Goodman Art from Europe to India to Africa

Ever wondered what Taplow, Gwelo and the Boer War have in common? As is often the case with history, and even more so the history of art, one finds some connection between things that seem far apart. Enter the story, Robert Gwelo Goodman.

As a maturing artist, Goodman spent time painting all over the world; Europe, India and South Africa were all part of his itinerary. As the 20th century kicked-off, he exhibited some of his Boer War artwork in both England and South Africa. According to his account he was struggling to make a name for himself and started adding ‘Gwelo’ to his name. The then-Rhodesian, now called Gweru, was founded in 1895, the same year that Goodman started his own career.

The First World War gave Robert Gwelo Goodman good reason to return to South Africa. While getting used to the novelty of his new home, he became a member of the South African Society of Artists and the Johannesburg Sketch Club. Bringing with him considerable experience, he felt strongly about South African artists finding their own style and expression.

As he started settling in the South African art scene, his fingerprints were being left for all to see. He is often remembered as the master of sunshine, but this only developed during is latter years, as noted by Newton Thompson. His portfolio is mostly filled with landscapes, but Goodman also has a few interior scenes, architectural painting and even designed two building; a truly diverse collection.

Robert Gwelo Goodman spent a large part of his adult life in Cape Town, quite a distance from his birthplace, Taplow, in England. According to his biographer he was a man who believed in the values of hard work and individualism over the emerging modernist ideas; something which set him apart from the ‘crowd’.

(source: http://www.johansborman.co.za, www.stellenboschartgallery.com, www.invaluable.com)

The life of Robert Gwelo Goodman

Robert Goodman had that typical artist temperament; pouring everything he had into his art, until he had nothing left at the end of every day. A soul connection would develop as the day progressed, a trademark of every great artist, among which Goodman could be found.

He arrived in London with a lot of expectation, but ended up cleaning canvases as his sponsor could no longer support him. It was during this time that his work was accepted by the Royal Academy and another two by the Royal Society of British Artists’ Exhibition.

Goodman spent a considerable amount of time travelling the world, mostly to gather reference material for his art. During his travels he made the big trek to his actual homeland, South Africa. Even though he was not a war artist, his battlefront sketches was well received.

It was during this specific trip that he would be reunited with his old friend J.S Morland. This trip would also be remembered for Robert adding Gwelo to his name. He was particularly concerned with his difficulty of making a name for himself in England and his good friend suggested he add Gwelo, mainly for its Southern African heritage.The Rhodesian town of Gwelo was founded in 1895 and later renamed to Gweru. This would be an important milestone in his life, he launched his art career in 1895, complete with his new initials, R.G.G

By the early 1900s he was seen as a respected landscape painter and spend 1903 and 1904 in India. In 1911 Goodman contract Rheumatic fever, forcing him to take some time out at the family home outside of Johannesburg.

(photo credit: www.artuk.com and www.invaluable.com)

Robert Gwelo Goodman: The early years

An artist of European descent with a middle name is of Rhodesian descent; Robert Gwelo Goodman went on to become an esteemed artist of the 20th century. Described as an attractive, stimulating, and vital man Joyce Newton Thompson seemed comfortable in her admiration of this artist, but what impact did he have on art scene?

Goodman was born in England and resettled in South Africa with his family in 1886. His father was a British Railways worker, explaining the logic behind the family’s African move. Robert worked as a railways clerk during his teenage years. A few years later he would enrol in tertiary education under J.S. Morland, who become a trusted advisor to Goodman throughout his career.

In 1895 Goodman travelled back to Europe for the first time since settling in South Africa. It was Morland who encouraged him to enrol in art studies in France. Academie Julian would be his new ‘home’. It was here that Goodman could engage with French traditionalist, William Bouguereau; who described his daily routine in the following way: “Each day I go to my studio full of joy; in the evening when obliged to stop because of darkness I can scarcely wait for the next morning to come … if I cannot give myself to my dear painting I am miserable.”

This would be the beginning of a career filled with wide travels and vast adventures. His exhibitions not only crossed the equator but also jumped the Atlantic to the shores of North America. Robert Goodman was honoured with numerous awards, one of the highlights being the Gold Medal he received for a group of pastels at the San Franciso exhbition of 1915.

(photo credit: www.stellenboschgallery.com and www.invaluable.com)

Christo Coetzee: From Office Jobs to Gutai Art

By the late 1950’s Christo Coetzee had been collecting stamps in his passport for the most part of the decade. He completed his studies in fine arts at Wits University in 1951. The months that followed saw him relocate to London and enter into a short-lived marriage with Marjorie Long.

Many mixed years of exhibiting and office work followed, including his separation from his wife, who preferred normal life in the republic, in contrast to Christo’s life in Europe. The end of the 50’s saw Coetzee’s art being exhibited in numerous international art exhibitions in Japan, the United States and Italy. After a two-man exhibition with Lucio Fontana in Paris, he made a move to the eastern edge of the globe.

Shortly after Coetzee’s arrival in Japan he was introduced to the avantgarde Gutai group. This group was birthed in response to the reactionary artistic ideas of the time. They were known for their large-scale multimedia environments and theatrical events. Their work emphasising the relationship between body and matter as they explored new ways of being fresh and original. Christo would eventually leave Japan for Europe.

Christo eventually left Paris to live in a small village in Spain. A trademark of this part of his life was his increased travels to his homeland, by 1975 he moved back to Cape Town on a more permanent basis. The mid-seventies saw the start of the protest years; he started an exhibition and returned after day one to cut up 23 of his paintings. The media labelled him as being angry but he would later explain this Gutai inspired conduct – labelling it as constructive rather than destructive.

Towards the end of his career he received numerous awards, including a Science and Arts Medal of Honour as well as various exhibitions in his name. Christo Coetzee died of colorectal cancer at the end of 2000. The Christo Coetzee House museum and gallery was opened in Tulbagh in August 2011.

(credits: www.wikiart.org)

Christo Coetzee making it big in Europe

Christo Coetzee’s story is typical of most South African artists; studied in South Africa, spend a number of years in Europe, return home to establish a career in art. This Wits alumni made the switch to London’s Slade School of Art in 1951. Unlike many of this peers, this European expedition would last more than a few years. In fact, it was only during the latter part of the 1960s when he would start spending more time in his homeland.

Coetzee travelled to London on a Wits scholarship to further his talent under the mentorship of professor William Coldstream. In 1952 he married Marjorie Long. The newly weds travelled to Spain for an extended honeymoon, which lasted for several months. The new mrs. Coetzee returned to South Africa to continue her teaching work at the university, Christo reluctantly tagged along. He forcibly engaged in the mundane tasks of office work, both at the South African Railways and then at Wits. His journey was lit up by some of his own art and later by some smaller exhibitions. It wasn’t long before Christo decided to find his way back to London. Marjorie never joined him again.

Upon his arrival on British shores he started working as a sales assistant for a tobacco company in London and then moved to working in the framing business. It was during this time that he met Anthony Denney, who would an important part in his career and later on became a good friend.

After spending some time in London he received funds to go to Italy for four months, where he would make several important connections in the art world. After his four months in Italy had come to an end he went on to Paris where he followed up on some of his French connections, which he met through his good friend Anthony Denney. Upon arrival, he met Georges Matthieu and Michel Tapié would introduce to art informel, an art form evident in Coetzee’s latter work.

One might be forgiven for thinking that Coetzee either knew how to ride his luck or it must have been a case of right-place, right-time, as his next stop was Japan; again on a government bursrary. By this time Coetzee was a well-known artist on the European circuit as he was often asked to exhibit in various locations; quite remarkable for a boy from Turffontein.

Christo Coetzee: Great Artists Start Early

Christo Coetzee, a Johannesburg local and part of the Wits group, went beyond the boundaries of Europe by extending his footprint east, to the land of the rising sun. His love for art started at a young age as a student at Parktown Boys High School, arguably even inheriting a talent for drawing from his father, who worked in the building industry during his career.

As a young boy Christo had a vivid imagination, often enjoying the late rains, as they provided him with a natural studio from which to craft an array of mud-sculptures. He continued on this course as a youngster; even building a miniature theatre and making chessmen out of washers and screws he found around the yard. Christo became a real artist at the age of 13, after being commissioned by Finie Basson to do his first painting. The medium sized oil painting of pink and white roses earned him £5. (Binge-Coetzee in Ballot, 1999).

Coetzee grew in stature as his paintings were well received across the globe. It was during time spent in London that one of his works fell in the hands of photographer and stylist, Anthony Denney, who immediately bought it from Coetzee for £12. Denny subsequently invited Coetzee for dinner where he found his art posing above Antoni Clave’s piece. The two become great friends after this, Coetzee even lodging with Denney and paying the rent in paintings.

One of Coetzee’s works, Crespian (1957) was included in an international exhibition alongside artists like Conrad Marca-Relli, Maurice Wyckaert and Alexander Calder. In 1959 his work was exhibited at Galerie Stadler alongside Lucio Fontana.

Japan would be his next destination. He quickly found a likeness in the Gutai group and soon met founder Jiro Yoshihara. He spent the best part of the following year working with Yoshihara. Coetzee eventually had a studio in Tokyo, which led to an exhibition of Informel works at the Minami Gallery in Tokyo. The Gutai group eventually also inviting him to exhibit his works in Osaka in 1960.

After this Japanese exhibition he returned to Johannesburg in 1961 for his first exhibition in South Africa in almost 10 years. After his brief stint in the city of gold he spent many years living in France and Spain.

As one of his Japanese counterparts noted, Coetzee’s art gave him that “fresh feeling”. The artist would continue in this vein for much of his career.

(credits: www.wallsaart.co.za and www.wikiart.org)

Stanley Pinker, The Artist and Teacher

He was liked by both his peers and students. Remembered as a magnificent man. Stanley Pinker, a leading South African painter, left behind more than just his art. A telling contribution to art and the cultural sphere in general counts him with some of the greats, from Cezanne to Matisse.

‘The Wheel of Life’ painting dating back to 1974 is seen as one of his most noteworthy paintings, fetching R 2.4 million. He used the artistic elements to create a commentary about the political and social climate of the South Africa he lived in. He uses various symbols to depict the state of affairs in apartheid South Africa, something artists of the time seemed to gravitate towards for inspiration. He uses marionettes, a red devil on a bicycle and a red locust, Strelitzias and flags to capture the state of affairs in South Africa. This painting is one of Stanley Pinker’s most direct references to political folly, providing the public with much to ponder on. (source credit www.wikiart.org and www.straussart.co.za)

Stanley Pinker Garden of Eden

In Pinker’s rendition of ‘The Garden of Eden’ one sees the mastery of cubism at work. It is a scene of Adam and Eve, face to face, in the presence of a floral audience. One can be forgiven for getting caught up in the idyllic scene; before noticing the dramatic irony of the situation. The imminent theme of loss is clearly visible as is a contrasting ambience of dark and light, innocence and knowledge. (source credit: www.bonhams.com)

Stanley Pinker’s work speaks of a thorough understanding of European modernism while being rooted in a South African milieu. His return to South Africa after a decade long stay in Europe brought him face to face with the complexities of South African society, breaking away from place specific work to being more content focussed.

That was Stanley Faraday Pinker. A remarkable man known for being a great artist and teacher, accentuating the struggles of society with a reflective tone and touch of humour.

Stanley Pinker’s Influence

South African artists of the 50’s, 60, and 70’s had a tendency of heading for the famed European cities in search of artistic enlightenment. Stanley Pinker followed this trend, trading the African sun for a European chapter. His travels took him to the streets of London and France, but not before being educated at Cape Town’s own Continental School of Art.

The late 1940’s saw Pinker, who had moved from Namibia to the republic some 10 years earlier, enrol at the Continental School of Art under the guidance of Maurice van Essche. His next stop was the Hammersmith School of Art in London. He returned to South Africa for a stint at the Cape Town Art Centre during the 1960’s. His next stop was the Michaelis School of Fine Art, where he became a much loved teacher and mentor. Still remembered by an array of accomplished artists; Marlene Dumas being one of them.

His art is remembered for being a breath of fresh air, many admirers remembering his ability to incorporate some odd objects to his art. Some remembering the buttons he stitched to the back of the coats of musicians in one of his earlier paintings. Stanley Pinker’s art accumulated substantial value, Wheel of Life fetching R 2,4 million on an auction by Strauss & Co.

This artist not only had a following, he created a legacy. He held several exhibitions at SAAA, Western Cape (now AVA). He was awarded the Rembrandt Gold Medal at the Cape Town Triennial. His lifetime devotion to art also earned him the Molteno Medal. His work is housed in many of the major public galleries in South Africa as well as countless private collections, locally and abroad.

The Stanley Pinker legacy goes far beyond the canvas, this great teacher and mentor helped other along the way of artistry.

(credit: http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/pinker-touched-more-than-paint-brush-1328704)

The Artistic Genius of Alexis Preller

Alexis Preller was a Pretoria born artist whose work played a definitive role in the South African art scene during the mid 1900s. He is remembered for his brilliant imagination and artistic genius. Many remember him for being somewhat different; to say the least. As his career progressed, so did his popularity and he is now remembered as a massive kingpin on the South African art scene.

Born in South Africa in 1911, Preller worked as a clerk before pursuing formal education at the Westminster School of Art in England. After graduating in 1934 he moved on to the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris, where he graduated 3 years later. Vincent van Gogh and Piero della Francesca, along with numerous visits to European museums and galleries, were the major influencers of this artistic genius. A few critics even labelled him as South Africa’s very own Paul Ganguin.

Preller’s style evolved into something rather unique, isolating him from the artistic movement of the 20th century, A style not common to traditional old school movement. Although he was always highly regarded in his home town of Pretoria, his following spread to the Cape in the 1960s as a result of an exhibition of his works in the Mother City.

His works are characterised by absolute precision, sound structural composition and a testament of a perfectly balanced palette. This is what makes Alexis Preller not only unique, but an artistic genius, who was way ahead of his time.

The Wandering Mind of Walter Battiss

The wandering mind of Walter Battiss made him one of the unique characters of his time. He had an almost unusual interest in African art, ranging from Ndebele artwork to Bushman rock art. Some commentators attribute his eccentric style to the influence of his friendship with Picasso in the 1950s.

(Photo Credit: www.nladesignvisual.wordpress.com and www.witsfoundation.org)

He was a founding member of The New Group, a collective of young South African artists who set out to explore fresh ideas in art and explore new frontiers. A large number of this group had been studying in Europe at the time and their arrival in their motherland left them disillusioned with the conservative culture surrounding South African art. This group enjoyed a tenure of about 10 – 12 years after which it was disbanded as a result of being institutionalised. It was in this period of time that he released his first book, ‘The Amazing Bushman’.

The Walter Battiss Company notes that it was 1955 when the started experimenting with calligraphic art and evidence of human and animal abstractions became evident. It was about this time when Ndebele art became a prominent feature of his artworks.

(photo credit: www.financialmail.com and www.artexpertwebsite.com)

The early 60s saw his curiousity soar to new heights as his interest in Islamic culture took him on several trips to Central Africa and the Middle-East. One might surmise that this was the period of time that he wanted to explore the rest of the world. Towards the end of that decade he made numerous trips to the north; including Greece in 1968 and Seychelles in 1972. Walter Battiss traveled to many other parts of the world as well, including Hawaii, Zanzibar, Fiji and Madagascar.

Walter Battiss was an influencer and innovator. He had a special interest in man and his environment. His impact on many young artists and the South African art scene remains as valuable as the art he left behind.