Perspectives on Africa
Live Virtual Auction, 17 February 2025
Perspectives on Africa
About the SessionStrauss & Co is pleased to present Perspectives on Africa, a sale that explores the complexity, beauty, and fluidity of perspectives through African art and works by artists with strong ties to the continent. The sale coalesces the rich and varied connections between Africa and its artistic expressions, presenting works that span figuration, landscape, and abstraction, inviting collectors to engage with powerful narratives emerging from Africa's evolving perspectives. The works reflect layered meanings, both as a method of representing depth and dimension as a way of framing our understanding of the world. Work by Contemporary artists reflects on the historical foundations of Modernist artists, exploring themes such as identity, belonging, urbanisation, and re-encounters with tradition, while the sale transitions to Modernist interpretations of Africa, exploring the complexity of colonial encounters, post-independence aspirations, and indigenous practices. Building on Strauss & Co’s commitment to developing a strong local photography market, the sale includes an artist focus on the work of social documentarian Paul Alberts, whose images captured poignant narratives of everyday life, particularly in Cape Town. These works sit alongside David Goldblatt and Zanele Muholi, whose visceral images explore themes of identity, social justice and the multifaceted realities of African life.
About this Item
signed with the artist's initials and dated 22.2.2002
Provenance
Gifted by the artist to the current owner.
Notes
Hylton Nel’s ceramic cats, including the present lot, embody a curious blend of humour, ornamentation, and social commentary. Nel’s cats playfully challenge societal norms while drawing on historical and artistic traditions. Often adorned with human attributes like coiffed hairstyles or cryptic inscriptions, they act as both portraits and self-portraits – offering irreverent critiques of human personalities and political themes.
The cats transcend their ornamental roots, while simultaneously destabilising the boundary between kitsch and high art. Their recent transformation into larger-than-life figures in Dior’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection highlights their enduring relevance as cultural and artistic icons.