Exhibited

Norval Foundation, Cape Town,The Reunion: Georgina Gratrix, 13 February to 31 May 2021.

Strauss & Co, London, Looking Towards Freedom: Womxn Artists from Africa, 8 to 12 October 2024.

Literature

Liese van der Watt and Khanya Mashabela (2021) Georgina Gratrix: The Reunion, exhibition catalogue, Cape Town: The Norval Foundation, illustrated in colour on page 37.

Notes

The present lot presents a richly layered and multidimensional portrait of the artist's mother, reflecting both personal memory and playful exaggeration. Known for her thick, impasto brushstrokes and a vibrant, almost irreverent approach to portraiture, Gratrix transforms her subject into a dynamic fusion of colour and texture. 80s Mom is depicted through the lens of 1980s nostalgia — the oversized hoop earrings, structured shoulder pads, and subtle touches of blue eyeshadow evoke both a specific time period and a heightened, almost caricatured, version of maternal presence.