A glimpse of Judith Mason’s lifetime of artistry
Judith was well known for her exceptionally fine line work and drawing skills that she used to capture her conceptual concerns.
From June 26 the White River Gallery at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre will host the first exhibition of Judith Mason’s work since her death in 2016.
Curated by her eldest daughter, Tamar, it will showcase Judith’s drawings and editioned work: lithographs, silkscreens, artist’s books and tapestries.
Judith spent part of her childhood in Bushbuckridge during the Second World War, where her father was a native commissioner. She returned to the Lowveld for the last 14 years of her life.
In 1960 she graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with a BA in fine arts. Working as an artist from the day she graduated, she taught in the fine arts department at Wits for the first two decades of her career.
She represented South Africa at the Venice Biennale in 1966. In 2008 the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg held a retrospective of her work to celebrate her 70th birthday.
One of her most well-known works is “The Man Who Sang and the Woman Who Kept Silent” (1998), featured in the Constitutional Court’s art collection. Also known as “The Blue Dress”, it pays tribute to two liberation movement cadres who were killed by the security police.
The piece references Phila Ndwandwe, who refused to speak or provide any information before she was shot, and Harald Sefola who was asked to sing “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” before he was electrocuted in a field outside Witbank.
The exhibition will have work from a number of private and public collections on display, as well as photographs from her career and life in the Lowveld.
Judith was well known for her exceptionally fine line work and drawing skills that she used to capture her conceptual concerns. She was passionate about politics and human rights and used her extensive knowledge of philosophies and religions in the work that she did while also maintaining a keen sense of humour.
As the festival artist for this year’s Innibos National Arts Festival, Judith’s exhibition will run until July14. It will be opened by Petra Mason on June 26 at 18:00.
Enquiries: Dana MacFarlane on 082-784-6695.
