Homage – a print portfolio tribute to Cecil Skotnes
Homage, a print portfolio that has been created as a tribute to Cecil Skotnes, is being sold through the Michaelis School of Fine Art, UCT, in Cape Town and at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg.
Master printmaker, gifted teacher and artist, Skotnes believed that no one with talent should be denied the opportunity to train as an artist. To honour his legacy, the Michaelis School of Fine Art is to establish a scholarship in his name. To this end twelve artists, each of whom were inspired by Skotnes in some way, have contributed work to the Homage portfolio. These include the likes of Willie Bester and Peter Clarke who studied with Cecil at the Community Arts Project (CAP) in the 1980s; Louis Maqhubela - one of the Polly Street artists to study with Cecil; and William Kentridge, who has said that a woodblock print of a cat by Cecil influenced an aspect of his own work.
The contributing artists are (listed with the name of their print):
1. Willie Bester - Social engineering
2. David Brown
3. Norman Catherine
4. Peter Clarke - A moment of the sun
5. Stephen Inggs
6. William Kentridge
7. David Koloane - Flight
8. Fritha Langerman
9. Louis Maqhubela - Greetings Cecil
10. Malcolm Payne
11. Pippa Skotnes
12. Gavin Younge
“I can think of no greater tribute than his peers participating in a project that will culminate in a scholarship that carries his name,” said John Skotnes, son of the artist. Fifty portfolios are available for purchase at a starting price of R50, 000. All profits from the sale of the Homage portfolio will go to the Cecil Skotnes Scholarship.
Stephen Inggs, Director of Michaelis School of Fine Art says that the portfolio is a unique collection with excellent investment potential.
The Homage portfolio is first being exhibited during the Legacies of Landscape print exhibition at Michaelis Gallery, Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town from 28 July to 21 August. The gallery will be open from 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday. During September the Homage portfolio will be on display at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg from 17 to 23 September.
For information about the Homage portfolio contact Thomas Cartwright at Michaelis School of Fine Art on (021) 480 7103 or (021) 480 7112 or email him thomas.cartwright@uct.ac.za. To view the prints visit http://cca.uct.ac.za/projects/homage.
