Aspire Art’s current single owner collection exhibition carries the visual history of post Apartheid South Africa
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
The early comers arrived as early as 10am at Aspire Art’s new premises in Parkwood, Johannesburg, where a preview of an interesting collection opened to the public on Saturday, June 11, 2022.walls.
and in the case of the cultural pieces the floor and tables and desks as well. And as art critic Ashraf Jamal told the people that had arrived for viewing in a walkabout, this must rate as one of the most extensive single owner collection to go under the hammer in Johannesburg this year, a collection that tells a South African story with its complexity and capturing its diversity. The walk about on Saturday attracted quite a sizeable number of art enthusiasts and collectors who hung around, viewing works and enjoying a cup of coffee and of something stronger to deal with the cold weather. And of course they enjoyed the viewing to see come auction day, which art work they will target to bid for.
The walk about led by Jamal was as interesting as the art works on display. And what is good about this collection is the fact that the auction itself, which will take place on June 22, 2022, is priced in a manner that suits all sorts of pockets, with some art pieces’ estimates starting from as low as R10 000, and of course going as high as R1 million, depending on the artist’s standing in the market. But of course we knw what happens at auction, and at the hit of the moment prices sometimes go up in a big way, way above the estimates, depending on the ferocity of the bidders for a particular work. So expect anything to happen during the upcoming auction that will take place both live in Johannesburg and virtually in Cape Town.
Essentially this is a kind of auction where those starting their collections should attend, as well as those that are looking for well known names such as Wim Botha, Wycliffe Mundopa, Athi-Patra Ruga or Mohau Modisakeng for example. It is an art auction for everyone in a way.
Whoever owns this collection has a good taste for contemporary art. The collection comprises both emerging and established artists, known and unknown artists. This collection is clearly by someone who sought to immerse themselves fully in the post 1994 visual history of the country. Rather the history of post 1994 as told through the eyes of these art works on exhibit.
.The sale will be divided into two parts – a Live auction in Joburg (and this part of the collection on exhibit in Joburg) and an Online auction (with this component being exhibited in Cape Town).
This gives bidders two separate opportunities to participate, which is a lovely add-on to Aspire’s June activity.
Thrilled to have been entrusted with this important collection, Ruarc Peffers, Aspire Art managing director, proudly states, “Aspire Art is the leading auction house for late-20th Century and Contemporary art in Africa, for Africa. Our most recent single-owner collection – Art, Life and Love: The Collection of Nwabisa Xayiya in 2021 – demonstrated this fact unequivocally. We are proud to follow this up with a new single-owner collection of leading contemporary art from Africa and further afield, comprising some of the finest examples from many of South Africa’s leading contemporary visionaries. Aspire has become known for bringing the most exciting and top artists of tomorrow to auction, and this collection honours that commitment – for the collectors of today, we present to you a collection of tomorrow.”
The sale is led by two superb tapestries by the much-celebrated South African superstar Athi-Patra Ruga. In his sensuous works, the artist uses playful imagery to critique convention, question what we think of as normative and challenge a heteronormative social construction of African history and knowledge.
Other highlights include three magnificent large-scale canvases by Zimbabwean painter Wycliffe Mundopa. Winner of the 2021 FNB Art Prize, the artist has been dubbed the “Painter of Modern African Life” by acclaimed academic Ashraf Jamal, who elaborates that in his vibrant, daringly brash, wildly dissolute, expressionist canvases “we find an artist hyper-alert to the moment – what it takes to make art now.”
Also confronting modern African life but with a distinctly different aesthetic – and highlighting the rich diversity of artistic production in Africa right now – is Rwandan artist Serge Alain Nitegeka. Referencing journeys of displacement, forced African migration and the refugee, Obstacle 1; Studio study III from 2012 is a monumental, bold, abstract study in black, white and red.
Contemporary collectors will also have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view and acquire Cape Town conceptual artist, Ed Young’s awe-inspiring sculptural installation titled Hero – a mesmerising rendition of the artist as superhero, or rather mildly dejected antihero – a challenge to the impervious, almighty, hero status of white masculinity.
Collectors and art lovers alike are invited to view the collection from Thursday 9 June. The Live Sale collection is on view at Aspire Art Johannesburg, 32 Bolton Road, Parkwood, while the Online Sale collection is on view at Aspire Art, Cape Town, 37A Somerset Road, De Waterkant.
Here is a link to the e-catalogue as well as the dates for public viewing.
. Live auction – Johannesburg
Live auction to be held in Aspire Art Johannesburg on 22 June 2022 at 6pm.
32 Bolton Road, Parkwood, Johannesburg, 2193
AUCTION VIEWING DATES
Thursday 9th June to Wednesday 22 June
Weekdays: 09h30 – 16h30 & Saturdays: 09h30 – 13h00
Cape Town-based exhibition of the online component
Starts: Thu, 16th Jun 2022 09:00
Ends: Thu, 23rd Jun 2022 18:00
Location: Online
The collection is currently on display at Aspire Art, Cape Town from 9-22 June.
37A Somerset Road, De Waterkant, Cape Town, 8051
For more information contact Aspire Art at: www.aspireart.net