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
Notes
The present lot features an abstract composition made from discarded computer keyboard keys arranged into mesmerising circular motifs. This artwork exemplifies his ability to transform mundane, post-consumer materials into evocative visual statements. The work’s circular patterns are intricately constructed, with keys meticulously sorted by colour and texture, creating a striking interplay of light, shadow, and
rhythm. The act of gathering and deconstruction is a ‘gesture towards and a question about the possibilities of transformation through collective work’1
Through his innovative approach, Moffat Takadiwa not only pushes the boundaries of artistic practice but also invites a deeper dialogue
about sustainability, identity, and the enduring impacts of colonial histories.
1. Lifang Zhang (2023) The Conversation, Moffat Takadiwa’s landmark exhibition uses found materials to comment of Zimbabwe’s colonial
history, online, https://theconversation.com/moffat-takadiwas-landmark-exhibition-usesfound-materials-to-comment-onzimbabwescolonial-
hangover-203073, accessed 26 January 2025.