The story of an African farm

Integrity, honesty and humility were some of the words used by artist John Roome when he opened the new exhibition by fellow artist Jannie van Heerden, who is showing work in Durban at the Park Gallery at the Kwazulu-Natal Society of Arts in Bulwer Road, Glenwood.

These qualities are embodied in a career spanning four decades, during which Van Heerden made an important contribution to art and education in his quiet and unassuming way One needs to go a little into Van Heerden's background to learn why he so aptly chose to name his exhibition The Story of an African Farm, after the famous novel by Olive Schreiner.

Van Heerden was born in Cradock, where Schreiner lived for a while and where she was a tutor on farms such as Gannahoek, Leliekloof and Ratelhoek. This is where she wrote The Story of an African Farm and where she is buried. As a young boy Van Heerden's father took him to the Schreiner house which is now a museum, and to Buffelskop, where she is buried.

A few years ago, he went there again, read all the material available and visited the sites, which inspired him to make these paintings. Van Heerden's work speaks volumes about his background and it is for this reason he understood the story so well. He has been an artist all his life and throughout this time his style has never changed, but slowly throughout the years one's technique improves.

Van Heerden is from the Grahamstown School, Rhodes University, where he received his fine art degree. He has lectured at the University of Fort Hare and the University of Durban-Westville. He later took up a career in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, recently retiring from his post as visual arts education specialist.

Throughout this time he continued to paint and exhibit as well as research and publish. Van Heerden has been an art educator, researcher, author and authority on Zulu craft, especially basketry As a result of his book, Zulu Baskets, he is now recognised as an authority in this field. His exhibition is wonderful. Walking into the gallery I felt surrounded by a warm glow and, slowly looking around me, but standing still in the same spot, the story of an African farm began to unfold.

Van Heerden's paintings echo the intense love he feels for this landscape, the solidity of the rocks, bushes, small and large farm houses, and at times the arid landscape. It is the Karoo as we all know it - sometimes bleak and dry but at sunset there is a red glow that encompasses everything. Van Heerden's work creates a Karoo scenery one does not easily forget, and therein lies the strength of this exhibition.

Meanwhile, the main gallery at the KZNSA hosts The Vessel and Beyond, a display of ceramic works put together by the KwaZulu-Natal region of Ceramics Southern Africa. The best work comes from the seasoned potters, who are fellows of the Ceramic Association — Garth Hoets, Lindsay Scott, John Shirley and Andrew Walford.

All are ceramicists who have earned this title for their commitment as well as consistently producing work of a high standard. The same goes for the work by guest exhibitors Ian Calder, Astrid Dahl and John Shirley These ceramicists all produced works of a high standard, especially the older artists, whose work may be familiar, but is always a pleasure to use or display. There are also 18 decorated bowls by invited painters.

This juried exhibition awarded substantial prizes in five categories. The category award winners for ceramics were: Sculptural — Astrid Dahl; Expressive — Lynette Morris-Hale; Functional — Louise Jennings; Student (in memory of Maggie Mikula) — Kyle Pierpoint; Bowl — Isabel Lehmkuhl. Highly recommended certificates were presented to Sibonelo Luthuli, Lorrine de Richelieu, Naomi Klingenberg, Jacky MacLennan, and Jetteke de Vries.

Although the public is now familiar with her pieces, the ring of horses produced by Carol Hayward Fell, remains intriguing, especially the creatures on horseback which are beautifully executed and deserve praise. Talking about horses, on the gallery's mezzanine level is a photographic exhibition of horses, beautifully shot by Andrew McGibbon.

The angles at which these photographs were taken makes for a remarkable exhibition. Titled All The Wild Horses, "it serves as a tribute to the beast that has made much of what we call life possible", says McGibbon. "The horse is a beast of legend, taking on its own character, personality emotion and mythology" The images are reminiscent of the portraiture of the rich and famous.

The artist has attempted, and succeeded, to show a sense of personality and emotion - sadness in some cases and pride in others.

Photo Caption: Daggaboersnek by Durban artist Jannie van Heerden, from his series The Story of an African Farm.

Art Notes. By Marianne Meijer

Article Source: The Mercury