Biographical Introduction

The fact that the artists in this exhibition represent a largely 'neglected tradition' was nowhere more clearly demonstrated than in the effort to compile a reasonably accurate and complete set of biographies. In the first instance, no detailed biographical survey of this important group has been attempted before. Information had to be gathered from a wide range of sources - newspaper clippings, journal articles, exhibition invitations and catalogues, books, artists' own curriculum vitaes, and interviews with the artists themselves and people with whom they have come into contact. Many of these sources yielded only sketchy and inaccurate data. Even the artists, often working in extremely difficult circumstances, have seldom had the opportunity to develop detailed records of their lives and achievements. In addition, such phenomena as multiple names for the same place and non-standardised spellings added a layer of confusion to the task of verifying what facts we had. In spite of all these problems, I hope that what follows - which amounts largely to a compilation of whatever information could be unearthed - provides a useful starting point for the vital task of building a new history of South African art. A great deal more research will be necessary before we can claim to have done justice to the subject. Many of the biographical references will have to be verified and corrected, and other sources identified and tapped. In the spirit of the exhibition itself, I would ask the reader to view the biographies as a dynamic working document, and would welcome any information that might add to their richness or accuracy.

Lesley Spiro

Curator of paintings

Johannesburg art gallery

General Notes:

Artists' names are listed with the artist's surname in upper case followed by the first name by which the artist is professionally known or wishes to be known in lower case. Other names follow. In certain cases, the artist's nickname is included in brackets preceded by 'known as ...' Variations in spelling are indicated in brackets by 'also documented as ...' Exceptions to this format are Dumile and Fikile who are both simply known by these names. Full birth and death dates and places are given where known.

Collections are listed in alphabetical order according to the abbreviations rather than the full titles. Only public and corporate collections have been noted. Please note that these lists are not necessarily complete.

Exhibitions are listed as far as possible as follows: Name of gallery, followed by city and country, if not in South Africa. Where known, the title of the exhibition or description and/or whether the exhibition was solo or group follows in brackets. Where the artist's work was exhibited in more than one exhibition in a year at a particular venue, a semi-colon separates this information. Non-specific information concerning exhibitions is included in the main body of the biography. 'Art South Africa (SA) Today' was the title of the exhibition held bi-annually between 1963 and 1975 organised by the South African Institute of Race Relations Art Gallery in Durban, the Natal Society of Arts (NSA) and the Durban Art Museum.

Between 1980 and 1985 the UZ Department of Documentation and Research hosted an annual 'Festival of African Arts' which incorporated an art exhibition. In 1986 the Bureau of Development and Public Relations at the UZ took over the organisation of the Festival.

The 1985 'Cape Town Triennial' was exhibited at: SANG. JAG, PAM, TAG, DAM, King George VI, WHAG,JSAG. The 1988 Triennial will travel to these venues as well as the SAAA Gallery in Windhoek 'Tributaries a view of contemporary South African art' was first exhibited at the Africana Museum in Progress in Johannesburg. It then travelled to West Germany and Austria: the BMW Gallery in Munich; the City Hall in Steyr, Austria; BMW dealer Ungeheuer, Karlsruhe; BMW branch, Darmstadt; BMW branch, Saarhnicken, Saarbrucken Schafbrucke. The 1987 'Standard Bank National Drawing Competition' was exhibited at the JAG, SANG, King George\T, TAG, DAM, PAM and JSAG.

A number of Galleries have changed names, venues and/or addresses in the past. In instances other than those referred to in the 'abbreviations', when known, the correct name, contemporary with the date of an exhibition, is given.

Place name contemporary with an event is given.

Place name contemporary with an event is given wherever possible, provided the meaning is clear. When clarity is required, the present-day name is given, or is placed in brackets after the former name. Vernacular names of places have in certain cases been used.