Prelude to Podlashuc

Timed Online Auction, 31 January - 17 February 2025

Prelude to Podlashuc: A Glimpse into the Creative World of Alexander Podlashuc
About the Session

This curated selection of works by Alexander Podlashuc highlights his sharp observations of industry, Cape Town’s cityscapes, and everyday still lifes. His background in graphic arts and British Modernism shaped a style that blends bold composition with incisive social commentary. Podlashuc’s work captures South Africa’s shifting landscapes—both physical and political—through industrial scenes, harbours, and domestic settings. Each lot in this sale is thoughtfully narrated by the artist’s son, Leopold, who provides insight into the personal and historical contexts that shaped his father’s vision. His reflections reveal the depth behind Podlashuc’s uniquely personal style. Above all, this collection celebrates an artist whose silenced voice continues to echo powerfully throughout South Africa’s art community.


Current Bid

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Lot 17
  • Alexander Podlashuc; Construction Site, Kloof Street
  • Alexander Podlashuc; Construction Site, Kloof Street
  • Alexander Podlashuc; Construction Site, Kloof Street


Lot Estimate
ZAR 30 000 - 50 000
Current Bid
Starting at ZAR 28 000
Location
Cape Town
Shipping
Condition Report
May include additional detailed images
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About this Item

South African 1930-2009
Construction Site, Kloof Street

signed and dated 2000; inscribed with the title, the date, numbered 21 and 5 on the reverse

oil on canvas
99 by 119cm excluding frame; 122 by 141 by 5cm including frame

Notes

‘The transformation of things. The relentless process of destruction and creation that accompanies capital as it intensifies in pursuit of profit. Old buildings of the past torn down to make way for the new. Here, the ironically named Lifestyle Centre is being built in a pit violently hewn from the ground, its skeleton of steel and concrete soon to be glazed and fashionably decorated.’—Leopold Podlashuc, 2025.

Provenance

The Podlashuc Collection.

View all Alexander Podlashuc lots for sale in this auction