Notes

The present lot was showcased in a solo exhibition at the Gowlett Gallery in Cape Town in 1983. All the paintings featured in this exhibition utilized sporting references as symbols of inequality. These activities, associated with the privileged, served to underscore their parallel world of privilege in the midst of unspeakable suffering, seemingly oblivious to the pain and poverty experienced by most South Africans.

During the early 1980s, contemporary art galleries were relatively scarce. The Gowlett Gallery stood out as one of the prominent art venues in Cape Town, boasting a sizable modern space. It featured exhibitions by renowned artists such as Norman Catherine and Sue Williamson. Interestingly, Thelma Skotnes, Cecil's wife, worked there.

Slingsby returned to South Africa in 1981 after spending five years studying at the Vrije Akademie in Holland. Throughout this period, his art consistently conveyed overt anti-apartheid, political, and social commentary. While this was tolerated in anti-apartheid Holland, the South African art scene lagged behind due to restricted freedom of expression and censorship. Derek Gowlett, the director of the Gowlett Gallery, was one of the leaders in providing a platform for exhibiting art that skirted the boundaries of potential suppression or censorship.

Thanks to Janis Slingsby for the cataloguing of this lot.

Exhibited

Gowlett Gallery, Cape Town, Solo Exhibition, 1983.