A Look at South Africa's Great Artists - Article Blast! Free Articles And Content For Reprint On Your Website, Newsletters and Ezines. Submit Your Articles For Free!

A Look at South Africa's Great Artists

Article Submitted by: Mimi G

Friday, 30 July 2010

South Africa's rich cultural heritage and ever-changing landscapes are undoubtedly catalysts which have driven a formidable number of artists to create majestic and valuable renditions of her peoples, places, wildlife and inherent struggles, both political and socially.

South Africa has contributed significantly to world art

South Africa is, indeed, remarkably blessed with superlative talent and has, over the years, provided a significant contribution to world art.

Home to the earliest form of naive painting - the dream rock art of our planetary ancestors - and later to the colourful genre of struggle art or Township art; black South Africans have created their own, very distinctive artistic view of the world.

SA art legacy is totally unique

Due to racial segregation during the dark days of colonialism and apartheid, South African artists of European descent were blazing a trail of creativity right alongside their black counterparts which embraced both first world sensibilities and the raw, vibrancy of impressionism, fauvism and expressionism so prevalent in African art. This enormous diversity has created an artistic legacy totally unique to South Africa.

Famous South African artists

Great South African artists, past and present, include:

Jan Ernst Abraham Volschenk (1853 - 1936) - Volschenk is commonly known as the ‘Father of South African Art' and famous for his majestic landscapes of the Langeberg Mountain Range. Notable works include ‘Evening Glow'; ‘House on the Hill' and ‘Mountain Cypresses.'
JH Pierneef (1886 - 1957) - Pierneef is considered one of the greatest old South African masters and famous for his geometric renditions of the Highveld. Renowned landscapes include ‘Amajuba', ‘Rustenburg' and ‘Study in Blue'.
Gerard Sekoto (1913 - 1993) - Sekoto is viewed by the local and international art fraternity as the pioneer of urban black art, social realism and the father of South African art in the new South Africa. Famous works include ‘Sixpence a Door', ‘The Soccer Game' and ‘Self Portrait'

Contemporary South African artists

Current South African artists tipped to take the art world by storm include:

David Bucklow - Bucklow is considered to be one of South Africa's most significant wildlife artists. His prolific collection of works includes realistic portraits of the big cats and other wild and domesticated animals, Zulu warriors & maidens as well as land and seascapes, all in acrylic.
Frank Ross - Ross is famous for his expressive use of colour, line and strong brushstrokes and his popular mixed media contributions fit snugly into the vibrant genre of Township art. Notable works include ‘Wash Day', ‘Shoe Repairs' and ‘To Let'.
Katherine Ambrose - Ambrose portrays everyday life in the townships with a wonderful blend of colour and texture in acrylic. Her naive and primitive style is prominent in all her works which include ‘Going Home', ‘Surfs Up' and ‘Waiting in Line'.
Sue Dickenson - Dickenson is celebrated for her fine compositional watercolour paintings celebrating the diversity of Africa's wildlife. Notable works include ‘Playful Zebra', ‘Cub Play' and ‘Kudu Fighting'.
Gerrit Roon - Roon, who works primarily in oils, is renowned for his treatment of light, balance of colour and composition and is, today, considered one of South Africa's foremost landscape artists. Significant works include ‘View of Table Mountain', ‘Harbour Scene' and ‘A Cape Farm'.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Browse through a comprehensive collection of authentic South African art for sale on the Fine Art Portfolio website or visit one of their established galleries. The site also provides a wealth of articles about art in South Africa for further reading.

You are welcome to publish this article free of charge on your website, newsletter, or e-zine, provided:

You don't change the article in any way
You include the entire article, including the "about the author" box
All hyperlinks must remain intact, including email addresses, and the link to ArticleBlast.com at the bottom
In doing so you agree to indemnify the article's author, and ArticleBlast.com and its directors, officers, employees and agents from and against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities which arise out of its use
It is also recommended that you provide a courtesy copy of your publication to the author of the article