Walter Battiss honoured through collector’s exhibition

An esteemed South African artist is being celebrated through a special collection at Wits.

For more than 25 years, well-known art collector and philanthropist, Jack Ginsberg has assembled an extraordinary collection of more than 700 artworks, books and ephemera by renowned South African artist Walter Battiss.

Battiss is generally considered to be the foremost South African abstract painter and his works were influenced by African cultural Ndebele beadwork as well as by pre-Islamic cultures and calligraphy. Throughout his career he penned a number of book, taught the arts at a number of institutions and became one of the most well-known fine artists in the country.

For the first time, Ginsber’s collection will be shown at Wits Art Museum (Wam) in an exhibition curated by Warren Siebrits. While previous exhibitions of Battiss’ work were conceived thematically, the current exhibition is organised chronologically.

Viewers will have the opportunity to walk step-by-step through Battiss’ life and gain insight into aspects of his artistic production, including his extensive travels, interest in rock painting, calligraphy, an exploration of multiple media and the ‘Fook Island’ of his imagination.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 340-page illustrated book at a cost of R1 500. It will be available for the duration of the exhibition at a special price of R1 000. Battiss merchandise such as scarves, T-shirts, crockery, wrapping paper and postcards will also be on sale.

A screen-print of Battiss’ Fook Script in a numbered edition of 100 will be sold to raise funds for Wam.

At the end of the exhibition, the collection will become part of the museum’s permanent holdings and form the nucleus of a major Walter Battiss archive. The collection will be available to scholars by appointment for research.

A second exhibition mounted at Wits University to coincide with the exhibition titled The Origins of Walter Battiss: Another Curious Palimpsest will also be on display at the Origins Centre from 9 June to the end of September.

Details: 011 717 1365; 011 717 1358