THE SOUTH AFRICAN ART TIMES www.arttimes.co.za March 2008 Issue 2 Vol 3 Subscription RSA 180 p.a March Print & Distrib. 8 000 copies RSA Free. Available in Namibia & Zimbabwe JOBURG ART FAIR SPECIALFree Global Art TimesMinnette Vri , The Falls II, 2008. Pigment ink on cotton fbre paper. Courtesy of the artist and the Goodman Gallery.Page 2 South African Art Times. March 2008 The South African Art Times March 2008 www.arttimes.co.za Published monthly by Global Art Information PO Box 15881 Vlaeberg, 8018, Cape Town Tel. 021 424 7733 Fax. 021 424 7732 Publisher Gabriel P. Clark-Brown Advertising Leone Rouse leo@arttimes.co.zaNews: press@arttimes.co.za Shows: show@arttimes.co.zaArtwork: art@arttimes.co.za Layout and Design Dog beat Deadlines for news, articles and clas-sifeds 20th of each monthThe Art Times is published in the frst week of each month. News and ad-vertising material need to be with the news and marketing managers by the 15th- 20th of each month. Newspaper rightsThe newspaper reserves the right to reject any material that could be found offensive by its readers. Opinions expressed in the SAArt Times do not necessarily represent the offcial viewpoint of the editor, staff or publisher, while inclusion of advertising features does not imply the newspapers endorsement of any business, product or service. Copyright of the enclosed mate-rial in this publication is reserved.SUBSCRIPTIONSNAMIBIACall John at: Tel: +264 81 1286585ZIMBABWEGallery Delta110 Livingstone Avenue, Greenwood Park, Harare, Tel/fax: (263-4) 792135ael@twinarts.co.zwGet your copy delivered to your doorwww.arttimes.co.zatheart roomPatrick BurnettCAPE TOWN (WCN) The KwaZulu-Natal provincial gov-ernment has downplayed reports that a giant statue of King Shaka is to be built in the province, refusing to be drawn on the height or cost of the structure.Initial newspaper reports sug-gested that the statue would dwarf the Statue of Liberty in New York by 13 meters, rising 106-metres into the air and coming at a price tag of R200m, but Logan Maistry, spokesperson for KZN Premier Sbu Ndebele, said: I dont know where they got those fgures from.He said architects were still busy with the design and costing, mak-ing it impossible to give a height and cost. However, he said: We can confrm that it is going to be a high statue.In his State of the Province ad-dress on February 13, Ndebele said as part of efforts to attract investors to the province, a Memo-randum of Understanding had been signed on January 8between the KZN government and an international developer in Dubai. He said the project involved a multi-billion rand investment on the Northern side of the uThukela River in the Macambini area.Maistry said one of Ndebeles pas-sions was to restore heritage and culture to its rightful place.The premier is of the belief that culture and heritage plays an important part in bringing about reconciliation and peace.But DA provincial caucus leader Roger Burrows said: At the mo-ment, the whole thing remains remarkable vague.He said he did not believe the project would happen until some-one was prepared to put money into it. Maistry disagreed with suggestions that money could be better spent on social needs. We think it is absolutely important that in order to move forward we need to know where we come from. People want to know about King Shaka, they want to know the story. West Cape News King Shaka will be high... but not that highPatrick BurnettCAPE TOWN (WCN) The frst entry in artist Kevin Brands hefty portfolio of work that stretches back over 25 years is a photo-graph of a cast cement work which says simply, Kevin Brand Makes Things. Brands commitment to making things, spanning back to 1982 as a young graduate from the University of Cape Towns Michaelis School of Fine Art, paid off in January when he was rewarded with the Mercedes-Benz South Africa 2008 Art Award.A sculptor by training, over the years Brand has carved out a niche for himself making things on a grand and small scale, from the steps of District Six, made out of seven tonnes of cardboard, to the iconic Sam Nzima image of Hector Pieterson taken during the 1976 Soweto uprising and transposed on the Leerdam wall of The Castle in Cape Town.The judges in the Mercedes-Benz Art Award recognised Brands work for his commentary on South African society, his use of non-traditional sculpting materials and the way in which his work has been made accessible through its location in public spaces.Being recognised for the body of work that you have done through-out your career, that is the nice thing about it, said Brand of the award, speaking from his offces at the Cape Town campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Tech-nology, where he works.Many of Brands creations have carried a powerful commentary about life in South Africa, such as 19 Boys Running, based on the 1985 Uitenhague Massacre or Never, Never Again, the District Six piece created out of cardboard, but this is also not at the expense of exploring intimate, personal spaces.Brand likens this duality to a reali-sation that its possible to embrace both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. A choice doesnt need to be made because both can be encompassed.What Im trying to do is make sense of my time on this earth and sometimes there are sad things to make comments about and sometimes there are intimate and happy things you want to make comments about, so you can do all those things at the same time, he said.Brand maintains that he did not set out to work in public spaces but that some of his work lent itself to this. I make it for myself initially, but I also like it to be accessible to people who have not been to art school or even been to school. I like to work it so there is some visual magnet for them and they can get something out of it. Brands next exhibition, Set the World on Fire, is scheduled for display at the Bell Roberts Gallery in May.-- West Cape NewsThis years winner of the Mercedes-Benz South Africa 2008 Art Award, Sculptor Kevin Brand Brand sets the world on freThe Joburg Art Fair is burning on everyones lips and ears. Never has South Africa had such an interna-tional art fair for now at least, a blip (here on the big dark continent) on the international art radar (over 250 art fairs internationally and counting). The real thrill is that for once things seem to be well organized, especially for its frst time, the folk in Johannes-burg seem to know what to do. With this event there is a welcome lapse of promises by organizers of 10 000s of any artists being included and later pie in face stuff.It seems that Ross Douglas and Cobi Lauscagne really have done their homework and placed every of their own pennies into it , as well as FNB bold backing. The Fair might be small in proportion to the SA art market (there have been groans throughout the 98% of galleries not invited) but one has to start somewhere and if the Fair is a success, you can be assured that people having woken up and smelt the possible money in art fairs. In addition, the success of the show raises the whole of the SA art in an international light. My bet, and congratulations are on Ross and Cobi and their dedicated team to go forth and given time make that blip strong and bright the world over. EditorialSouth African Art Times. March 2008 Page 3UJ_ArtGallery_Ad_83x200 2/22/08 2:12 PM Page 1 CompositeC M Y CM MY CY CMY KBy Aspasia KarrasFrom: The Times, South Africa ART is the new rock n roll, and artists the new rock stars. Its true the world over.At Art Basel and Frieze in London, celebrities in sneakers make the 100m dash on the opening night of the art fairs so they can be frst to spend their celebrity dollars on the dernier cri (the latest thing) of the art world.There are about 240 art fairs that take place around the world, but some have the kind of cachet and frisson that attracts the high-oc-tane, jet-setting types you associ-ate with the social pages of glossy magazines.Art is sexy right now and Ross Douglas is propelling Joburg into this heady frmament. Im not feeling very heady myself as I wade through the building site in Milpark where his Artlogic offces are housed the week before the citys debut Contemporary Art Fair is due to open.Sponsored by FNB, the fair will represent 15 of the countrys top galleries, six international galleries and a series of art events in-cluding a show curated by Simon Njami, the curator of Africa Remix; an installation by internationally acclaimed South African artist Robin Rhode; and a screening of William Kentridge flms.But after a few minutes with Ross Im sold. Its not that this laconic fellow, who is resting his Con-verse-clad feet on a Gregor Jenkin designer desk, is particularly excit-able but, in his measured way, he makes a convincing business case for urbanity and culture.We have got to push the creativity of the city and give South Africans an equivalent experience to what they can get overseas. A country needs creativity and South Africa is an easy place to be creative. If you invest in creativity it keeps creative people invested in the society.London is so clever. It captured it creativity market and as a result it is a sexy place. If you want keep the talented professionals in your city you have to give them the culture that they can get globally. Hosting an art fair in the current psychological and economical climate in the country seems al-most counter-intuitive art is not exactly a bread and butter issue. Our market is busy immigrating Australia, he half-heartedly jests, and it can seem a devastating blow ... But its time to kick off in South Africa. We have spent every cent we have here. I have six friends who have been shot dead, but 1 cannot let that undermine our hope for the future.His specifc hope for the future lies in creating something sustainable and commercial, that captures the imagination.We wanted to make a fair that is sustainable, critically acclaimed and unique enough that it will attract foreign visitors. We are a niche market and unique player in the international art world, and the only art fair in Africa dedicated to African art,We are lucky because there is a lot of interest. African art is huge internationally and our art-ists arc internationally acclaimed.Rosss company, Artlogic, uses art events to promote companies and brands. In this instance, FNB will provide the brand kudos.He came to this feld via flm production, which he abandoned because he was disappointed in the prospects of the South African flm industry.In Africa, of all the creative industries art is the only one that is not reliant on a big economy. Think of what it lakes to produce a flm or even take a theatrical production on tour.We are culturally conservative in South Africa but we are at a crossroads, Contemporary art in its essence breaks down and chal-lenges stereotypes,Perhaps an art fair is precisely what we need right now, as we seem to be battling for our coun-trys very soul. See www.joburgartfair.co.za more in information Sexier than rock n roll Joburg fair aims to use art to keep talented professional in the cityWere it will all happen: Sandton Convention Centre. (Photo not part of the Times article) Photo: John HodgkissPage 4 South African Art Times. March 2008Steve KretzmannCAPE TOWN (WCN) -- Within each city are any number of iconic spaces which get reinvented over time. In Cape Town, one of these spaces is the top foor of a vertical four-foor building on the corner of Bree and Dorp Streets, known to many as the Loft.With its open plan warehouse-design and screed cement foor juxtaposed by a sloping loft-style ceiling, it was a trip-hop ravehome-away-from home for hun-dreds of Capetonians who partied away the mid-90s.Fast forward and the Loft shifts through a musos gig space, offbeat advertising studio Daddy Buy me a Pony offce studio and acclaimed Afro Magazine HQ, to its latest exciting incarnation: the headquarters of brand new print publishing company Warren Editions, established by Zhan Warren in October last year.And as the Loft was indicative ofthe zeitgeist of the 90s, Warren seems to embody what is becom-ing more common in the mid naughties young entrepreneurs doing what they love and making it work for them. In Warrens case, what she loves is printmaking and with a certitude belying her 31 years, she has set herself up as one of only a handful of print publishers in the country.At the top of the long narrow stairwell Warren, petite as she is, seems dwarfed by the ample space and light that foods into her studio and one half expects to fnd a squadron of workers beavering away in the nooks and crannies.But it seems Warren has all the space to herself and whichever artist she happens to collaborate with.And although she is yet to publishher frst edition of prints by Hentie van der Merwe, she already has six top young artists lined up to work with her.As Warren talks of her back-ground, printmaking knowledge and how she wants to democra-tise the art market, the answer to the question: why would an artist want to come work with her, becomes clear.There is a market for prints, she says, it is strong and stable and is growing steadily.Publishing an edition of prints is at-tractive to many artists, especially if they are working in a slow me-dium like large wood sculptures, for instance, which takes ages to create one piece and the value of which would be out of reach for the average person. With prints, more people have access to your work, its an edition. Its more democratic. It provides for the middle market. Its benef-cial to all.She says editions of between 20 and 30 prints, each of which is sold for under R5 000, is best, allowing middle-income earners who realise the value of investing in original art produced by up-and-coming artists, to enter the market.But publishing a set of print edi-tions is not necessarily ideal for every artist.It needs to be an artist whose work can be translated to print-making, and whose work I fnd exciting and respond to.For the artist, experience in print-making is not essential. Its quite exciting when they dont have any experience, she says, as she enjoys the process of discovery the artist encounters.This may be because Warren seems to thoroughly enjoy leading others through the technical proc-ess of intaglio printing, and her speciality, aquatint.Even as a student at Stellenbosch, she says, she used to prepare fellow students plates simply because she didnt mind doing it, asking nothing more than one copy of the print in return.Her mastery of the process led her to being employed as the studio assistant during her undergrad years, cementing her knowledge and earning her some pocket money in the process.Then it was fve years spent on a scholarship in one of the worlds printmaking capitals, Antwerp, which led to her expanding her repertoire and mastering intaglio techniques little known in South Africa. Yet although she obtained her MFA at the University of Johan-nesburg in 2006, the term master printmaker is one she shies away from.Its a rather heavy term, said says, but her ability to take care of the technical processes, and show the artist how best to achieve certain effects, frees the artist to concentrate on the actual mark-making and creation of tone and texture, producing a true collabora-tive effort.And with Warren Editions taking care of the subsequent business end the consignments, gallery hangings, sales and invoicing and handing the majority of the profts (60%) back to the artist, its likely shell soon have a number of artists knocking on the door to her loft.In the meantime, we can look forward to saving for prints by Hentie van der Merwe and the other artists shes already got lined up in her appointment book, which include Paul Edmunds, Conrad Botes, Claudette Schreuders, Luan Nel and Henk Serfontein, as well as Tom Cullberg, whom she is currently working with. -- WCN Warren Editions creates a democratic art marketAfter years spent locally and overseas Zhan Warren of Warren Editions sets up shop in Cape Town. Photo: Steve KretzmannSouth African Art Times. March 2008 Page 56a||-v |eos. Veo - .. c,|`c - :|cc. Sa( c,|cc - :`|cc!-|. -a a: +a` `c, ar. -a a: +a+ ,c(` ma.|. a||-vmo-!.e.:a l-!. ooo.ao-a||-v.e.:a !-|. -a a: +a` `c, ar. -a a: +a+ ,c(` ma.|. !-|. -a a: +a` `c, ar. -a a: +a+ ,c(` ma.|. (c (|o| S(--( (ao- !eooa||-vmo-!.e.:a l-!. ooo.ao-a||-v.e.:a a||-vmo-!.e.:a l-!. ooo.ao-a||-v.e.:a 4m-.ao ro-ss. Vas(-a1. l.sa ao1 u.o- a1s a- a-o(-1. k-|.a!|- aao-m-o(s ao !- ma1- (e /-.|( oo|a-s (e /e-.o 1-s(.oa(.eos.UIF!DBQF!HBMMFSZ!|- (ao- 6a||-v s--|s (e -roes- veo (e .o- 4( (|a( .s ee(-1 .o ao 4/.ao (a1.(.eo o|.| .s !e(| -|-(. ao1 1..-s-. l- e(a(- eo -r|.!.(.eos meo(||v (eo|.o veo .ma.oa(.eo o.(| (|- oo.ao- o|(oa| s(amo (|a( .s eo eo(.o-o(.4o -r|.!.(.eo e/ --o( oa.o(.os !v4o(|-a u-|me((-o.|| !- eo-o-1 a( !|- (ao- 6a||-v eo Soo1av :((| Va| acc a( +.`c om.4o(|-a`s oe| o.|| !- eo s|eo /em ,(| Va|. acc - a,(| Va|. acc 03081 CGAD Art Times Anthea Del 3/5/08, 10:52 AM 1Steve KretzmannCAPE TOWN -- Behind last months investigation and recovery of large number or artworks stolen from a Pretoria businessman is a story of betrayal and broken friend-ship which has also left a number of Tshwane galleries red-faced.Close on a million Rands worth of art was stolen from private collec-tor and Pretoria vacuum cleaner salesman Andre Prinsloo, allegedly by his friend and business partner Victor Mulder.And it appears some of it made its way onto gallery walls.With 52 works by Otto Klar, an Adriaan Boshoff landscape and a handful of other South African artists included in the haul, it could well rank as one of the larger art thefts, in terms of number of worksstolen, in the country.Although it appeared the paintings, particularly those by Klar, were stolen over a matter of months, it was the theft of the Boshoff paint-ing, valued at close to R60 000, which led to investigations being initiated.Prinsloo said he had owned 124 of Klars paintings, bought from Klars heir and stepson Klaus Fischer, and had also collected a number of other paintings over the years which he had set aside as an investment for his pension.But it appeared as if Mulder, who had been working with him in the vacuum cleaner sales business since November last year, knew the worth of Prinsloos collec-tion the Otto Klars were worth between R8 000 and R25 00 each and had his own designs.But Prinsloo was unaware of the work being stolen from his house until the Boshoff landscape was stolen during a staged break-in at his house on February 1.Thereafter, Prinsloo said he im-mediately began notifying galleries to keep a lookout for the missing paintings.He said it wasnt long before John West Art Gallery phoned him back to say they might have one of his paintings. West said he had come to be in possession of the Boshoff painting after having purchased it from an art dealer he knew, who in turn had bought it from Mulder after responding to an advertisement in the Junk Mail.West said the dealer, upon meeting Mulder, realised he knew Mulders father, which established a level of trust.While negotiating purchase of the Klar paintings, Mulder apparently mentioned he also had a Boshoff painting, which was brought out.He bought it and offered it to me, said West, who valued it as worth between R55 000 and R58 000.After fnding an interested client, he heard from a friend that a Boshoff had been stolen.He said he got hold of Prinsloo and asked him to describe the painting.I said to him (Prinsloo) Ive go an Adriaan Boshoff here that sounds like its the same. If you can send me a copy of the certifcate of authenticity we can sort it out.At this point the head of investigat-ing frm Specialised Security Serv-ices, Mike Bolhuis was called in, West told him where the painting had come from and it was rapidly traced back to Mulder.Speaking on February 29, Bolhuis said all the stolen works had been recovered and Mulder, who had been kept in police custody since his arrest on February 5, had made a full confession.He said when word went out that SSS was investigating, a number of galleries had called to say they might unwittingly be stocking the stolen art.This included a couple of top galleries in the elite Waterkloof Ridge area, as well as a number of galleries in Brooklyn.Most of them were very embar-rassed, he said.But he said Mulder had been steal-ing art from Prinsloo for some time and had gotten good at spinning stories about how he had come to own the art.He said Prinsloos mistake was that he didnt keep his collection under lock and key, but stashed it in various places around his house.He said Mulder, who had pleaded guilty in court, was unlikely to get a jail sentence but would most prob-ably receive a very stiff fne.It was what we call decisive and intelligent theft, he had done his homework and it seemed, although he stole and sold the artworks on his own, that he had obtained advice from other criminals who dealt in the art market.He knew what the work was worth and asked about one third of the value when he sold it. This was enough to make a greedy person buy it without asking too many questions. -- WCN Deception, betrayal at heart of Pretoria art theft haulMike Bollhuis, from Specialized Security Sevice (SSS) examins one of the recovered South African master art works. Photo: Pretoria NewsGG_ArtTimes_260x395_250208 2/28/08 10:32 AM Page 1 C M Y CM MY CY CMY KIrma Stern (1894-1966) Young Malay Maiden with Black Hair, Oil on Canvas, 65.8 x 55.5cm, Signed: "Irma Stern" (Upper/Left). Dated: 1938Shop 46, Broadacres LifestyleCentre, Cnr. Cedar & ValleyRoads, Broadacres, Fourways.Graham Britz 083 605 5000Sarah Keys 084 568 5639Gallery 011 465 9192Grahams Fine Art Gallery boasts the finest selection of South African 20th centurymasters including: Frans Oerder, Hugo Naud, Bertha Everard- King, Pieter Wenning, NitaSpilhaus, Pranas Domsaitis, Ruth Prowse, Maggie Laubser, JH Pierneef, Irma Stern, WHCoetzer, Cecil Higgs, Freida Lock, Maud Sumner, Wolf Kibel, Ruth Everard-Haden, WalterBattiss, Elsa Dziomba, Maurice van Essche, Rosamund King Everard, Fred Page, GregoireBoonzaier, Alexis Preller, Franois Krige, Gerard Sekoto, Eleanor Esmonde-White, RobertHodgins, Piet van Heerden, Stanley Pinker, Cecil Skotnes, Erik Laubscher, Peter Clarke,Christo Coetzee, Helmut Starcke, Henry Symonds, Simon Stone, Karel Nel.SIGNIFICANTSOUTH AFRICANINVESTMENT ARTwww.grahamsfineartgallery.co.zaAny potential buyers who want to invest in South African masters and who are planningto procure a top quality art portfolio, can contact Graham Britz for an appointment.South African Art Times. March 2008 Page 7Patrick BurnettCAPE TOWN (WCN) -- The saying imitation is the best form of fattery has taken on a sour meaning for an internationally recognised Garden Route artist after he was astonished to fnd that poor quality prints of his work were for sale at Mr Price Home -- without his permission.In an embarrassing move, Mr Price has since been forced to withdraw stock of the R159.99 apiece prints of paintings by artist Peter Pharoah, after he complained to the retailer. We were so angry about it, said Tracey Pharoah, Peter Pharoahs wife and manager of the Pharoah Gallery in Wilderness, about walk-ing into a Mr Price store in George in December and seeing the prints.She said high quality prints of her husbands work had been done legally by Universal Prints in Germany, but that the Mr Price prints had been ugly and embar-rassing. It is believed the Mr Price prints came from reproductions made in China, copied from the prints made by Universal Prints.The face of one picture is completely destroyed, she looks like she has been a victim of domestic violence, she said of the painting African Grace, one of those copied. Pharoah said the infringement had been concerning as people would think the prints represented the quality of her husbands work. Each print sold could have been a genuine print sold that would have benefted the artist.She said at the time they had consulted a lawyer, but that United Prints had since informed them that they would be dealing with the legal aspect as they held copyright on prints.Contacted by email, Universal Prints managing director Kejwan Valandiz did not rule out legal action, saying his lawyer had been in contact with a South African lawyer to bring the jurisdiction to Germany.Valandiz said he would inform the European Art Copyright Coalition, of which they were a member, so they could organise against Mr Price. A Mr Price Group spokesperson said that by the end of January 2008 all copies of the offending art work had been recalled from our stores countrywide.We are appreciative of the fact that this allegation of copyright infringement has been brought to our attention, which has allowed us to take the necessary corrective action. In explaining the situation, Mr Price said stock was sourced on the basis that suppliers had already been cleared of copyright issues. This particular incident involving Mr Pharoahs work appears to be an unfortunate act of copyright infringement by the supplier. Mr Price would never knowingly sup-port this and the matter has been taken further by our attorneys. -- West Cape News Top SA artist short-changed by Mr PricePoor quality print reproductions that were on sale at Mr Price (above) vs quality artists print (below)Page 8 South African Art Times. March 2008 David and Gail Zetler. 270 Main Street, Paarl, 7646. Phone + 27 (0) 21 872 5030 Fax + 27 (0) 21 872 7133 E-mail: zetler@icon.co.za www.houtstreetgallery.co.za Artwork: Peter Fincham, Afternoon Shadows Hout Street GalleryWe represent these artists:Ben CoutouvidisAlice GoldinWendy RosselliLyn SmutsPhillipa AllenHardy BothaTheo P. VorsterJudy WoodbourneDavid RidingCecil Skotnes and others.Original Art, Etchings, Sculpture, Ceramics. South African Art Times. March 2008 South African Art Times. March 2008 Page 9Green grazing zone, Oil on canvas board, 1,20m x 80 cm Conficting Skies, Oil on canvas board, 76cm x 51 cm Daniel Novela Art StudioOne of worth visiting art places in South Africa is the studio of Daniel Novela, one of the black landscape impressionists that South Africa has ever produced before. His studio is situated in Khuma between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom. Just one and half hour to drive from Johannesburg to see this humble international and highly gifted artist.This is an opportunity for all serious art collectors: individu-als, groups, executive corporate, art galleries and Museum Curators, art auction Managing Directors and many others. Among those who have visited Novela studiois the world renowned Mr Carlos Parreira, the current BafanaBafana Coach as well as Mr Robert Du Preez the Managing Director of Mr Price who all have made a good collectiopn of Daniels work. To visit Daniel Novela art studio please book an appointment and for more information on how to get there or for a preview see: www.danielnovela.co.za or email to info@danielnovela.co.za or contact Daniel Novela at: Studio: +27 18 489 1780 Fax: +27 18 489 1777 Cell: +27 82 262 3600 Lute Vink Wildlife ArtistStudio : 21 Kierieklapper Street, Leeupoort Vakansiedorp. Tel : (014) 735-0298 Cell : 082 854 2295/082 546 7780 email : lutevink@absamail.co.za www.lutevink.co.za Melvyn MinnaarAt the age of 85, Joe Wolpe is the not the lion in winter, but still buck-agile in his scouting out of the art scene, locating the sharpest, brightest art. Encouraging where and when required. The legendary humility and friendliness lingers, so does the wicked sense of humour - as well as the invitation to discuss it all over a cup of coffee. Observing those blue-grey eyes dash about from under those dense brows, beneath the famous greying Wolpe tangles, as he assesses an artwork, is an experience itself. You see him looking, perhaps a smile playing on his face, and his mind paging though a life-long reference library of visual experience to suss the painting or whatever placed in front of him. And then hell tell you what he thinks straight, in an old-fashioned diplomatic dealers way. Of course there are lots more, but essentially two things have made Joe Wolpe the famous art dealer he is: his love and brilliant perception of art, and his passion to engage on these terms with other people, whether these were/are artists, collectors, museum personnel, other dealers or friends.For decades Wolpe was the art dealer in Cape Town. Then he gave it up and, to the surprise of a few, but the cheer of many, he started making art. And today - while some have made it into the good public collections - Joe Wolpes small paintings and delicate constructions are mostly treasured by those in the know, those close, those who share what is in essence a Wolpe Cape culture.It has been a quiet world this, nottoo public - all in the nature of the man, his dealings and art. But a clever exhibition at the South African Jewish Museum in the Gardens is putting the spotlight on this character without who Cape Towns art scene would not be what it is.A tribute to the life and work of Joe Wolpe who will turn 86 on July 9 this year, the exhibition is titled When Cape Art was Coffee with Joe and traces his career from the time he took over his father Maxsframing workshop in Lelie Street, through to his work as a gallerist, dealer in local and international art, and artist of note.The exhibition comprises en-chanting nostalgic photographs, examples of his own fne artworks, but also impressive paintings and sculptures that he facilitated the acquisition of for private as well. as public collections. The proof of the famous fne Joe eye is all too evident in the latter.Humorous and witty like the man, the title resounds on a number of levels, not the least to the fact that no transaction would have been fnalised without a cup of coffee shared in any of the venues and galleries he inhabited over the decades.Over coffee the conversation would be convivial and upbeat, even when a major sales agree-ment was being negotiated. And when concluded, the latter would be nothing but be satisfactory to all parties. Wolpe is too much of a dyed-in-the-wool art lover to fog stuff foolishly. And local history stands as testimony, as well as art-ist careers. fnely-tuned exhibition of IrmaIt is possible to argue that his Sterns art at the Wolpe Gallery in Strand Street in 1966 ignited the enthusiasm which now drives her current auction sales to beyond the millions. It was a wow of a show.Turn the clock to 1983 and the buzz of his famous space upstairs in Impala House in Castle Street, and it is the turn of Francine Scialom Greenblatt to set the local art world alight with her gloriously exotic, erotic female nudes on a very large scale. For weeks this exhibition was the talk of the town, while Joe held frmly onto his naughty smile.That was the same year that Joe Wolpe quietly negotiated the acquisition by the South African in the Iziko collection: RonaldMountains (1982). Kitaj, who died last year, had just become theNational Gallery of what is today one of the most valuable paintings Kitajs deliciously enigmatic In the darling of the international scene and getting this picture for Cape Town was a triumph.So was the acquisition of an-other of the great late-20th century works in the Iziko collection: Frank Auerbach se Head of Julia (1981) and, in 1985, a valuable earlier painting, Maurice de Vlamincks Arbre Au Tourniquet, Chatou (1910).These works, beautifully on show in When Cape Art was Coffee with Joe are genuine proof of Wolpes skills as international art dealer. But, in the fnal instance, a grand tribute to his remarkable eye for great art.Man for All Art Seasons - A tribute exhibition for doyen Joe Wolpe Joe Wolpe in his famous Wolpe Galley at Impala House in Castle Street during th 1980s. Photo: Harry de Zitter.Wolpe and Hayden Proud, Iziko curator, with the painting Arbre Au Tourniquet, Chatou by Maurice de Vlaminck in the vault of the SA National Gallery. Photo: Harry de Zitter.Page 10 South African Art Times. March 2008 The present thrust of the work by artist, Joan Abrahams, has been to explore painterliness, produce objects and push towards post-modernist work, which integrates narrative and identity, both historically and geographically, as well as commenting on issues of psycho-socio-political signifcance.Title (left): Book l Mixed media (paper, material, string, staples, ink), 104.5cm x 75cm. 2006 Tel /Fax: +27 11 486 1368 Mobile: +27 82 850 1072Email: joanabra@mweb.co.za www.art.co.za http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/ artist_profle/ Joan+Abrahams/12596.htmlJoan AbrahamsWildlife - drawings, watercolours & woodcutsLandscapes - in oil & watercolourRoswithavon GlehnTel +27 11 787 1983email kayglehn@global.co.zaLynette ten KroodenCell: +27 82 880 1953E-mail: ltkdesign@mweb.co.za, Web Page: www.art.co.zaDawn in the mist320 x 320mmGoldleaf and acrylic on paperHeather AuerArt & Sculpture GalleryHeather Auer Simons Town Quayside Centre, Wharf Street Simonstown -Heather Auer - Hout Bay Shop 3, 22 Main Road Hout Bay 0827792695 0828289205 Tel/Fax 021 7861309 info@heatherauer.co.za www.heatherauer.co.za Fiona Ewan Rowett 0832673013 rorowett@altonet.co.za white noise (of daily life)South African Art Times. March 2008 Page 11Glendine at Alice Art Gallery, Ruimsig from 12 June 2008! Live Performance by the Parlotones Call us for more details. Alice Art, Ruimsig : Drive 217, Ruimsig, ROODEPOORT T) 011 958-1392 C) 083 377 1470, aliceart@global.co.za www.aliceart.co.za Alice Art, Hartbeespoort : Scott 110, Schoemannsville, HARTBEESPOORT C) 083 325 0358, aliceart.harties@gmail.com Alice Art, Witbank : h/v Mandela & Bethal Str. Winkel 16, River Crescent Cntr, Modelpark WITBANK C) 082 389 7478 aliceart.witbank@vodamail.co.za Custom Stretched Canvasses Hand made Easels Painting & print stretchingArtist: Ann Gadd ArtStuff now available on the Garden Route Call Paul Tunmer 083 2610084 Tel: 021 448 2799 Fax: 021 448 2797 artstuff@webmail.co.za www.artstuff.co.za Free delivery within Cape areaSTUDIO & GALLERY OF DALE AND MEL ELLIOTT Venue for SAs most popular Art Workshops For full details & colour brochure contact us: Tel: (028) 8402927 Fax: (028) 8402927 Email : dale@daleelliott.co.za www.daleelliott.co.za Oil painting by Dale Elliott Oil painting by Mel Elliott ELLIOTT ART STUDIOS ELLIOTT ART STUDIOSVILLIERSDORP VILLIERSDORP Cape Towns largest contemporary art gallery exhibiting works by leading South African artists Carmel Art 66 Vineyard Road, Claremont Ph: 021 671 6601 Email: carmel@global.co.za Website: www.carmelart.co.za Exclusive distributors of etchingsfull selection on website Pieter van der WesthuizenPhotography by Shooting Range Photography (Hes Range) Cell 082 378 0255 hes@shootingrange.co.za www.shootingrange.co.zaMarion Burnett Leopard in Bronze (life size number 2 of edition of 12). Last work by Marion Burnett. (1952 - 2007) The Philip Harper GalleriesHermanus, Western Capewww.thephilipharpergalleries.co.za We specialise in South African Art, both Old Masters and select Contemporary Artists, catering for both corporate and private clients Oudehof Mall, 167 Main Road, Hermanus, Tel: 028 3124836We pay tribute to the life and art of