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 and dated '26
Provenance
Acquired from the artist by the previous owner.
Stephan Welz & Co, Cape Town, 30 May 2007, lot 370, with the title Filling the Bucket.
Literature
Dalene Marais (1994) Maggie Laubser: Her Paintings, Drawings and Graphics, Johannesburg and Cape Town: Perskor Publishers, cat. no. 576.
Notes
Maggie Laubser’s art reflects simplicity and serenity. Her approach to painting is characterised by an uncomplicated expression of feeling, as she once said, “The privilege of bearing witness to these things in my simple way deeply satisfies me.”1 Her scenes immerse viewers in idyllic, charming places, rendered with technical skill and a deep understanding of colour.
In the present lot, Laubser depicts a tranquil moment by the shore. The scene is grounded by a woman at work, set against a backdrop of undulating water and hills. Floating boats gently drift across the canvas, while the houses appear to float as well. Laubser’s use of colour—blues and greens balanced with deeper oranges and browns — creates a sense of calm and sensuality. The composition, while simple, is deeply effective in evoking a peaceful, harmonious atmosphere.
1 Johans Borman Fine Art (n.d.) Maggie Laubser, online, http://www.johansborman.co.za/artist-biographies/laubser-maggie/, accessed 22 January 2025.