Ready, set, bid: Three July auctions at Strauss & Co
Live bidding for two of the collections, Contemporary South African Ceramics: New Perspectives and High Note, takes place at 14:00 and 19:00 on Tue, Jul 22, respectively. Anyone is welcome to attend these events at Strauss & Co's Houghton showroom. The third sale, IMPR: Etchings and Linocuts by JH Pierneef, is a timed online auction with bids closing at 14:00 on Mon, Jul 28.Guided walkabouts with Strauss art experts
The trio of sales is filled with notable names, and as per usual, Strauss & Co have curated an excellent exhibition to go alongside their auction. Join one of their walkabouts to get the backstories behind the works on sale; there are few more enjoyable ways to learn about and delve into South African art history.
The free, expert-led walkabouts take place on Sat, Jul 19 at 11:00 (RSVP here) and Sun, Jul 20 at 11:00 (RSVP here).
Alternatively, you can head to Strauss & Co's viewing room (89 Central Street, Houghton Estate) from Mon – Fri from 09:00 – 16:00 to see the works, on show until Tue, Jul 22.
High Note
From a beautiful etching by William Kentridge, Dutch Iris II, to the drawing Folding Knives from the inimitable Lady Skollie, there is much to love in Strauss & Co's High Note sale. Central to this is a selection of remarkable works from the late opera singer Mimi Coertse's collection.
Coertse was best known as an operatic talent but she also amassed a stunning selection of works, some of which were by her contemporaries in the visual arts. Taking the leading place from her collection is Maud Sumner’s large oil on canvas, Nude Figure and a Still Life with Flowers, among works by Walter Battiss, Maurice van Essche, Cecil Higgs, and Irma Stern. Stern is of particular note as there is currently a museum solo of her works at Berlin’s Brücke Museum, but a trip to Strauss & Co in Houghton is a far more affordable option to view her work. We also adore the glistening glazed ceramic tile, Flowers in a vase, by Esias Bosch. What's rather striking and lovely to see as these works hang side by side is that many of them follow a similar, rather demure and earthy colour palette – one way in which her personality and taste come to the fore.
Beyond the works drawn from Coertse's private collection, this sale highlights how Strauss & Co's finger is on the pulse of contemporary art in South Africa. Alongside Lady Skollie, the 2022 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner, are artists such as Deborah Bell, Zander Blom, Dylan Lewis, Nelson Makamo, and Bambo Sibiya. For a full sense of what is on offer, you can view the e-catalogue here.
Contemporary South African Ceramics: New Perspectives
The rise of ceramics in the contemporary art world shows no sign of slowing. In 2020, Strauss & Co began to place a strong focus on the medium, and their auctions have since highlighted the exceptional work by South African ceramic artists and studios such as Ardmore and Kalahari Studio. We saw this in Sculpted Narratives, a phenomenal auction of 92 ceramic works by Strauss & Co in 2024.
Once again, the Contemporary South African Ceramics: New Perspectives sale brings works by leading clay artists to the fore and serves as an excellent survey of the form in South Africa. While there are several more traditional ceramics on display, we love the more playful and bold works on display such as Hylton Nel's Green Cat with Kitten and Khoza and Ntshalintshali's Vase with Sable and Parrot Decoration. A gorgeous tri-colour pot with incised and cutout decoration by Mpho Mokgatlhe has been constructed to emulate the look of a woven basket, while the title work is Austin Hleza's Furniture removal services truck – a rare offering from one of Eswatini's most famous artists. Katherine Glenday's whimsical domestic scene, A Still Point Inside a Picket Fence, is another highlight.
The works in this collection span functional wares to the spectacularly decorative, encompassing a wide variety of ceramics techniques and approaches to the medium. With ceramics from other artists such as Juliet Armstrong, Astrid Dahl, Andile Dyalvane, Madoda Fani, Noria Mabasa, Dinah Molefe, Jabulile Nala, and Andrew Walford, you'll want to see the full catalogue here.
IMPR: Etchings and Linocuts by JH Pierneef
The third of Strauss & Co's sales focuses on renowned artist JH Pierneef. Pierneef's paintings have become iconographic for South Africa's arid interiors, but he was also a master printmaker. For IMPR: Etchings and Linocuts by JH Pierneef, Strauss & Co highlight this aspect of his practice with a host of his detailed yet simple linocuts and etchings. The prints capture the same atmospheres as Pierneef's paintings, but the limited nature of the medium highlights Pierneef's attunement to the light and form of the South African landscape. See the catologue here.
For a unique viewing experience, Strauss & Co's evening at Pierneef's Kraal in Pretoria on Thu, Jul 17 at 17.30 for 18:00 is worth it just to visit what was once JH Pierneef's home. Drinks will be served and there will be a virtual walkabout of all the works on display with Strauss & Co's Senior Art Specialist, Dr Alastair Meredith. Note: This event is fully booked, however, you can add your name to a waitlist. RSVP here.
Schedule at a glance
Live auctions: Tue, Jul 22 at 14:00 and 19:00Online auction: Closing Mon, Jul 28 from 14:00
Walkabouts: Sat, Jul 19 and Sun, Jul 20 at 11:00
Evening at Pierneef's Kraal: Thu, Jul 17 at 18:00
All works are available for viewing at Strauss & Co’s viewing room from Mon, Jul 7 until Tue, Jul 22. The sales for Contemporary South African Ceramics: New Perspectives and High Note take place at 14:00 and 19:00 on Tue, Jul 22, respectively, while bids close for the online auction IMPR at 14:00 on Mon, Jul 28. Visit straussart.co.za for more information.
