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 SessionThis 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.
About this Item
signed; numbered 12 on the reverse
Notes
‘The conversion of agricultural surplus into nonperishable commodities is a key factor of modern capitalism. Distilled spirits, wine, beer, oils, jams, preserves, pickles, tallow and umpteen other
things conserve value long after harvest. Podlashuc (Pod) came across this farm factory in Patmos in 1972. Its geometric facades in the background belie the gouging of the foreground weakly covered by straggling sunflowers and weeds. Manufacturing comes at a cost, as did the Greek Regime of the Colonels and its parallels to South Africa of the time.’—Leopold Podlashuc, 2025.
Provenance
The Podlashuc Collection.