of Oriental, European and African traditions. The veld flowers, grasses, lizards, insects and birds that constantly appear in these free-flowing, intuitive designs are inspired by the environment of White River, where he has lived for almost three decades. Again, the finest of the lustre tiles are those in which the brushwork and the rhythms created by that brushwork are subtle and fleeting, and where the decorative elements are stylized or abstracted rather than overly literal. Very often these motifs are combined with highly personal, painterly dots and flicks, which serve to animate the surface.”

Rose Korber (1988) ‘Tiles’, in Andree Bosch and Johann de Waal (Eds.), Esias Bosch, Cape Town: The Struik Group (Pty) Ltd, page 49.